The Big New York Sandwich Book

Food journalists Tang and Reistad-Long have put together a toothsome collection that covers how to construct a vast assortment of sandwiches, as well as provides something interesting to read while eating them. With more than 90 New York food pros weighing in with their favorite recipes, each entry starts off by covering a chef's background and current place of employ. The result is a culinary who's who for the hungry New Yorker. Manhattan eateries get the lion's share of attention, though there is also a healthy serving from Tang's home turf of Brooklyn. We hear from the likes of heavy hitters like Mario Batali and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who offer a simple grilled mozzarella and a hot and crispy tuna sandwich respectively. But we also meet Brooklynite Cal Elliott and the meatloaf sandwich from his restaurant, Rye, as well as La Superior's chef Nacxitl Gaxiola and his pambazo, a roll stuffed with chorizo, potato, salsa and Cotija cheese. Most of the recipes are contained within seven chapters arranged by sandwich type, be it deli, vegetarian, Asian, or Latin. A difficulty ranking from 1 to 3 accompany each entry, as do icons signifying if a sandwich is particularly healthy, packable, or in need of a day's head start. For dessert, a chapter of sweet sandwiches is a sugar rush of ganache and ice cream, a s'more, and a whoopee cookie from the Magnolia Bakery. (Apr.)