May 17, 2016
I’m no fancy big-city culinary prodigy, but I did write a couple stories about that dumb USA Today poll that resulted in a Pittsburgh eatery being named the home of Pennsylvania’s best cheesesteak (see here, here and here).
Over the course of this journalistic endeavor, I’ve received a lot of feedback, most notably from whatever one would call residents of that horrible three-sport town (see comments here and here).
But it was an email that came over the transom just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday that warranted this post. It came from a gentleman named James Kent, who sent it via iPad. Under the "Cheese Steaks" subject line, it reads as follows (all is sic):
They don't make them right in Philly.
Provolone cheese ONLY., no cheese whiz garbage.
Lettuce, tomato, & "raw" onion slices only., no fried onions., they don't give the sandwich enough contrast.
Light mayo and yellow hot pepper rings optional.
Pittsburgh makes the better cheesesteak.
What James just described is a cheesesteak hoagie, which in and of itself is a travesty, but a travesty widely available throughout Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania city that is home to the best cheesesteaks in the world.
He's since replied that the response to a "sham" poll (a sham since there are "50 better places" than the ultimate winner in Pittsburgh alone) was just his "humble opinion," and that while he loves Philly, he just thinks "cheese steaks are way overrated." This is America, so he is entitled to those opinions.
That is all.
--30--
