Well, good end of summer to all. I hope the time away from the city and/or your normal routine fed your soul and spirit. Bring on fall.
There was lots happening for me this summer with food work, aside from cooking for my weekly clients. I did not get away as much as I would have liked but I did more hiking and day-tripping this summer.
While returning from a recent hike in Peekskill with my bro Jason and four-legged children, Angus and Benzo, we stumbled onto a small but interesting little eatery in Courtland Manor. Starving from our hike, we thought we hit the jackpot, but just our luck, our arrival was their departure. So, Jason and I drooled over the menu on the way home promising to return.
I did not think our return would be for some time, but thanks to an inviting and unique menu and Jason’s “let’s get it done” ways, less than a week later, we were back in the car with a sole mission to eat. This mission: operation Little Cabin Sandwich Shop (3787 Crompond Road, Cortland Manor, N.Y., 914-734-1839, littlecabinsandwichshop.com).
Simply put, Little Cabin Sandwich Shop is the bee’s knees when it comes to artisanal hand-crafted sandwiches. Yes, we live in the city that has it all, but this place is worth the pilgrimage. Trust and believe.
The team at Little Cabin are doing exceptional things with beef, pork, chicken, turkey, vegetables and more, all house-made, cured, smoked and cooked. The menu is divided into each of these protein categories plus salads, soups and sides, some with a touch of Ecuadorian “sazon.” Still, Jason and I could not decide on our meal.
The small one-level storefront sits on a patch of land that looks like it was squeezed on an island divider between two big-box stores’ driveways, but so inviting, friendly and authentic to the service they provide inside. This is good news to husband and wife team, Stephen and Marianna Brophy, as it was to Stephen who built the cabin, landscaped the property and mans his baby, the smoker, in the back.
By the time we arrived, I had my heart and lips set for the Little Cabin Cuban with pulled pork, house-cured bacon, swiss cheese, pickles, homemade mayonnaise and whole grain mustard. I rounded it out with their thinly sliced, buttermilk dressed coleslaw and the watermelon agua fresca.
Jason went new-old school with the house brined, black pepper and coriander seed crusted, smoked then steamed beef pastrami Rueben. It is served on grilled marble rye bread with swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing. Jason added their handcut fries and their tamarind fruit beverage to his situation.
As we sat in the outside patio I took in our food and the attention to detail of its preparation. The sandwich ingredients were spread evenly throughout assuring continuity in every bite and no crusts left on the plate.
After our meal Stephen invited me to see the smoker in the back and talk more about the shop, what they do and why they do it. I mentioned my appreciation for the proper preparation of a sandwich for which he echoed its importance as well as treating their customers as they would want to be treated.
We left Little Cabin full and happy and with one of their loyal customers clutching his bag of deliciousness. He said he was working his way through the extensive menu and has not had a bad meal yet. I can believe it.
Thank you, Marianna, Stephen and family, for doing what you do. I will be back for more.
Happy eating and thanks for reading!
Kysha Harris is a food writer and editor, culinary producer, consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service in NYC for over 15 years. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @SCHOPgirl, on Facebook, /SCHOPnyc, and her blog, www.talkingSCHOP.wordpress.com. Questions? Comments? Requests? Feedback? Invitations! Email AmNewsFOOD at AmNewsFOOD@SCHOPnyc.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @NYAmNewsFOOD and tag us with #SoAmNewsFOOD with your food finds!