Carlos Beltran could not take away this grand slam

Not this kind of grand slam, but close

If you watched last night's World Series Game One, then you saw Carlos Beltran rob Big Papi David Ortiz of a grand slam. You also saw the Red Sox beat the Cardinals. Nice. Just thinking about baseball, the grand slam, and how the weather is getting colder reminds me of how legends are often born in October. I'm here to tell you about one born today; one I shall not soon forget. Sit back and grab a snack as I spin a yarn about one of the most clutch grand slams in recent history.

On The Road Checkdown

With having had a few errands to run during lunch I must shamefully admit my food of choice was not first on my mind. Normally bad things happen when I don't have such priorities pre-planned, but today everything worked out.

As I made my way towards the first stop I began to visualize the restaurants I would pass on the drive. Since I was headed to a side of town I'm usually not at around lunch time, I found myself focusing on creating a big-time-play for my taste buds. Something local? Something international? Something I could take a chance on with the given opportunity? The first two errands did not go as planned, and before I knew it, I was running out of options and out of time. Trying to not get flustered with only a few miles left I had no choice but to checkdown.

Snack Wrap #2 (Wrap #1 and small fry did not stay around long enough for the picture...RIP)

McDonald's was my last option before getting back to the office, and like any checkdown thrown by Peyton Manning, it did the trick. I went with two Grilled Chicken Chipotle BBQ Snack Wraps and a small fry. Nothing sexy, but tasty. My usual go-to Snack Wrap is the honey mustard, but today I was pleasantly surprised with the sweet, yet tangy, chipotle bbq sauce...not to mention perfect timing on my part to get hot, crispy fries. But no doubt, the best part of lunch was after all of the wrappers were crumbled, I reached to get a napkin and found three, still warm, fries in the bottom of the bag. I'm not sure what it is but there is a sense of accomplishment when you find rogue fries to end your meal.

If you're looking for the big-time-play lunch spot McDonald's is probably not the first place that comes to mind. You know the menu, and more than likely you know what you're ordering before you get there...but there is something to be said about their effectiveness.

Ba Da Ba Ba Bah!

Arby's Smokehouse Brisket Review: Meh

I have seen it on commercials for weeks now and I have wanted desperately to try it. Arby's rarely disappoints me. It's usually very solid. Well, today my dream finally came to fruition. After enjoying the sweet thrill of victory as the Bengals (WHO DEY) defeated the Lions with a field goal as time expired, the Arby's Smokehouse Brisket at long last made its way into my belly. It appeared on TV to have all the makings of a great sandwich, promising to be both filling and full of flavor. What did I find?

To really understand a sandwich, you must get to know the sandwich, right? Let's start first with Arby's description, which is pulled straight from their official website: 

It’s slow smoked for 13 long hours. Which proves we’re pretty passionate about brisket. Arby’s Smokehouse Brisket is piled high with slow-smoked beef brisket, topped with smoked Gouda cheese, crispy onions, BBQ sauce and mayo, and served on a toasted, bakery-style bun.

 I must admit, I have no clue if this was really smoked for 13 hours, but the sandwich did indeed have all of the promised toppings, though the construction looked nothing like it's official headshot. Just compare the shots I took with the one below.

I'll give it a pass though because really, what sandwich ever looks like the one on TV or in print? I was a little hesitant about the onion rings and Gouda cheese which crowned the brisket, and nearly requested they be left off, but how could I truly review the sandwich without giving it a chance at full strength. Plus Justin would be uspet if I didn't. For the record, I did make it a meal with curly fries and a refreshing Sierra Mist. They were delicious as usual.

As far as taste goes, it didn't taste bad, but it didn't taste great either. It was just okay. I was disappointed. The bun was certainly good and I did like it. The BBQ sauce was good enough, but I did find having mayo also on the sandwich to be a bit odd. I couldn't really taste it anyways though. The onion rings and Gouda cheese in the end had no noticeable affect on the flavor of the sandwich in my opinion either.

Now to the real meat of the issue and, yes, the pun is certainly intended; the main event on this sandwich is obviously the brisket. As I said, it was okay, but it really had all the makings of a classic Bill Belichick press conference. That is to say it was rather dry and less than satisfying. In the end, I wound up dousing each of the last few bites with Arby's sauce because I did not find the brisket itself to be all that appealing. My wife agreed. She also ordered  two Jr Ham & Cheddar sandwiches and only ate one. I gladly devoured the second one. Score! Also on the bright side, I did have one packet of Arby's sauce left over which I fully intend to use as a condiment on a lunch sandwich to be named later. I'm pretty pumped about that.

Overall, I would say that this sandwich is worth trying just to say you tried it, if you are the type of person who likes to try new things at fast food restaurants. However, if you're in Arby's thinking, "Oh, a quick, tasty brisket sandwich" I'd suggest going elsewhere or at the very least lowering your expectations far below sea level. Just stick with the classic Beef 'n Cheddar or if you want my real recommendation, go with the Angus Three Cheese & Bacon sandwich. It is a solid go-to on the Arby's roster any day of the week.

Final score on the Arby's Smokehouse Brisket: Meh. I'm not inclined to order it again. 

Waking up early on a weekend is not my favorite thing to do but when there is a tee-time waiting for me I manage to never be late. The warm golfing days are coming to a close in Central Kentucky and it took a cold, wet, 8:00am start this morning for me to realize it may be time to put my clubs up for the year. With a mix of bad weather and barely being awake (and a bit hungover), my play was far from stellar. Golf is a game where it only takes one good shot to fall hopelessly in love...but what happens when you don't have "that shot" to keep you eagerly swinging? I grab a Snickers.

The brilliantly layered nougat, caramel and peanuts surrounded by creamy milk chocolate provides the warmth any struggling golfer needs on a brisk, damp morning. Did it lower my score? No. Did it fix my swing? No. Did it satisfy any and all hunger and fix the disappointment after looking at my scorecard? Absolutely. Bottomline, a Snickers is a golfer's best friend on the course...outside of an eraser.

     

i ate this for breakfast. the test post edition.

America. USA USA USA

This is only a test.