I wrote:

>> As an ex-Philly boy, I think all the hoopla over who makes the best
>> cheesesteak is over done. IMHO, just about every pizza place in the
>> metro area makes a good cheesesteak (and you may rest assured that
>> I've tried quite a few). I get back to Philly several times a year
>> (I live near NYC and it's not far, plus I'm there on business from
>> time to time) and I often find myself having a cheesesteak every
>> night for dinner - they're that good, at least I think they are.
>>
>> I've had them elsewhere, and they're uniformly awful. Go to Philly,
>> which is a fine city to visit by yourself, with your significant
>> other, or with the kids, and just enjoy. Visit the Reading Terminal
>> market for lunch and have a cheesesteak there from whatever place
>> you like. Go towards the end of the week when the Pennsylvania Dutch
>> people are there. That will make a fine start on Philly eating.
>>
>> I like mine with onions which, as far as I'm concerned, is part of
>> the standard Philly cheesesteak - meat, cheese, and fried onions on a
>> Amoroso roll. Ketchup? Not for purists but I don't think it ruins
>> it, either. Certainly it's not my first choice now, but in college
>> (Temple University, on and off between '73 and '82), I think I ate
>> them that way as often as not.
>>
>> The common variants are, IMHO, all also good. I like a cheesesteak
>> hoagie, which has lettuce, tomatoe, and mayo on the roll. I also
>> like a pizza steak, which uses mozarella cheese and tomatoe sauce.
>> Lots of places in Philly now offer a cheesesteak made with chicken,
>> usually called a chicken cheesesteak - haven't had one of those yet.
>>
>> Bottom line - get yourself to Philly or its suburbs, find a local
>> pizza place, and order a cheesesteak. It'll be good.
>>
>> -S-


Andy wrote:

> Just so there's no misunderstanding, we moved to Media, PA in 1991.
> I'm still here. I don't know about the ex.
>
> I agree with you on all counts.

I grew up in lower Bucks County, and my wife outside of Doylestown in
central Bucks. I lived in Ardmore for five years along the way (roughly
your neck of the woods, roughly, anyway), moved to NYC in 1982 (with my
soon-to-be wife, who still is, nearly 30 years later) to go to graduate
school and have been in this part of the world ever since.

You can buy chip steak or whatever they call it in the freezer case
here - it's only OK. I've also made a quasi-cheesesteak that tastes
pretty damned good by buying rare roast beef at the deli counter, sliced
very thin, and using that instead of the chip steak. Not quite
authentic but not bad, either. That it's rare lets you cook it without
ruining it.

For me, the Cheesewiz/Velveeta stuff never tastes right at home. I just
use cheddar. When on the road in Philly, lately I've taken to asking
for extra cheese - not necessary, really, but still tastes good.

-S-