The Big Wheels are a Turnin’

Unhooked, hooked up, ready to go and on the road by 10:30 this morning. Just enough fuel to get us to across the line where fuel prices are cheaper and we’ll fill up the motorhome, the pantry and the liquor cabinet to start our journey.

The weather didn’t dampen our spirits (but the thought of the border guard did) even though it was overcast, cool & showers off and on for most of the day. We made it to the border at Queenston/Lewiston about 1:00 PM with an hour’s wait ahead of us. Have you any idea how many questions and answers you can think up for the border guard in an hour?

We finally made it to the front of the line, no problems. The cute little border guard came on board briefly but seemed satisfied that we were the only ones in the rig. What is it about the border crossings that always make you feel guilty? And they never ask the questions that you’re prepared to answer. We felt like sitting him down and explaining his responsibility to listen to ALL the answers we had for ALL the questions he didn’t ask! Ya almost feel cheated eh?

We arrived and got settled in the park around 2:30. We’re 2 for 2 today – The Cowboy tells everyone that we belong to the 2:30 club. We very seldom hit the road before 10 in the morning hopefully missing the school buses and delivery vehicles. We hardly ever travel more than 230 miles in one day or we are off the road by 2:30 in the afternoon, which ever comes first.

We will also continue with our attempt to fill out our wrinkles by stuffing our faces while we are at Lazy Lakes for a few days. One of our local favourites is a sandwich-to-die-for, Beef on Weck which is what we had for our late lunch.

Some people consider Beef on Weck - thinly sliced rare roast beef (piled high as 6 inches) on a freshly baked kimmelweck roll - the best roast beef sandwich in America. This sandwich is a staple of Buffalo, New York. Few, if any, restaurants outside the Buffalo area serve this sandwich or even know what it is. Also called Beef on Wick, an alternative spelling usually used by older people from Buffalo and eastern suburbanites. It is a roast beef sandwich on a salty kimmelweck roll. In fact, it is this roll that makes the sandwich unique.

Beef on Weck Sandwich - Beef on Wick Sandwich 1 (3- to 4-pound) beef roast (tenderloin, Prime Rib, or eye of round) 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and coarsely-ground black pepper Cornstarch Glaze (see recipe below) 8 Kimmelweck or Kaiser rolls 2 tablespoons caraway seeds 2 tablespoons coarse salt Prepared horseradish * Kimmelweck roll is a salty roll that is similar to a Kaiser roll. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rub roast with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place roast on rack in a shallow baking pan, tucking the thin end under to make it as thick as the rest of the roast. Bake, uncovered, 40 to 45 minutes or until thermometer registers 130 to 135 degrees F. Remove from oven and transfer to a cutting board; let stand 15 minutes before carving. Reserve meat juice, and carve meat into very thin slices. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Brush the prepared Cornstarch Glaze on the top of each kimmelweck or Kaiser roll; sprinkle equal amounts of caraway seeds & salt and heat in the oven for 3 minutes or until tops of the rolls get crusty and the caraway seeds and salt begin to stick. Remove from oven and cut each roll in half lengthwise. To assemble sandwiches, divide sliced beef on the bottom half of each roll, spoon with reserved beef juice, and top with the top half of each roll. Serve with horseradish on the side. Makes 8 sandwiches. Cornstarch Glaze: 1/2 cup cold water 1 tablespoon cornstarch In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together water and cornstarch. Heat mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, and stir until mixture thickens and is translucent. Remove from heat and let cool.

I warned everyone in an earlier post that you may read what we had for lunch and that I would probably include the recipe so there ya have it!

Now don’t let me mislead you. We ate out – I just inserted that info and recipe so that YOU can try this yummy sandwich at home. I only have a kitchen because it came with the motorhome.

We’re not expecting much sunshine during our stay here so I’ve included some photos from previous years – when the sun was shining.

This was our Fleetwood Bounder. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll be able to snap a shot of our Phaeton.

Today I’m grateful for cattle farmers and attractive male border guards.