In The Press: Brides.com

Part personal, part business, our story behind Melt is currently featured on Brides Magazine's National website, Brides.com.  They came to us to check in with a few of their 'favorite' Real Wedding newlywed couples they had featured throughout the year (Bill and I appeared in Brides Connecticut back in January) for an article on handling personal finances during the first year of marriage.  So, of course for us, the article quickly became all about the most delicious place in the world and our core of all things finance-related; Melt Sandwich Shop.

For our little story behind the sandwiches, you can check out the full article HERE.  

Eat well!
Melt

In The Press: 914 Inc. Magazine

I am completely honored to have been included in the current issue of 914 Inc. Magazine, a Westchester Magazine publication, in the cover story "Westchester's Wunderkinds: 24 Under 30".  They define Wunderkind as 'a person who succeeds, especially in business; at a comparatively young age'.  When I heard I was to be included in this article, my first thought was "Me?! I think you must have the wrong girl!".  The 23 other individuals also featured truly have accomplished amazing things at such young ages, and I am incredibly humbled to appear alongside of them. A giant Thank You goes to Westchester Magazine for such an honor.  

To check out the online version of this article, click HERE.

Eat well!
Melt

What's New: The Garden Combo

Well, it certainly doesn't seem like it with the nice little coating of snow most of us now have, but according to my calender, it is Spring!  And Spring is a great time of year in the Hall household because it means two things: First, it's time for sweet tea, and second and most importantly, it's time to wear short pants!  That has always been Bill's philosophy on Spring and has slowly rubbed off on me over the years.  Sweet tea and short pants.  Really, it's story all of its own dating back many moons to his childhood....

But, I digress.  Like I was saying, It's Spring!  Which gives us our newest combo of the week, The Garden.  This one brings the essence of this beautiful season into a sandwich with a Grilled Garden Vegetable Salsa (Grilled Zucchini, Asparagus, Onions, Tomatoes), Fresh Baby Arugula, and a Creamy Ranch Drizzle.  We recommend it with just about any of our meats or vegetarian options since it really pairs up well with everything.  One taste and you will feel like you're taking a bite out of your grandmother's garden... well... maybe not since that might make you a deer... but you get my point.

Here we have it topping our sweet maple cured ham on our whole wheat multigrain short roll.

I think you're gonna like this one, so be sure come in and give it a try!

Eat well!

Melt

Westchester Weekends: Chocolations

First, I have to tell you a secret.  About me.  It's not pretty, but it's true.  It's about my addiction...

...to chocolate.  I don't just like chocolate, I love chocolate.  But really, love doesn't adequately describe my feelings for chocolate.  I love chocolate so much that I truly can not remember a single day in my life where I have gone without eating it.  Yea... I told you it wasn't pretty.

Phew!  That was tough.  But, now that that's out there, you can only imagine how I felt when I heard of a store in Westchester called "Chocolations"... instant googly eyes, weak knees, uncontrolled drooling... again, not pretty, but true.  I heard about Chocolations through the Twitter grapevine a while back, and after one look at pictures of their delicious treats frequently posted on their Facebook page, I knew it was my kind of place!

I had been dying to get down there for quite some time, and this weekend I finally made it.   Man was I happy I did!  As soon as I walked in the door, it smelt like I would imagine Heaven being like.  Chocolate Heaven.

Their shelves were stocked with everything from white chocolate to milk chocolate to dark chocolate, covering any delicious thing you could think of.  From marshmallows to pretzels to popcorn, you name it, they had it!  Coated in chocolate, no less.  I picked out a few handmade chocolate covered oreos for around $1 each.

Just as I expected.... they were amazing.  The shelves were also full of seasonal items galore, from St. Patty's day to Easter to Baseball, there was a chocolate treat to match!

As I made my way to the back of the store, it only got better because that is where they had the candy by the pound.  I probably would have bought at least 10lbs if I didn't think Bill would be a little concerned upon my return.  Fortunately (or unfortunately for me), logic set in and I decided a 1/4 pound would be enough.

Good thing I listened logic too, because my jeans wouldn't have had much chance of fitting today if I hadn't.  These were gone no more than 30 seconds after we opened the box.  If you look closely, you might even be able to see Bill trying to sneak one away ;)

Whether it is for a special occasion, a holiday, a gift, or even a no-reason delicious treat on any day of the week, Chocolations is definitely the place to go!  Check them out!  Just like me, you'll be happy you did. 

Chocolations

607 East Boston Post Road

Mamaroneck, NY 10543

Eat well!

Melt

In The Press: White Plains Patch

Hello Monday Morning!  Nothing like a lovely snow coating to ring in Spring, right?!

We're bringing you a great Westchester Weekend post a lil' later today, but first we have to give a huge thank you to The White Plains Patch for featuring us last week in their article titled Local Lunch On a Budget.  I especially love this article because of the bad rap that eating "out" for lunch has garnered since the recession hit.  Sure, brown-bagging it could save you a few dollars if you do it right, but really, grocery shopping, especially for the good stuff, ain't cheap!  What fun is planning, preparing, cooking, and packing up your own lunch every single day when there are so many places that can make an incredibly delicious, fresh and healthy lunch for you at a super affordable price?

We are honored to be included as one of those places!

Oh, and did we mention we can deliver it right to your desk? :)

Check out the full article HERE.

Eat well!
Melt

What's New: The Guinness

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May you enjoy a Guinness on St. Patrick's Day

Today's the debut of our newest and greatest sandwich combination... The Guinness!  With Pan-fried Cabbage, Melted Onions, White Cheddar Cheese, and an INCREDIBLE Irish Guinness Gravy, this one is better than kissing the Blarney Stone while being held by a Leprechaun on a beautiful day in Ireland.   I swear on my Claddah ring :)

We recommend it with our Corned Beef, but it's rich deliciousness goes well with the Brisket, Aged Beef Top Round and the Slow Roasted Turkey Breast as well.

Check it out!

Guinness gravy bubbling away:

On our sourdough short roll piled up with our house-brined-and-roasted corned beef, ready to be melted down:

Finishing touch of Guinness gravy and this one's ready for some eatin'!

This combo probably won't hang around for long so come in and try it for St. Pat's!

Erin Go Brah & Eat well!

Melt

Sunday

He takes his fork and dives into the plate full of mashed potatoes.  Normally it would be french fries covered in melted cheese and gravy, but since it is Lent, and we both decided this year would be the year to give up fried food, mashed potatoes it is.  I take my fork and scoop off half his bite as it leaves the plate en route to his mouth.

"What!" I say as he looks at me, mouth open, desperately trying to disguise a smile, "You were taking the best bite!"

We both laugh at each other and he dives back into the plate; take two.  His bite doesn't look as good this time, so I let it be.  As we sit at our favorite booth in the corner, we talk.  I tell him about my 4 year old cousin's stories and he tells me about the newest slicer he wants to get for the shop.  I go on about the millionth crazy dream I had last night as he listens intently for the millionth time, soaking in every detail.  We talk about what we want to do next at Melt.  Where we want to go and how we want to get there.  What we can do this week, and where we want to be a year from now.  We bounce ideas off each other and throw in a joke or two keeping our lunch light hearted and full of love, just as a Sunday should be.  It's our day.

We stop in at the grocery store across the street.  As we weave through the aisles pushing our cart with one wheel that refuses to roll straight, I feel like a regular ol' couple for the first time in a long time.  The past few weeks have been crazy and insane, but full of amazing things for Melt.  Expanding our hours into the evening, toying with new menu items, growing our never ending list of made-from-scratch ingredients to almost 100%...  Sundays have came just as quickly as they have went, and Mondays have arrived pretty much without warning.

We stop for a milkshake on the way home.  Not because we're hungry, but because it's the perfect thing to do on a sunny afternoon.  And for the first time in a long time, it feels like a regular ol' Sunday.  Sure, Monday will be here before we realize we even slept a full nights sleep, but for now, this day is here to stay.

What's New: The March Madness

Noo, we're not talkin' basketball... we're talkin' our newest sandwich combo! "The March Madness" makes its Melt debut today and let me tell you, it is crrrrazy!  (Hence the 'madness' :)  If it were in the tournament it would most definitely be the #1 seed.  No question.  And it would totally make it to the final four.  No problem.  I'd even say it would win the National Championship... Yea... it's THAT good.

It has spicy pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, authentic Russian dressing, and Bill's famous coleslaw.  We recommend it with the aged beef top round, slow roasted turkey breast, or grilled chicken, but it is one that seriously goes well with everything!

Stop in and check it out! You'll be happy you did. 

Eat well! 

Melt 

Our Table: The Oscars

My family has always had a serious love of movies.  Growing up, I don't know if a day went by where we weren't referencing my mom's "Academy Award Encyclopedia" (yes, this was before the days of Wikipedia guys), or my sister wasn't editing her running tally of favorite movies of the year written on the dry erase board dedicated solely to the subject.  We spent many a weekend excitedly heading to dinner and a movie as a family and discussing our favorite scenes the whole way home.  So, as a result, my sister and I have taken our Oscar Parties very seriously for years now.  When Bill joined on in, the parties were upped to a whole new level with some serious eats.  Two years ago we had a spread of food so big we probably could have fed 50 people... and there were 4 of us.  So, this year, with a whopping 10 Best Picture Nominees, and many more friends ready to join the party, it was on.

Witout further adieu, from our Oscar-watching table to yours, the nominees for Best Picture are (ahem, were)...

1) True Grit.  This was one I didn't see this year, but apparently a pivotal scene involved some chili made over a fire.  Don't know if the cornbread we had with it (served in a cowboy hat, no less) was invloved or not, but it suuuure was delicious!

2) The Social Network.  We have to give a huge shout out to our friend Mary Marantz for tweeting this idea!  It was just too good to pass up :)

3) The Fighter.  Okaaaay, so this one was a stretch.  But who doesn't need an excuse for some Mac 'n Cheese?!

4) Winter's Bone. 

5) The Kids are Alright.  I seriously apologize in advance for this one...

6) The King's Speech.  Since we came up with this, I've been unintentionally spelling 'peach' as 'peech'.  I did fix it for the sinage, but think I like peech better.  It was tasty nonetheless.

7) 127 Hours.  I also apologize in advance.  I'll spare you the explanation, but if you've seen the movie, you'll understand.

8) Black Swan.  

9) Toy Story 3.  Almond 'Joy Story' bars!

10) Inception. Yes, we realize this cake only has 3 layers.  Let's just say we were trying to confuse you just as much as the movie itself.  Either that, or we counted the ganache as a layer... take your pick of excuses :)

Cheers!

Eat well!
Melt

Westchester Weekends: Grand Prix NY

Hello Sunday!  Oh, how we love you.

Time again for another serving of fab finds from Westchester County!  Bill and I recently hit up Grand Prix NY up in Mt. Kisco to have a little racing fun.  It is a facility that is set up with go-cart racetracks galore, games, and a restaurant to boot.  It's meant for kids and for adults, and trust me when I say, this is not your average arcade.

We arrived and filled out all the necessary information, then signed up for the next available race.  It was a little pricey at $35 each*, but for full access to the facility, and the awesomeness of the race we were about to experience, it was worth it!  We started out by watching a training video, then headed to the changing room to done the appropriate gear:

Bill was looking dashing, as usual...

Then it was off to the races!  Before we hopped in, we were told that the carts can reach speeds of 40mph.  Crazy talk!!  For a girl who's scared to kick it to top speed in Mario Kart, 40mph sounded completely death-defying.  Once I put the pedal to the metal though, it was on!  Innnntense.

Those babies could move.  I figured I had to have been going at least 70mph the whole time.  But, after finding out I came in 8th out of 10, I doubt I even hit 10mph....  Bill, however, was a racing fiend!  He placed 4th.  So, we didn't take home any gold medals, but at least we didn't come in last!  And that's good enough for me.  

Check 'em out!

Grand Prix New York

33 North Bedford Road

Mt. Kisco, NY 10549

Eat well!

Melt

*On their website it looks like the prices vary based on day of the week and membership status, so I am sure there are less expensive options!

What Fits

I’m right handed, he’s left.  It was one of the first things my mother noticed about Bill the day she met him.  As he signed his name, with love, on my grandmother’s 90th birthday card, my mom looked at me with a smile and said, “He’s left handed.”  Almost my whole family writes with their right hand.  From my sister to my father to my grandparents.  My aunts, my uncles, my cousins; every one of us is right handed.  But my mom?  Well, my mom is left.

“Hmm.”  I remember thinking. “I guess he is left handed.” 

I had known Bill six months at the time and I’d never noticed.  It had either never occurred to me, or just never mattered.  But right then, in that moment, with my mom seeing someone else writing the same way she did, and knowing that this person would one day join our family, I knew… Bill fit.   

Now when Bill and I work together, I stand to his right side, he stands to my left.  And it fits.  We assemble each sandwich by him loading on the bacon as I toss on the cheese.  He lays out the tomatoes as I drizzle on the sauce.  I grab one thing on the right, and he grabs another on the left, and it fits.  Any other combination; two lefties, two righties, if I were a lefty and he were a righty, wouldn’t work.  We’d both be reaching for the lettuce with no one grabbing for the onions.  Our lines would be crossed and our sandwiches would be tangled.  Where would we be then? 

One day, when Melt Sandwich Shops line the streets like Starbucks’ (insert ™ or © or ®  here… don’t sue me, Starbucks :), Bill and I won’t be the only one’s assembling our intricate sandwiches.  We’ll have a team of highly trained professionals that know to grab the broccoli rabe with their left hand and the slow roasted tomatoes with their right.   Because for us, well... that’s just what fits.

Westchester Weekends: Captain Lawrence

It’s the weekend once again!  So it’s time to bring you another fab find from wonderful Westchester County.  This weekend, Bill and I headed up to Captain Lawrence Brewing Company in Pleasantville.  We had first heard of Captain Lawrence a few years ago after moving down from Mystic, Connecticut.  In Mystic, Cottrell is the reigning champ of local beers, but unfortunately not widely available in other areas.  So Bill had to find a new local brew to fill the void.  Once we discovered Captain Lawrence, he was hooked!  I have to admit, I'm not a beer drinker myself, but even I enjoyed this one.  As soon as we heard it was only a short drive from White Plains, we had to check it out. 

We walked in the door of the tasting room which was so packed I had to break out my stealth maneuvering skills just to get inside.  It was no wonder why either... free samples galore!  Any of their 5 brews on tap were up for grabs.

We tasted one of each, their IPA, 'Espresso Stout', 'Freshchester', their seasonal 'Winter Rye', and my personal favorite, 'Liquid Gold'.

       

After choosing our faves, it was time for buying.  And the best part? They bottle it up right there.

  

I think I'm hooked!  Which is quite an accomplishment for this non-beer lover.  If we ever add beer to our Melt repertoire, you know which one will be first on the list! 

Captain Lawrence Brewing Company

99 Castleton Street

Pleasantville, NY

Tastings offered Fridays, 4pm - 7pm, and Saturdays, 12pm to 6pm

Eat well!

Melt

What's New: The Snowstorm

Good evening Melty's!

Noo don't you worry... there is not another snowstorm on the horizon... we're just keeping y'all up to date with our next and newest sandwich combo of the week!  This one will make its debut on Monday, and trust me when I say, you don't wanna miss it.  We named it "The Snowstorm" with the assumption that February would be dumping just as much of that white stuff on us as the lovely month of January did.  After serious deliberation on changing it's name, we decided to let the name stay with the hopes that the only snowstorm we'll be experiencing from here on out this year will be on our sandwiches!

This combo has Bill's mouth watering horseradish sauce, Muenster cheese, and sweet caramelized white onions.  We recommend it with the Aged Beef Top Round or the Beef Brisket, but it also pairs up nicely with the daily fish, rosemary dijon pork loin, grilled portobello or the grilled chicken breast.

Here it is in all it's tastiness, covering the ancho chile brown sugar brisket, tucked nicely in a whole wheat flat bread:

Stop by next week and give it a try!

Eat well!
Melt

Lunch Hour Laughs: Face Swap

Hello lunch hour!  Welcome to Wednesday.  Today's mid-day chuckle comes to us from FunnyOrDie.com, and it's a good one!  Perhaps a bit frightening, but you all can handle it, right?  We bring you, Celeb Face Swaps:

**Note: Entertainment level significantly increased if viewed while enjoying a Melt sandwich**

We all knew they looked different without the make-up...

Hogan's hero.

If that's not pretty then I don't know what is. 

Oddly enough, this one isn't as strange as you'd think it'd be (or maybe it's just my love of The Office..)

And this one... well this just works.

Eat well!
Melt

Ps. Don't forget.. we are now open until 8:30pm! :)