Ode to Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches, a staple of the Strega Nona team's diet

As I mentioned in past blogs, the experience of eating on the road has been difficult...VERY difficult. Given the varying palates of the cast, it is often hard to reach a consensus on where to dine. Dining choices are limited by the region in which we are touring. And then, there are the portions - restaurant portions are 2-4 times the size of a normal, healthy portion, and we usually feel impelled to eat everything on our plates since we have no/limited access to microwaves and fridges.



Needless to say, my dining experiences on the road have ranged from divine (Himalayan food in Durango!) to detestable (Chinese buffet in Arkansas is ALWAYS a bad idea). There has been one restaurant, however, which has provided Team Strega Nona with great nutritional satisfaction - Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches.

Jimmy John's is a gourmet sandwich chain, serving delicious concoctions filled with ample amounts of meats, cheeses and vegetables. I had my first Jimmy John's experience in Fayetteville, AR, and it was wonderful! The sandwiches are filling without being overwhelming, and depending on which sandwich and toppings you order, you can have a fairly nutritional meal. Each restaurant is decorated with funny neon signs and placards, making eating at Jimmy John's also a fun-filled experience.



The best thing about Jimmy John's, however, are the pickles. Whenever you order a sandwich, you have the option of making a combo by adding chips and a drink. Since their chips are fried in peanut oil and I am allergic to peanuts, I was allowed to substitute a pickle for the chips in my combo. Jimmy John's pickles are HUGE (basically, the size of a regular cucumber), extremely crunchy and full of dill deliciousness. Check out this picture of me and my pickle:



We visited Jimmy John's a handful of times during our first leg of the tour. Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to visit them again in the second leg of our tour. YUM!

Until the next adventure...

Ciao!
XOXO-
Janine