This year is the state of West Virginia’s Sesquicentennial.  I had no idea.  (see link below to the celebration put on live using the capitol building as the screen . . . . f’real!)  I’m from the state of Country Roads, Coal Mining and Buckwild.  (Love the first, had relatives that did the second, loathe the last).

West Virginia was a great place to grow up and I still have many friends (Jenny from the Block, Crig, Kelly, Sam) and family (one of my all time favorite nieces, Ally) there.   It’s true you can take the girl out of the mountains, but not the mountains out of the girl.  It’s super fun to go back and take my West Texas Bad Ass husband to visit the New River Gorge, The Greenbrier, and Tudor’s Biscuit World (it’s illegal to visit WV without visiting the home of the Duke Biscuit).

It was there I learned to make the “Almost Heaven” sandwich.   (recipe below – you’re welcome).  I would go to Ray’s Deli for lunch when I worked at Charleston Federal Savings & Loan (I’m pretty sure some of you reading this have no earthly idea what a Savings & Loan is).  Ray’s had been there forever and a day and still had on its menu, the “New” Sandwich (a roast beef and cheddar).    That always makes me giggle.

Late 2011, the film “Everything’s for Sale” won Best Narrative Short in the West Virginia Filmmakers Festival (written and produced by R. Phillip Maxwell).    The Festival in Sutton, WV, was one of the best we have had the privilege of attending and we made some fast friends, bonding over late night Crown Royal runs and belly dancing lessons in the basement of a fabulous Italian Restaurant in an adorable Country Inn!

My point about all this is West Virginia frequently gets a bad rap.  True there are pockets of pure poverty and there are people who are uneducated and struggling.  But in what state is that not the case?  West Virginia IS Wild and Wonderful (unofficial state motto – awesomeness) and I encourage all who are reading this to check out Snowshoe, White Water Rafting on the New River, The Cheat Mountain Hunting Club, Blenko Glass, and bring me back a Duke!

–LeeAnn

Almost Heaven Sandwich

Deli Turkey Meat

Provolone Cheese

Sourdough Bread

Mayonnaise (Duke’s . . . duh.)

Butter

Pepper

Tomato

Red Onion

Banana Peppers

Spread mayonnaise on two slices of sourdough bread, sprinkle each with pepper.  On one slice place turkey, cheese, tomato, red onion, top with banana peppers.  Top with other slice of sourdough.  Melt butter in skillet and grill each side of sandwich.  OMG deliciousness.  If you serve with chips and dip, you’ll definitely think you have died and gone to Heaven.