The premise: After 15 years of thinking only about bikes, riding, training, and European cycling adventures (I’m the founder of Peloton Magazine and the Editorial Director of the Road/Gravel Cycling Group at ���ϳԹ���, Inc.), I’ve come to a point where I just want to focus on one thing: sandwiches. Given my love of Italy, the most direct course to feed this need is old-school Italian delis somewhat adjacent to local gravel rides. I hope you’ll follow along.

(Read PART 1 of my journey reviewing Virgilio’s in Gloucester.)

��’A���Dz��پ��Դ�’s Delicatessen (“Dags”) in Andover, MA

Location: , 93 Main St., Andover, MA 

The city of Andover, home to Phillips Academy prep school (founded in 1778) and a short distance from Merrimack College, boasts a youthful downtown full of restaurants and activity. My interest, however, is not in schools or colleges or city infrastructure, it’s in Italian deli sandwiches—specifically, ��’A���Dz��پ��Դ�’s sandwiches.��

Dags is located in the Andover Village Square and, despite being small, it’s well-appointed with sandwiches, of course, but also breads, cookies, sauces, and take-away lasagna and baked pasta dishes. (The original 1968 Dags is a mainstay in Winchester, MA and the Andover location, which opened in 2015, is an extension of that popularity.) After a short conversation with staff who proudly state that the Italian is by far the best-selling sandwich, I ordered mine on a sub roll with everything— hot peppers galore. In fact, I ordered two. I’ve found in life that if you find something good, it’s always smart to double up.��

The Italian

The Italian begins life on a ’s sub roll. The torpedo-shaped bread is soft, chewy, and dense enough to handle a light drip of olive oil and hot peppers without compromising its purpose as a safe haven for the generous portions of mortadella, provolone, and a true gold mine of thinly sliced salami. The meat and cheese sit atop the roll, becoming a blanket of taste for the hot peppers and olive oil to rest upon.

This is where I have to point out the packaging. The sandwich is smartly wrapped using two types of paper adorned with a sticker—to which you’re probably wondering, why does this matter? Because at my core, I’m a cyclist and like my heroes and heroines of the I want to be able to put this slim and aerodynamic sammy in my bike jersey, ride to the seashore, and rest and eat in peace while I recover from whatever ails me.��

I can’t adequately express how well the mortadella, salami, and provolone blend with the peppers and olive oil, and how the bread completes the flavor crescendo. Due to the exquisite design of this sandwich and its wrapping, you only need one small napkin post meal to clean your fingers and mouth and move on with your day or ride. It’s elegant, simple, and beautiful. I’ve thought about this Italian quite a bit since my last visit and rest assured it’s at the top of the North Shore Italian sub podium.��

Local Gravel Ride Nearby

As I mentioned in my first sandwich stakeout, at this stage of my life, I’m in a sandwich first, ride later person. However, since it’s 75 degrees out and the riding is amazing on the North Shore, check out the . More than 3,000 acres and 51 miles of trails await, and if ridden often, translate to well-earned Dags sandwiches.��

The pilgrimage continues…next stop: founded in 1936 in Beverly, MA.

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This article was originally published on .��

Breakfast in bed is great and all, but the aftermath (spilled coffee, crumbs between the sheets) is not. Instead, take Mom on an outdoor adventure—a walk, a hike, a bike ride—and bring this sandwich along for a picnic lunch.

As a bonus, write up the recipe and include it in your Mother’s Day card. Jammed with grilled veggies, creamy burrata, and spring-y pesto, this sammy is destined to become Mom’s (and your) new favorite.

The post Make This Sammy for Mom on Mother’s Day appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Brad Roe is the founder of Peloton magazine and the Editorial Director of the Road/Gravel Cycling Group at ���ϳԹ���, Inc. He’s the author of the novel “A Saint’s Last Tear” published in 2010 (which also includes food) and wandering around New England at the moment trying to make sense of life as an empty-nester.

After 15 years of thinking only about bikes, riding, training, and European cycling adventures (I’m the founder of and the Editorial Director of the Road/Gravel Cycling Group at ���ϳԹ���, Inc.), I’ve come to a point where I just want to focus on one thing: sandwiches. Given my love of Italy, the most direct course to feed this newfound need, is old-school Italian delis somewhat adjacent to local gravel rides. I hope you’ll follow along.

I begin this pilgrimage with an open heart and an open mind. Recently displaced (by choice) from the sacred valley of Ojai, California, to the history-laden community of the North Shore of Boston, I was struck by the desire to find the best Italian subs in my new area. It has since become an obsession.

Virgilio’s Gloucester

Location: Virgilio’s Bakery, 29 Main St., Gloucester, MA | 

Given the spiritual nature of deli sandwiches for me (and pizza—more on that later) my first stop on the journey was the heralded St. Joseph sandwich at Virgilio’s in Gloucester.

Originally opened as a small grocery store and run by the Virgilio family since 1934, Virgilio’s started baking bread in 1961.  Known for their specialty breads baked daily, the market has expanded into a variety of sandwich and Italian deli options.

As you walk up to Virgilio’s in downtown Gloucester, Italian music blasts from speakers hastily attached to the roof. The distorted sounds are as if you’re listening to it live at Bar San Calisto in Trastevere, Rome. The music lures you inside the understated market. Greeted by staff, I anxiously ordered the St. Joseph and added hot peppers.

The St. Joseph

Tucked elegantly into a St. Joseph roll (a crust-forward roll with just the right amount of sesame seeds) is Genoa salami, German bologna, mortadella, cooked salami, imported provolone, all sprinkled with olive oil and oregano. I strongly suggest the addition of marinated hot peppers to complete the experience. With an incredible mix of vinegar and solid bread providing shelter to the meats and cheese, the St. Joseph checked every box on just the first bite. I may be new to town, but I felt like I was home.

I almost shed a tear after the second bite. I called my wife. She was a bit surprised by my instant emotional response to the sandwich but patiently listened as I began my soliloquy espousing that for a sandwich (or any menu item, for that matter) to transcend normalcy, it has to be made with love and history and passion. That could be a cup of coffee or a four-course meal. You can feel it and taste it. The St. Joseph has this reverence built into it. It is one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life. I will go back as often as I can.

My sandwich pilgrimage will continue. Next stop, ��’A���Dz��پ��Դ�’s (“Dags”) in Andover, Massachusetts.

Local Gravel Ride Nearby

Once you’re finished with your sandwich, take a trip down the Whole Island Cross Gravel Route . This is a 26 mile loop around Gloucester made mostly of gravel trails through woods. The route has been ranked by as “hard” and it’s recommended mostly for mountain bikes.

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