Boursin

During my time as the managing editor of a local magazine, I worked closely with the art director Joe. While merging editorial and art, Joe and I became dear friends and confidants. Think Anne Hathaway and Stanley Tucci in The Devil Wears Prada. We made time for lunch together most every day whether it was a quick slice of pizza if we were scrambling to get the pages ready for print or a relaxed sit-down during the quiet week after deadlines were met. We were fortunate to work in Morristown, New Jersey, where there were an abundance of restaurants. We hit up delis, Chinese take-out joints, Irish pubs, trattorias and sometimes a steak house to celebrate a special occasion. Some of the fondest memories I have of my time at the magazine are those lunches with Joe for they were always filled with laughter. There was a little French café/restaurant off the beaten path that I especially liked because it served authentic French cuisine. In fact, the staff all hailed from France; I have not been to a place like it since. Soups were homemade daily, and when you ordered one, the lady would ask in her thick French accent, “With crouton?”  Of course with crouton! It was a large homemade buttery, crisp crouton. Perfection!  After all, baguettes rule in France as they did at this café. The long loaves were hollowed out to house hot dogs with mild Dijon mustard or sliced and topped with sweet butter and homemade jam. My favorite item here was the roast beef sandwich. Leave it to the wonderful French to forego the ubiquitous condiments of mayo and mustard in favor of creamy, flavorful Boursin cheese. The crunchy baguette was slathered with the herb-infused cheese and topped with thin slices of roast beef, lettuce and tomato if they were in season. I truly enjoyed those days. Joe and I still keep in touch, and while he now lives in Washington, D.C., we see each other as much as we can. When we do, we always meet for lunch.

French Roast Beef Sandwich

1 baguette

1 five-ounce round of Boursin cheese,

1/2 pound thinly sliced rare roast beef

Kosher salt and pepper

1 cup of fresh spring mix greens

Slice baguette in half. Spread Boursin generously on both sides of the bread. Layer with roast beef and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drape greens over the roast beef. Cut into 6 inch sections.