Indiana Tenderloins

Indiana is the home of the breaded tenderloin sandwich. Pork tenderloin, that is. And there are a number of restaurants and cafes that serve this curiously "Indiana Only" sandwich.

It has continued to surprise me, as I have traveled around the contiguous United States, that Indiana really seems to be the only state where you can get these sandwiches. Maybe there are one or two places just across state lines, but I've never found them, or heard of anyone else finding them.

As it turns out, my dear friend's family by marriage claim to be the inventors of this sandwich. It's a pork tenderloin, pounded out thin - but not too thin for a good one - and coated with breading and deep fried to a golden crispy brown. Served on a bun with "the works" of course, or whatever you want. It is usually a big sandwich, the tenderloin hanging way over the edge of the bun, but size doesn't always mean better, or best, in this situation at least.

Other criteria that my other friend and I have determined are necessary for a good pork tenderloin sandwich are tenderness and flavor of the breading. Tastless breading and cardboard thin tenderloins are guarantees of a one star rating from me and my friend.

We have decided to tour the state in search of breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches and are planning to write a tenderloin guidebook to hopefully help attract tourists to our great state. Dan Quayle has outserved his usefullness in that regard.

Other factors we consider are service, atmosphere, and the ability or not to get a Bloody Mary with our sandwich. We are trying to not let that last criteria overshadow the actual quality of the tenderloin, but have to admit, that we have been disappointed when all we could get for a beverage was coffee or a softdrink. We were especially elated just this past week when we were able to get not only a delicious sandwich but a spicey and strong Bloody Mary at the tavern in a town of about 150 people. "How do you like 'em?" the bartenderess asked us. "Strong and spicey", we said, and that is just what we got. She stood there while we tasted our drinks, just to make sure she got them right.

I'm not sure just at this present moment how this fits in to my goal of "purification" for the new year, but I'm sure it fits in there somewhere.

So far, we have visited 4 taverns or cafes that serve tenderloin sandwiches, including the store that claims to be the original maker of the breaded tenderloin sandwich. So, I would say, there are only about 150 or so left to try. Right now I am not prepared to make a public statement, beyond what I said about the little tavern with the good Bloody Marys, except that we feel that we have had 2 good and 2 okay pork tenderloins. And we have had 1 great and 1 okay Bloody Mary.

It could be that the last good Bloody Mary was so good because it helped us recover from a night of tequila drinking at the new art studio of one of our friends.

Nothing like a good breaded pork tenderloin sandwich in that situation, either.