Chickpea to Cook

Nothing tops fresh snow powder and clear skies for the ski and snowboard crowd in Mammoth Lakes. But a slice of bread from Schat’s Bakery takes a close second.

This bakery was around before the ski lifts and winter crowds from Los Angeles flooded the slopes of this mountain village in the California Sierra Nevadas. Locals and out-of-towners alike line up for fresh off-the- hearth bread, pastries, cookies, and desserts.

My recommendations: try the chili cheese bread, 7-grain wheat loaf, and coconut macaroons. The carved turkey sandwich was among the best I’ve ever had (juicy, off-the-bone turkey on your choice of bread, with tomato, onions, sprouts, mayo, and dijon mustard). The only disappointment I’ve encountered so far was the egg croissant sandwich.

Schat’s Bakery has two locations:

Mammoth
3305 Main St., Mammoth Lakes, CA
760/934-6055 or 760/934-4203

Bishop
763 N. Main Street, Bishop, CA

The ride back home from Vegas can be mighty long, especially depending how you did at the weekend craps table. But make sure you save at least $10 for a stop at Mad Greek, a kitschy fast food deli and diner that pays homage to the island of the Gods.

It’s a piece of Greece in the middle of the Mojave Desert town of Baker. This dusty pitstop town on the route to Vegas is otherwise known for it’s inordinately large thermometer–the world’s largest, I’m told. Mad Greek is just down the street.

You can’t miss this restaurant with its huge sign, eclectic mix of Greek God statues, and of course, numerous Greek flags.

And that’s just on the outside.

Inside you’ll find a wide menu of Mediterranean specialties. Try the beef shawarma or chicken gyros. There are also plenty of honey drenched Greek pastries–baklava is a favorite. You can eat there or take it to go, although I find that munching on a spanakopita in the car can be a messy imposition.

The food is different than the typical road fare you will find on America’s highways, and therefore better. The staff is friendly and Greek! Well, most of them.

As you savor the last bite of your dolmade, you’ll almost be able to forget your Vegas sorrows.

There are two secrets to an exceptional sandwich in my book.

1. Good, fresh bread,
2. Condiments that enhance, not over-power.

The rest is just details. Don’t get me wrong, it helps to have quality turkey or lettuce, or whatever else you like. But the above two components are crucial.

Want to put my theory to work? Go into any sandwich shop and order a veggie sandwich. If a restaurant can make a veggie sandwich tasty, imagine what they can do with a meat lover’s concoction.

And that’s why any way you slice it, Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shop is a cut above the rest. In fact their veggie sandwiches are so good, that’s all I order.

They pile on the sprouts, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, and cheese with a special twist–creamy avocado spread on the cheese slices which are then folded in half.

I first started going to JJ’s as a college undergrad in St. Paul, Minn. There was a branch on Grand Avenue that was open until 3 a.m.

Even on my drunken Saturday nights I could still appreciate a good sandwich. And is there anything better than the smell of a fresh sandwich? “Free Smells”, as the neon sign in the window suggests.

Ordinarily I would turn my nose at restaurant chains, but in this case I’m hoping they keep expanding. I have yet to see one in Los Angeles, which is sorely lacking a good sandwich shop.