All Over Albany

Muffaletta from Harrison's Corner Market

A muffaletta sandwich is a glorious thing.

Rich, unctuous, and briny, it has enough substance to make typical sandwich accoutrements (pickle, chips) seem superfluous.The trick is getting the proportions right and keeping each flavor profile balanced.

A new (long awaited) eatery -- Harrison's Corner Market in Troy -- seems to recognize and respect that.

The muffaletta has Italian-derived origins in New Orleans, receiving its name from the round sesame bread of the same name. Traditionally, the sandwich is served in wedges, but Harrison's doesn't abide to that standard; instead, it uses a hoagie-style roll dusted with cornmeal on the bottom.

I'm guessing that's because finding real muffaletta (the bread) is a hard feat around here, and I can't think of any bakery making it regularly. (Many do sesame rolls, and some offer focaccia, which would be a fine, but denser, substitution.)

Ham, capicola, and salami (some traditional versions offer mortadella instead of capicola, but I like the subtle spice the latter offers) are stacked in a generous layer with a foundation of creamy, sharp provolone cheese.

Shredded lettuce, onion, and tomato are added in a nod to Italian mix subs that are popular in this region, but they are not part and parcel to the muffaletta. The sandwich is topped with a generous serving of pickle vegetables (think giardiernia, with cauliflower, green beans, carrots, and peppers) and a dose of sliced olives -- an homage to the traditional tapenade of OG muffaletta. Flavors of oregano and garlic come through but do not overpower. The whole things gets a quick press.

There isn't much to say about this sandwich, and that's a good thing.

If you've never had a muffaletta, the version from Harrison's Corner Market is a good introductory lesson on what a sandwich should be. If you have tasted a muffaletta before, you know it's better experienced than explained. Harrison's deviates slightly from that New Orleans original, but barely, and for $8.50, there is little room for complaint anyway.

Carve out a little time if you visit to explore the craft beer selection and grocery section of the store. Packaged bulk items of pantry staples (and harder to find anomalies at conventional grocery stores, like dried hominy) are fairly priced, giving the space more of a general-store than sandwich-shop feel.

(Something gladly welcomed in Troy. This time, let's hope it sticks.)

Deanna Fox writes about many things, mostly about food. More can be found on her website, Twitter, or Instagram.

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Earlier: Harrison's Corner Market