Originally Posted by
joejones
So here's my current dilemma:
I'm flying from PHL down south to visit my parents in a couple of weeks. My father is a HUGE fan of Philly cheesesteaks, but he's never been to PHL and he's getting too old to travel any more. So I really want to bring him the genuine article.
Unfortunately I'm scheduled for a 6 AM departure, which means that if I bring a steak with me, it will be at least 12 hours old by the time he eats it. Will a cheesesteak stay edible (and still taste good) for that long? How about for a day or two? Any way to extend the sandwich's useful life?
I know that
Tony Luke's can ship cheesesteaks, so there must be a way to handle this. The key is the meat + cheese combo, then the bread. The roll should probably be preserved in wax paper, and the meat/cheese sealed in foil. Will TSA allow is through?
I respectfully, and vehemently dissent from those who suggest going to those Passayunk slob houses (Jim's Pat's Geno's,
et al). There is no way on God's earth those sandwiches will last an hour.
Tony Luke's is right off of I-95, or if you are coming from the NorthEast, Steve's Prince of Steaks is an excellent sandwich. D'Allessandro's isn't bad either, but probably not too convenient to the airport routes.
I can't calculate the life of a cheesesteak, but I can tell you the sandwich will live long on his taste buds (and in his arteries).