As arranged all the way back in their third episode, the guys reach back to try a new take on some of the sandwiches they've made for the podcast to date. Rob reached back for a new take on the hummus-based chicken salad from Episode 6; Ryan added some spice to the egg and Canadian bacon combo from Episode 2 and the replaced fig jam with honey for the PBBB&FigJ from Episode 8. But more importantly, instead of digging into a written piece this week, the guys dig into their own cognitive toolbox for a treasured favorite they call "higher goals and medium sized obstacles." Yeah, we haven't come up with a better name for that in some fifteen years...

I wish I could tell you that the guys fought the good fight, and the chocolate let them be. I wish I could tell you that. But sandwich making is no fairy tale world.Instead, let's focus on the positives: Rob and Ryan survived, long enough to relish one of the most thought-provoking essays they've addressed to date. Zadie Smith's Joy is about pleasure, about joy, and about the difference. And as the guys discuss, happiness is not a zero sum game.Here's the essay: http://youmightfindyourself.com/post/38624810934/joy-by-zadie-smith

I wish I could tell you that the guys fought the good fight, and the chocolate let them be. I wish I could tell you that. But sandwich making is no fairy tale world.
Instead, let's focus on the positives: Rob and Ryan survived, long enough to relish one of the most thought-provoking essays they've addressed to date. Zadie Smith's Joy is about pleasure, about joy, and about the difference. And as the guys discuss, happiness is not a zero sum game.
Here's the essay: http://youmightfindyourself.com/post/38624810934/joy-by-zadie-smith

Peanut butter was the common ingredient this week, and the guys went in some unusual directions. Rob made a PBBB&FJ: crunchy peanut butter, bacon, banana, and fig jam sandwich on fresh ciabatta (ENTICE: 28). Ryan was inspired by pad thai, making a sandwich with crunchy peanut butter, popcorn shrimp, pad thai sauce, bean sprouts and egg on Portugeuse sweet muffin (ENTICE: 27). It's the highest combined ENTICE score in Sandwich Wingman history, and the guys celebrate by dwelling on Forrest Gump before moving to the Joyce Carol Oates essay "Against Nature" and the nuggets of wisdom within. There is no miscalculation in nature -- but is that because there is no calculation in nature at all?

Peanut butter was the common ingredient this week, and the guys went in some unusual directions. Rob made a PBBB&FJ: crunchy peanut butter, bacon, banana, and fig jam sandwich on fresh ciabatta (ENTICE: 28). Ryan was inspired by pad thai, making a sandwich with crunchy peanut butter, popcorn shrimp, pad thai sauce, bean sprouts and egg on Portugeuse sweet muffin (ENTICE: 27). It's the highest combined ENTICE score in Sandwich Wingman history, and the guys celebrate by dwelling on Forrest Gump before moving to the Joyce Carol Oates essay "Against Nature" and the nuggets of wisdom within. There is no miscalculation in nature -- but is that because there is no calculation in nature at all?

On Episode 7, the bacon force awakens. The guys sought effective bring-to-work ways to use bacon in sandwiches, Rob assembling one of the podcast's finest entrants to date, a bacon, smoked Gouda, jalapeno and pear sandwich (ENTICE: 27). Ryan experimented with a BLD (swapping tomato out for dragonfruit), ultimately submitting a toaster-and-microwave version of a bacon, Muenster and guacamole grilled cheese on white Italian bread (ENTICE: 22). The guys then dive into a few of Charles Lamb's very enjoyable essays, including "A Dissertation on Roast Pig," "Valentine's Day," "The Old and Young Schoolmaster," and "The Sanity of Genius." Finally, Rob has a cow when the guys select the next week's ingredient.

On Episode 7, the bacon force awakens. The guys sought effective bring-to-work ways to use bacon in sandwiches, Rob assembling one of the podcast's finest entrants to date, a bacon, smoked Gouda, jalapeno and pear sandwich (ENTICE: 27). Ryan experimented with a BLD (swapping tomato out for dragonfruit), ultimately submitting a toaster-and-microwave version of a bacon, Muenster and guacamole grilled cheese on white Italian bread (ENTICE: 22). The guys then dive into a few of Charles Lamb's very enjoyable essays, including "A Dissertation on Roast Pig," "Valentine's Day," "The Old and Young Schoolmaster," and "The Sanity of Genius." Finally, Rob has a cow when the guys select the next week's ingredient.

Something tastes like chicken, and it's probably the sandwiches that the guys made for Episode 6. That's not to say the guys chickened out of making some unconventional new sandwiches for the week, however. Rob turned in a sandwich on cranberry focaccia, featuring chicken marinated in soy, garlic, mirin and rice wine vinegar with feta cheese and chopped asparagus, chickpeas, lettuce, tomato, pecans, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, and shredded carrot stripes (ENTICE: 22). Ryan made a chicken salad of a kind using chicken sausage, diced onion and celery, and pomegranate seeds with red pepper hummus as the binding agent (ENTICE: 29). The guys then dive into one of their favorite nugget mines: Edwin Abbott Abbott's Flatland.

Something tastes like chicken, and it's probably the sandwiches that the guys made for Episode 6. That's not to say the guys chickened out of making some unconventional new sandwiches for the week, however. Rob turned in a sandwich on cranberry focaccia, featuring chicken marinated in soy, garlic, mirin and rice wine vinegar with feta cheese and chopped asparagus, chickpeas, lettuce, tomato, pecans, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, and shredded carrot stripes (ENTICE: 22). Ryan made a chicken salad of a kind using chicken sausage, diced onion and celery, and pomegranate seeds with red pepper hummus as the binding agent (ENTICE: 29). The guys then dive into one of their favorite nugget mines: Edwin Abbott Abbott's Flatland.

Avocado was the common ingredient this week, and Rob and Ryan joined their sandwiches with a discussion of a list of thirteen virtues in Ben Franklin's autobiography. Rob's steak tips, avocado, Swiss and spinach sandwich on pretzel stick bread set a new standard for Taste (ENTICE score: 24), whereas Ryan's psuedo hot dog of avocado rolled in turkey with white cheddar won points for ease and integrity (ENTICE score: 25). Starting first as Franklin did -- with temperance, and eating not to dullness -- the guys work through Franklin's list of virtues to which he aspired, talking about which ones they prized and which had some problem-solving utility.