This time with ice cream

Good Monday to you fine folks! I hope this week is nice and easy for ya. As for me, I've wrapped up recipe testing on the 85 recipes for the next cookbook. Now I've got three week to structure it all (the original plan kinda fell apart). It will get done because it has to get done.

Paying subscribers on YouTube, Instgram, TikTok, and here on Ghost can look forward (?) to seeing me make Beef Fudge later this week with more member exclusive videos to come.

Anywho, on the foodage!

Monday, July 27, 2026
Rating: 5
Plus up™(s): Orange marmalade
Plussed up rating: 6

This really was the sum of it's parts - ground peanuts and sherry. Flavorwise it was ok I guess but now I want to mix a little sherry into peanut butter to see how that goes. Cannot imagine it'd be worse. Plussed it up with the bittersweet goodness of orange marmalade which played nicely with both ingredients.

Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Rating: 5 1/2
Plus up™(s): Chunky peanut butter
Plussed up rating: 6 1/2

Another minimalist sandwich. At least this one opted for bacon and dill pickle relis which brings not only dill pickle but onion to the party as well. Couldn't help but plus it up with peanut butter as I think it goes great with both ingredients individually so why wouldn't it work here. And it did so nicely.

Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Rating: 6
Plus up™(s): Chinese black pepper sauce
Plussed up rating: 7

Goofy little sandwich using two types of bread. My only issue with this was they used so little curry powder in the mayonnaise that the flavor got lost. That it was really a bit too much bread. The sharp black pepper sauce plus up perked things up nicely.

Thursday, July 30, 2026
Rating:
Plus up™(s): Lemon zest and black pepper
Plussed up rating:

And we're back with another somewhat minimalist sandwich. I like sardines but even for me this was lacking. So, I plussed it up the classic seafood booster of lemon pepper. Only instead of the dried seasoning blend, I opted for the intense lemon oil of freshly zest lemon. Makes a big difference.

Friday, July 31, 2026
Rating: 5 1/2
Plus up™(s): Garlic mustard kraut
Plussed up rating: 6.8 (<– what?! lol)

Lots of folks wondering in the comments sections about why would one go to the trouble of making a mock chicken sandwich with pork? It's a fair question. The reason is that the industrialization of pig farming happened well before it happened to chicken farming which didn't kick in until after WW II. So chicken was pretty hard to get if you didn't live a on a farm. Guest Host Chef Matt Reeves did a great job of not only nailing the recipe but the plus up as well. Garlic mustard krout clearly woke things up! Thanks, Matt!

Saturday, August 1, 2026
Rating: 5 1/2
Plus up™(s): Kinder BBQ Sauce
Plussed up rating: 6 1/2

This sandwich was definitely kid-coded. I mean, corn flakes and American cheese? But it wasn't a bad combo and plussing it up with a little BBQ sauce brought in sweet, smoky goodness that worked with both the corn chips and the cheese. Thanks, Angie!

Sunday, August 2, 2026
Rating: 7 1/2
Plus up™(s): Pepperoncini
Plussed up rating: 8

This turned out quite nicely though I do question the idea of pounding in chili and garlic, then letting it soak in milk overnight. The chili and garlic pretty much just fell off. That said, the pork was tender and flavorful. Especially with a little mustard and onions. Plussed up with the pickely pop of pepperoncini which added a nice acidic brightness.

In The Chips with Barry

More of a Bloody Mary mix flavor and an actual Bloody Mary. Yes, I know vodka is "flavorless" but definitely adds something other than booze in the actual drink, Still, these were pretty tasty.

The name Pro Collagen is a choice. Not exactly evocative. And definitely doesn't hint at the tasty olive and oregano flavor of these.

A powerhouse of Indian spices and flavores with a little heat. These were tasty if not a little eggy (which I enjoy).

Barry's Ice Cream O'Clock

Alas, I get an idea in my head and sometimes the only way to get it out is execute on it. Thus the Sandwiches of History x NEWKS Collabrian Plus Up Hot Sauce Honey Ice Cream. The hot sauce, which obviously leans Italian with the Calabrian chilies and basil, is mid-level as far as heat goes. But by dehydrating the sauce into a powder, that kinda went up. At the end I had, basically, an Italian Hot Honey Ice Cream. Which was really gooooood.

Well, that's all the goin's on last week. See you next week with a fresh round of food-based fun. Thanks watching, following, and reading!

Cheers,
Barry