Do you eat a Sloppy Joe open or closed, and why does 84% of a survey say closed?
The episode begins with hosts Dave Coombs, Doreen, and Marcus introducing National Sloppy Joe Day and posing a question from online about whether to eat Sloppy Joes open or closed. They express strong opinions in favor of closed, citing messiness, and note that 84% of a survey agrees. The discussion expands to include bun preferences, with some suggesting pretzel buns. Hosts share personal anecdotes, such as making Sloppy Joes for their kids using a Girl Scout cookbook recipe, and debate homemade versus canned Manwich versions. Listeners start calling the Creative Planning Talk and Text Line at 414-799-1965 to contribute. The first caller, Cisco from River West, mentions adding French hot sauce and potato chips to his Sloppy Joes and asks if any Milwaukee restaurants specialize in them. Another caller recalls Gilly's in Milwaukee serving a Sloppy Joe called the Gilly Burger. Subsequent callers share recipes, like Jim's using cream of mushroom and tomato soup with hamburger meat, and Andrew mentioning Leon's Spanish burger that tastes like a Sloppy Joe. Texts reveal historical tidbits, such as Sloppy Joe's bar in Key West being a haunt of Ernest Hemingway and the term "Messy Samuels" from an old TV show. Regional naming differences emerge, with callers from Sheboygan stating Sloppy Joes are called Hot Tamales there, and others mentioning terms like barbecues, taverns, or loose meat sandwiches. Health considerations are discussed, like diabetics preferring open-faced to reduce carbs. The episode wraps with more recipe ideas, including one using chicken gumbo soup, and an email from Dave Williams sharing a 2013 Sendix recipe from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Throughout, the hosts engage casually, encouraging listener interaction and highlighting local Milwaukee culture.
