SOS

While at 2400 Diner in Fredericksburg recently, I ordered creamed chipped beef on toast, aka SOS, and discovered that Ann had never eaten it, this staple of my childhood. I loved it so when my mother would make it, which she rarely did: it was decidedly a treat. In any case, Ann tasted mine at the diner and asked if I would make her some at home.

SOS on Bagels

Now I know, having grown up eating the stuff, that SOS has no business on bagels and properly belongs on white toast. But, now as an adult, I have no use for an entire loaf of white bread at my house, so I got a bread that I knew we would have no problem eating and that would toast up just fine: some crappy supermarket bagels.

Through the years, I have seen many treatments of this dried beef product. Some people rinse or soak the beef first but, although my doctor probably hates me for it, SOS is supposed to be salty to remind us that it is unhealthy eating, so I do not rinse mine. Some people chop the beef. My mother used to sweat the beef first in butter, then throw in the flour and make the roux with the beef already in the pan. I make a nice béchamel sauce first, unseasoned, then pitch the beef straight in for a few seconds until it has wilted. End of story.

I love this stuff!