The tri-tip sandwich is traditionally topped with fresh salsa on grilled and buttered French bread, and BBQ Land's version is phenomenally tasty.

Walking along Emmons Avenue in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, is a very pleasant way to spend some time on a nice day. The narrow body of water which separates Coney Island (no longer technically an island, now a peninsula) from mainland Brooklyn provides a nice breeze. In the water can be seen some picturesque sailboats bobbing up and down and ducks and swans can also be seen enjoying the calm water. Along the dock, various fishing charter boats wait to get ready to leave on fishing expeditions. As you make your way eastward down Emmons Avenue, you'll pass an assortment of Greek, Turkish, and Russian restaurants specializing in fresh seafood. I understand some of them are quite good. Another restaurant, however, is the main attraction in this part of Brooklyn.

A Sheepshead Bay institution, Roll-N-Roaster has been serving roast beef sandwiches on delicious, freshly-baked rolls for 40 years. These are serious sandwiches, and a good value at $4.95 ($5.45 with cheese sauce). The beef can be had rare, medium, or well-done, if you specify. On my most recent visit I didn't specify and was served well-done beef, but it was still very good. I also requested roasted onions on my sandwich, which were delicious. I think they added some extra beef gravy also.

Although the sandwich is big, it seems to disappear in moments at every visit. The roll itself is nearly perfect. It definitely tastes like it was made the day you eat it and it is a perfect vehicle for the beef, onions, gravy, and even cheese sauce if you want, though I don't think cheese sauce is really needed on that sandwich.

As a side dish, I go with cheese fries. They're definitely not fancy, but they're a near perfect rendition of that comforting food. The not-too-thick potato discs have a crisp edge, and the cheese sauce is deliciously simple. On my next trip, I might try the corn fritters. I don't know what those are, but they sound intriguing. Roll-N-Roaster also makes their own lemonade, orangeade, iced tea, and fresh-squeezed OJ. I highly recommend the lemonade. It's very refreshing on a hot summer day. I haven't tried the other beverages. They make a pretty good apple pie, too. It probably doesn't need ice cream but, hey, why not? I've also heard they make a very good thin crust pizza, but I have not tried it.

For those who want to make it a real gourmet meal, Roll-N-Roaster offers wine, and even a bottle of Moet for $59.95!

Warm, fluffy popovers are delicious on their own, but even better topped with homemade strawberry and blueberry jams!

The hot dog is, arguably, of German descent, but the chili dog (as pictured above, at Lubins-N-Links in Tarrytown, New York) is undoubtedly an American invention ... as are fried clams, ice cream cones, and muffaletta sandwiches. In conjunction with the story we wrote for Parade magazine about "Made in the USA" dishes, we will be chatting live at the Dash Recipes Facebook page on Tuesday, May 29 at 2pm EST. Please join the discussion and weigh in on whether you think the hamburger was born in Wisconsin, upstate New York, Texas, or Connecticut (all of which claim it).

Breast quarter, 200 degrees.

Leg quarter: a mix of dark-meat succulence and tongue-searing heat

This weekend's Parade magazine features a story we wrote about 12 especially summery foods invented in the USA. Here is the on-line version. The well-dressed cheeseburger pictured above is from Harry's Drive-In in Connecticut, one of at least three states that claims to be the home of the hamburger.