Starch Madness: Round of 64 Voting
By Rob Clement
On the surface this seems like a blowout waiting to happen. We know what Pizza brings to the table and we know how often people enjoy this one-seed. So it’s the world’s favorite food going up against a sandwich which can only be found in six states? What a cake walk, right?
Wrong! What people may not realize is that besides being some of the best sub sandwiches known to man, the Publix Sub also has a great fan base. These fans travel very well and have a cult mentality like the Cameron Crazies. If this matchup gets around social media, Pub Subs could be wearing Cinderella’s slipper in 2014 Starch Madness!
(2) Spaghetti & Meatballs VS (15) Tuna Noodle Casserole
Two of Mom’s favorite dinners are found in the 2-Vs-15 entree matchup. Spaghetti & Meatballs made it into Starch Madness as a strong two-seed,
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leading a relatively stacked region. The force of this entree comes in the meatball. When done correctly, it can be one of the greatest foods known to man. After the meatball comes the sauce, homemade red of course. Spaghetti & Meatballs is the best kind of S&M.
It’s opponent features a mixture of everyone’s favorite canned fish tossed with some cream of mushroom soup, a bag of frozen peas and some shredded cheese. That’s the team that carries the sea shell pasta based Tuna Noodle Casserole. However keep an eye out for the french fried onions thrown on top, they bring a spark of the bench that could lead to a matchup that is closer than anticipated.
(3) Fried Chicken VS (14) Corn Dogs
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Breaded meat is the theme in the 3-Vs-14 matchup as we find two meals perfected in the south. Fried Chicken could be one of the strongest three-seeds in recent memory as they feature an unstoppable one-two punch. Juicy chicken covered in crispy, breaded skin brings the type of flavor that makes you stop and take notice. This entree works well hot or cold, and has the ability to save dinner late in the game at your local grocery store.
Fried Chicken faces a tough opponent as it takes on the state fair favorite in the Corn Dog. Hot dogs are good enough, but dipped in a sweet cornmeal batter then fried to perfection is something that is hard to defend against. Even the strongest Starch should be wary of meat on a stick.
(4) Grilled Cheese VS (13) Calzones
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Grilled Cheese comes into Starch Madness playing with a chip on its shoulder stemming from its omission from FoodSided’s Mt. Rushmore of Sandwiches. What this classic sandwich brings to the table is buttery pan-grilled bread filled with cheese. However what makes this sandwich so dangerous as a four seed is its versatility. Try to find a filling that won’t work with the Grilled Cheese. This sandwich rivals Pizza as the deepest Starch in the field.
Don’t count out the Calzone as a 13-seed though. Its big brother pizza is the one-seed in this region for a reason. People love dough, sauce and cheese. Throw in some ricotta, and that should just beef things up. This could be a closer matchup than the experts think.