Does any sandwich say "Jersey'' more than the Taylor ham sandwich?

I'm sorry, pork roll sandwich, because any true Jerseyan knows all Taylor ham is pork roll but not all pork roll is Taylor ham.

"Trenton Makes the World Takes'' is no longer true, but the state capital is still the pork roll center of the universe, with Taylor Provisions (makers of Taylor ham/Trenton Pork Roll) and Case Pork Roll both headquartered there.

Taylor Provisions was founded in 1939, with John Taylor's Original Taylor Pork Roll dating to 1856. Case's Pork Roll, which bills itself as "the original Jersey ham,'' can be traced to George Washington Case, who started selling hickory-smoked pork roll at his Belle Mead farm in 1870.

There are other pork roll suppliers, including Thuman's (Jersey Made) and Loeffler's (Mercer Meats).

Good luck finding pork roll, generally sold in 1, 3 and 6-pound tubes, outside New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.

But enough already with the history, it's time to chow down.

We visited eight diners, luncheonettes and delis around the state, from Linden and Roselle to Boonton and Fredon, ordering two pork roll sandwiches at each, one with ham, egg and cheese, the other with the basic ingredients plus bacon or other meat.

"You have blown my mind,'' Don Silsby said as he followed our journey on Twitter via @NJ_Munchmobile. "I am in Florida, so the pork roll pickings are mighty slim down here.''

The day's best pork roll sandwich, in fact, came as a tip via Twitter while the Big Dog was on the road.

"I saw towns and sights in NJ that I had never visited or seen since arriving here in 1979,'' said Muncher Art Lee.

Join the Munchmobile, see the world. Or at least this savory sliver of it.

WHITE ROSE DINER, LINDEN

Sequestered in an industrial stretch of Linden, this classic 60s diner - American flags snapping in the breeze, menu items written on blue and orange construction paper taped to the walls - is owned by Rich Belfer, who acquired it from original owner Jack Hemming 22 years ago.

The facade says White Rose System, but it's now known as the White Rose Diner.

Belfer uses Goodie pork roll (made by Taylor Provisions), with each thin-sliced piece cut in a v-shape for uniform cooking.

Strangest pork roll sandwich ever ordered here? One with tuna fish. Sacrilege!

Rosa Koval called the pork roll sandwich "fabulous,'' with a "nice, soft'' roll, "gooey cheese'' and the eggs "cooked to perfection.''

Gesumaria rated it "very good,'' although she thought the pork roll "could have been a little crispier.''

Lee, meanwhile, found it "a bit salty for my taste.''

WHITE ROSE SYSTEM, ROSELLE

It's the War between the Roses! This is another classic diner, 40 years in its present location; before that, it was in Woodbridge under a different name, according to co-owner George Koumoulos.

You can get burgers, gyros, chicken, grilled chicken, even "The Original Philly Cheese steak,'' but we maintained focus and ordered our two pork roll sandwiches.

They were a step down from the White Rose in Linden; Gesumaria found them "just ok . ..seemed to be lacking something.''

Lee called the pork roll, egg and cheese "tasty,'' while Koval liked the roll but not much else. "The cheese was not melted and there wasn't much taste to the egg.''

BAGEL CHATEAU, WESTFIELD

The best-selling breakfast sandwich at this popular bagel shop? The Taylor ham, egg and cheese, and in this case the name is appropriate, since it's from Taylor Provisions.

Bagel Chateau goes through about 100 pounds of Taylor ham a week, according to owner Scott Zilberberg.

Scott Zilberberg, owner of the Bagel Chateau, Westfield.

On a typical Sunday, the shop sells 500 dozen bagels, so it was only appropriate we ordered a Taylor ham on a bagel. There's not as much meat as either White Rose, but the bagel/ham/cheese combination made the Munchers merry.

''One look at it and it makes your mouth water,'' Koval cooed. "Thin slices of pork roll grilled just right, fluffy eggs and gooey cheese.''

Gesumaria admired the "crispy thin cut'' ham, while Lee called the sandwich "a nice variation'' on the usual Taylor ham on a roll.

ROCK DELI, BRIDGEWATER

They really load on the meat in your pork roll sandwich at this strip mall deli, where you can get breakfast, subs, burgers, salads and more.

"It was almost too much pork roll, and it was cut a little thick for me,'' Gesumaria noted.

Lee, succinct as ever, said he "enjoyed'' the sandwich at the Rock Deli.

Koval gave it an "ok'' rating; her favorite part was the "crispy'' bacon.

OLDE TOWNE DELI, BOONTON

A Twitter tip made for a last-second change of itinerary, and the Big Dog found itself parked outside this small, spartan deli, founded 45 years ago as the Quick Stop.

Owner John Leone uses Thuman's Jersey Made pork roll, which he finds less greasy than Taylor ham. The week before, the staff had made a 12-inch-long pork roll egg and cheese sandwich with fried potatoes on top for a customer. Leone goes through about 125 pounds of pork roll a week.

We could see why.

"By far the day's best,'' Koval announced. "Crusty soft roll with no seeds, tasty pork roll grilled just right, delicious crispy bacon, perfect eggs and gooey cheese.''

Gesumaria said the ham was "cooked perfect,'' with the "fresh'' roll "holding it all together.''

Olde Towne Deli doesn't look like much inside or out. But they made a darned good pork roll sandwich.

FREDON DELI, FREDON

It didn't take a day and a half to reach Fredon; it just seemed that way. After a scenic, meandering journey, we parked outside this deli/country store, located next to Kathy's Restaurant and Fredon Dairy; all are run by Chris Kaltsas and his wife, Kathy.

The freshest egg all day came in the Taylor ham, egg and cheese sandwich at the Fredon Deli.

"Great and tasty (Taylor ham) sandwich,'' Jarvis Knapp had e-mailed. "You won't be

sorry.''

We weren't. The egg on the sandwich at the Fredon Deli was the freshest all day, and the ham the least greasy. Jersey Made pork roll is used.

"The rolls were nice and soft, more like a big hamburger bun than Kaiser roll,'' Koval noted.

Gesumaria liked the egg, but thought there was too much cheese. Here, as at every stop, we ordered a second pork roll sandwich with another meat. Scrapple? Why not?

Both Koval and Gesumaria sounded as if they would never eat it again, but Lee was a fan.

"I happen to like Scrapple,'' confessed Lee, who first tried it while at State College decades ago.

CROSSROADS DINER, WHITE

The Crossroads, at the intersection of routes 46 and 519, is another vintage Jersey diner, with swivel stools, stainless steel, pale green booths and jukeboxes (everything from Elton John and Tom Petty to Adam Ant and George Strait).

Pork roll of choice here: Case. This was the day's biggest pork roll sandwich, the ham and cheese safe and sound in a sturdy roll.

Gesumaria found the pork roll, egg and cheese 'boring,'' while Koval thought the ham was sliced too thick and was "not grilled enough.''

Lee, though, rated this the day's best pork roll sandwich with bacon. "Stood out from the rest,'' he added.

We left behind one of the knives in the Official Munchmobile Set of Knives, and when I called later that day a waitress said she'd leave it on the pie case. Sure enough, that's where it was when I picked it up a week later.

CLARK WHITE DIAMOND, CLARK

This legendary hangout, just off the Parkway, is colorfully decorated with retro advertising signs, like Pop's Greasy Spoon ("it ain't healthy, but it sure tastes good'') and Kist Kola ("the drink that refreshes millions'').

But ketchup on eggs? If you don't want the red stuff on your Taylor ham sandwich, you'd better let them know beforehand.

The sandwich, in any event, was a disappointment. Gesumaria made note of the "small amount'' of ham and "not much cheese.''

"I tasted more bread than anything else,'' she added.

Koval, who lives nearby, had always thought "they had one of the best pork roll sandwiches here.''

"But having been on the Munchmobile I now know better,'' she added.

As usual, we call them like we see them, especially when it comes to

New Jersey's "official'' state sandwich.

TOP DOG

We loved the classic diner vibe of the White Rose in Linden and Crossroads Diner in White, the super-fresh eggs on the pork roll sandwich at the Fredon Deli, and the Taylor ham on a bagel at the Bagel Chateau in Westfield. But one stop won out by the thinnest of margins. Top Dog honors this week go to the Olde Towne Deli in Boonton.

WHERE WE MUNCHED

BAGEL CHATEAU, 223 South Ave. East, Westfield; (908) 232-1921. Hours: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week. Web site: bagelchateau.com.

CLARK WHITE DIAMOND, 1207 Raritan Road, Clark; (732) 574-8053. Hours: Open 24 hours seven days a week.

CROSSROADS DINER, 436 Rt. 46, White; (908) 475-2577. Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

FREDON DELI, 428 Route 94, Fredon; (973) 300-2411. Hours: 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Web site: fredondeli.com.

OLDE TOWNE DELI, 205 Main St., Boonton; (973) 334-4145. Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

ROCK DELI, 568-B Union Ave., Bridgewater; (732) 356-8899. Hours: 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday; 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Web site: rockdelinj.com.

WHITE ROSE DINER, 1301 E. Elizabeth Ave., Linden; (908) 486-9651. Hours: 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday; 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Web site: whiterosediner.com.

WHITE ROSE SYSTEM, 201 E. 1st Ave., Roselle; (908) 241-9639. Hours: Open 24 hours seven days a week.

TELL US WHERE TO GO

Tomorrow, the Big Dog will not go far, but this could be the summer's most challenging trip. We'll spend the day in Newark's Ironbound - breakfast, lunch, dinner and beyond.

As usual, we're looking for lesser-known or newer spots, not the same old same old.

Where should we go? Call the Munchmobile Hotline at (973) 392-1765 or email pgenovese@starledger.com.

T-SHIRT GIVEAWAY

Each week, we give out a special limited-edition Munchmobile t-shirt to the first two people who answer our trivia question correctly.

Last week's question: At what Munch stop this year can you find Chocolate Souffles Pile-on? The answer: Fink's BBQ Smokehouse, Dumont. The winners: Brenda Thomas and Jeff Barnes.

This week's question: What's a Fat Darrell? Call the Munchmobile Hotline.



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