This weekend I took my first-ever trip to Whole Foods on a quest for some rhubarb to make Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie. Of course I couldn’t just pick up the rhubarb and check out. I had to mill all around the store inspecting everything else. That’s how I came across their boxes of “Cheese Under $3″, which I dug through for several minutes like a child going through a toy box. I then came across this Habanero Cheddar, which I got to sample. It is a sweet cheddar with a tiny kick — until you’re done. Then it really hits you. It was perfect. I also found this Rosemary Sourdough with a mouth-watering aroma. That’s when I decided it was time to share this sandwich with all of you.

You know when you were little and people asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up? Most of my friends said they wanted to be teachers or veterinarians. I wanted to be a sandwich maker at Subway. That was my life’s one true purpose. My calling. Of course I eventually found bigger (and frankly, better) goals, but I still loved Subway. That’s why when my friend told me about his favorite sandwich creation – Jalapeno Tuna — I had to try it out. It sounded bizarre and semi-awful, but I wanted to see what all of his hub-bub was about. When I ordered it, the sandwich maker even gave me a look of confusion. I bit in with hesitation and it was delicious. I don’t know why I never thought of it before. Now I order it semi-frequently to warm my heart and to clear my sinuses. With my Whole Foods find, I decided to create a warm version of one of my favorite sub sandwiches that you could make at home.

Recipe: Jalapeno Tuna Melt

Makes 1 sandwich

What You Need:

• 2 slices sourdough bread
• 1 can (5 oz.) light chunk tuna in water
• 2 tablespoons mayonaise
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup jalapeno slices (I used canned)
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 slice cheddar or swiss cheese, broken into pieces **

What To Do:

1. Drain your can of tuna. Place it in a bowl with the spices, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon mayonaise. Blend well.

2. Spread tuna on 1 slice of your bread.Evenly distribute jalapenos onto the tuna. Cover with half of your cheese.

3. On the other slice of bread, spread the remaining mayo. Top with tomato and the remaining cheese.

4. Place both halves of your sandwich on an ungreased baking sheet and broil until the cheese melts and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.

** I used the Habanero Cheddar I found at Whole Foods. The cheddar taste was delicious, but the extra peppers made the sandwich fiery. It was not messing around. I went through 3 glasses of water. It was still delicious, but if you can’t handle your mouth feeling like it’s engulfed in flames you might be better sticking to a normal cheese.