Pulled pork and pierogi sandwich (Puzzle No. 3,288)

Pulled pork, barbecue sauce, and potato and cheese
pierogis on a pretzel roll 

Parades and fireworks are just fine for celebrating Independence Day (the Fourth of July events are one of the defining things of Glenside), but if you want to really celebrate America, find a baseball game and look for some local specialty at the concession stand.

This is the pulled pork barbecue and pierogi sandwich I had at the Pirates-Phillies game Tuesday.  Something about Pittsburgh makes people put their side order in the middle of a sandwich instead of, well, on the side.  They do it a lot with french fries, but pierogis (Polish dumplings with mashed potato and other fillings) are even more interesting.

Can't say I really get the point: the somewhat bland pierogis dilute the flavor of the meat and sauce, though the tingle of salt from the pretzel roll popped up as a little surprise in each bite.

This week's puzzle has a couple of split answers, in a nicely symmetric way.  One is easy and the other is a cultural reference I didn't get off the bat.

Link to puzzle: http://www.thenation.com/article/175071/puzzle-no-3288

Degree of difficulty (by standards of this weekly puzzle): moderate.  Only one answer that I would say is pushing the limits of US cluing practice.

Hozom's comment: From Point A to Point B (Part II), in which Hot and Trazom (in keeping with the holiday) make a spirited defense of their freedom to clue in ways that sometimes defy the established (at least here in the USA) order.  Interestingly, in crosswording it is the British who embrace liberty while Americans mostly seek order and conformity.

Hot and Trazom also make kind mention of this humble blog, and one of the points of parsing and explaining each of the clues.  If you follow through and work out the wordplay of each answer instead of just filling in the grid, it will help you solve future puzzles.  And those keys you get from solving this puzzle will work on a lot of other puzzles, including the British style.

Back with the solution to No. 3,288 Monday.  Join us as always for Sunday brunch this weekend.