Cuban sandwich

Typical Cuban mix from South Florida

A Cuban sandwich is a variation of a ham and cheese originally created by Cuban workers, either in Cuba or in the Cuban immigrant communities of Florida, most likely Ybor City in Tampa, Florida, ^[1][2] though there are also accounts of a similar dish being served in Key West during the 1870's.^[3] Later on, Cuban immigrants and expatriates brought it to Miami^[4] where it is also still very popular. The sandwich is made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami^[2] on Cuban bread.^[1]

History

As with Cuban bread, the origin of the Cuban sandwich (sometimes called a "Cuban mix", "mixto sandwich", or "Cuban Pressed Sandwich") is somewhat murky.^[5] The sandwich became a common lunch food for workers in both the cigar factories and sugar mills of Cuba and the cigar factories of Ybor City around 1900.^[1][6]

At that time, travel between Cuba and Florida was easy, and Cubans frequently sailed back and forth for employment, pleasure, and family visits. Because of this constant and largely undocumented movement of people and culture and ideas, it’s impossible to say exactly when and where the Cuban sandwich first became a common worker’s meal.^[1] By around 1910, however, workers’ cafés in Ybor City, Key West, and Cuba were serving many such sandwiches daily.^[7][8][9]

In Cuba (where it is more commonly known as a mixto), the sandwich was served in kiosks, coffee bars and casual restaurants, especially in the big cities such as Havana or Santiago de Cuba. By the 1960s, Cuban sandwiches were also common on Miami cafeteria and restaurant menus, as the city had gained a large influx of Cuban residents after the Fidel Castro's 1959 rise to power in their native land^[6].

The Communist Revolution caused a wave of Cuban expatriates to settle in other locations as well, and they brought their culture and cuisine with them. Cuban sandwiches are now served in various Cuban exile communities in places such as New York, New Jersey, Chicago, and Puerto Rico, among others.^[5]

Ingredients

Cuban Sandwiches ready to be pressed in a busy cafe in Ybor City, Tampa

While there is some debate as to the contents of a “true” Cuban sandwich, most are generally agreed upon. The traditional Cuban sandwich starts with Cuban bread. The loaf is sliced into lengths of 8-12 inches (20-30 cm), lightly buttered on the crust, and cut in half horizontally. A coat of yellow mustard is spread on the bread. Then roast pork, glazed ham, Swiss cheese, and thinly-sliced dill pickles are added in layers. Sometimes the pork is marinated in mojo and slow roasted.^[5]

The main regional disagreement about the sandwich’s recipe is whether or not to include salami. In Tampa, Genoa salami^[2] is traditionally layered in with the other meats, probably due to influence of Italian immigrants who lived side-by-side with Cubans and Spaniards in Ybor City.^[7][10][11] In Miami, salami is left out.

In South Florida, mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato are usually added. These additions are often available in restaurants in Tampa, but are frowned upon by traditionalists there.^{[5][1][10][12][11]}

When assembled, the sandwich is lightly toasted in a sandwich press called a plancha, which is somewhat similar to a panini press but without grooved surfaces. The plancha both heats and compresses the sandwich, which remains in the press until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted^[11]. It is usually cut into diagonal halves before serving.

Related dishes

A very similar and popular sandwich is the medianoche or "midnight" sandwich, so named because of the sandwich's popularity as a staple served in Havana's night clubs right around or after midnight. It is smaller in size and contains the same ingredients as a Cuban sandwich, minus the glazed ham, and made on a softer bread made from a sweet yellow egg dough, similar to challah.^[13]

References and Bibliography

This dish and its origin are also mentioned in:

• Espinosa, Jack. Cuban Bread Crumbs. Xlibris Corporation. 2008. ISBN 9781425796785.
• Lastra, Frank, Ybor City : The Making of a Landmark Town. University of Tampa Press. 2006. ISBN 9781597320023.
• Pacheo, Ferdie. Ybor City Chronicles: A Memoir. University of Florida Press. 1994. ISBN 9780813012964.

External links

Cuba portal

• "Cuban Sandwich Recipe". Taste of Cuba. undated. http://www.tasteofcuba.com/cubansandwich.html. 
• Michael Segers (1999). "Hot Pressed Cuban, Hold the Dinosaur". http://www.peanut.org/mike/text/Cubansan.htm. 
• Barry Popik (29 July 2006). "Cuban Sandwich; Medianoche Sandwich". Historical notes 1901-1966. http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/cuban_sandwich_medianoche_sandwich/. 
• Off The Broiler Weblog (30 November 2006). "Florida Dining: Latin American Cafeteria Restaurant". http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2006/11/30/florida-dining-latin-american-cafeteria-restaurant/. 
• Off The Broiler Weblog (8 January 2007). "Florida Dining: The Cuban Sandwich Shop". http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2007/01/08/florida-dining-the-cuban-sandwich-shopcafe/. 
• Off The Broiler Weblog (2 June 2007). "Do It Yourself Cubanos". http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2007/06/02/do-it-yourself-cubanos/.