What is a n'orleans sandwich?

Answer 1

A New Orleans po-boy sandwich or a Muffuletta

The ingredients that go on a po-boy are virtually limitless: tender thin cut hot roast beef with gravy, ham and cheese (known in New Orleans as a "combination"), fried seafood (oysters, shrimp, softshell crabs, catfish), grilled patties of Creole hot sausage with cheese, meatballs--even French fries. When the New Orleans po-boy is "dressed," the reference has nothing to do with fashion: "dressed" in New Orleans means that lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise ("mynez"), and dill pickles are added.

There are countless stories as to the origin of the term po' boy. During the early years of the 20th century, two brothers, Benny and Clovis Martin, migrated to New Orleans from rural Raceland, Louisiana. When the Martins first reached the city, they found employment as streetcar conductors. Later, they opened a sandwich shop near the French Market.

As for the name, in 1929 the streetcar conductors went on strike against the streetcar company. The Martins vowed to feed their striking brethren for free. When one of the strikers entered their shop, the call went out: "Here comes anther po-boy!" Soon the Sandwiches themselves took on the name and Louisiana dialect, shortened it to "po' boy."

One restaurant in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, Trapani's, insists that the name "po' boy" came from a sandwich shop in New Orleans. If a new comer to a bar bought a nickel beer, he got a free sandwich thrown in. This was sometimes called a "poor boy's lunch", which came to mean just the sandwich itself.

The Po-boy and the Muffuletta are staple New Orleans sandwiches. Po-boy's are made with every type of filling imaginable. Unless you live in the New Orleans, you really can't find the main ingredient: The Bread. The French Bread or Long Bread in New Orleans, along with the round Italian Muffuletta loaves, come from a number of different bakeries: Leidenheimer's (which is the biggest, on Simon Bolivar, Central City), Angelo Gendusa's, part of Leidenheimer's since 2004 (N. Rampart), Binder's (Frenchmen and N. Rampart), or United Bakery (St. Bernard in Gentilly).

(Excerpts from: Edward J. Branley, (c) 1994 and additions and annotations by Chuck Taggart)

New Orleans French Bread is a perfect balance of light body with crisp crust. It's perfect for holding seafood and meat fillings.

The 4th Annual New Orleans Po-Boy Preservation Festival took place on Oak Street in Uptown New Orleans on November 14th from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Leidenheimer was the French bread of choice and restaurants from around the city were stuffing po-boys.

The Muffuletta appears Italian in origin and what goes in it is as follows aprox.

• For the sandwich:
• 1 round loaf Italian bread
• 1/4 pound mortadella, thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound ham, thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound hard Genoa salami, thinly sliced
• 1/4 pound Mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 1/4 pound Provolone cheese,sliced
• 1 cup olive salad with oil