Between the Bread

The New York Deli Reuben Story

nancyeinhart — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 08:20:37 PST

Though I love the Nebraska Reuben story, it isn't the one told most often. That would be the tale of Arnold Reuben of New York, NY.

According to Joan Nathan, author of Jewish Cooking in America, Reuben opened his first deli in 1915 and, like many first-generation deli owners, he was a German immigrant. By 1920, he had a 24-hour restaurant on 82nd and Broadway, serving big sandwiches to actors and nighthawks.

The folklore behind the sandwich is as follows: an actress came into the restaurant and requested a big sandwich. In a story told in a letter from Arnold Reuben's daughter, her dad put together a sammie made from ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, cole slaw, and Russian dressing on rye:

He served it to the lady who said, "Gee, Reuben, this is the best sandwich I ever ate. You ought to call it an Annette Seelos Special." To which he replied, "Like hell I will. I'll call it a Reuben's Special."

He may have called it a Reuben, but it's not what we call a Reuben, so it would seem the Omaha invention story carries more weight. Arnold's son, Arnold Reuben Jr., attempted to remedy this later in life by telling yet another invention story. In 1993, he told the St. Petersburg Times that the sandwich was invented in the 1930s, when the chef made him a meal of corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut on pumpernickel.

Revisionist history or true story? Either way, you've got to give credit to Arnold Jr. for understanding that when it comes to sandwich history, the best or loudest storytellers usually win. So which invention tale do you believe?

A Grilled Cheese So Good, It's Criminal?

nancyeinhart — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:30:02 PDT

I hear you can get just about anything delivered in New York, including, apparently, a hot grilled cheese in a paper sack. According to a story in today's New York Post entitled "He's making a gouda living," an underground chef in the East Village is taking orders via text message for freshly griddled grilled cheese sandwiches, delivered on street corners.

Identified only as "Ronnie" out of fear of the health department, the shady sandwich maker says, "I feel like a drug dealer because I'm handing people a paper bag and they're handing me cash." Ronnie charges $5 to $7 a sandwich. You'll have some cash leftover if you want to visit the underground lobster roll dealer.

Given, grilled cheese sandwiches are addictively good, but they're also ridiculously easy to make at home. Had I known they had such street value, I could have turned a serious profit after our great grilled cheese off. So what's your take on Ronnie: great idea or ridiculous gimmick?

Sandwich Share: The Colossal Reuben at Carnegie Deli

nancyeinhart — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 09:40:29 PDT

Katz's Delicatessen on the Lower East Side arguably has the best pastrami in NYC, but Carnegie Deli has the biggest, without a doubt. Between the Bread reader Danielle recently ordered the $16 Reuben at the famous Midtown deli. All I can say is, OMG.

Write Danielle: "There is bread way down under the piles of pastrami. I added lots of mustard." It's possible to have too much meat, but you can never have too much mustard.

Have you recently eaten a sandwich worth sharing? Send in your sandwich photos to nancy@betweenthebreadblog.com, along with a description of what's on your sandwich.

Sandwich Share: Phil Feasts on the Lobster Glut

nancyeinhart — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:33:19 PDT

I haven't been able to go east to feast on the lobster glut that's making NYC a more delicious place, but Between the Bread reader Phil is on the scene. At a recent visit to Sag Harbor, NY, he sampled the bounty at Bay Burger.

That is not a mini lobster roll, just a normal-size lobster roll in front of the world's largest ketchup bottle(ew). At $14, Bay Burger's lobster roll was overflowing with top quality lobster meat and not too much mayo. See it in action!

Lobster Rolls For Everyone!

nancyeinhart — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 06:33:46 PDT

The lobster roll is a quintessential sandwich, because it takes an otherwise luxury foodstuff and makes it a meal for the masses. To eat a lobster roll, you don't need a fancy restaurant, a platinum card, a silly bib, or even a table - only a firm enough grip to ensure that no succulent shellfish escapes from the bun.

Now, the lobster roll is more accessible than ever. Thanks to a lobster glut in Maine, the East Coast classic is having a moment in New York City, writes New York magazine. One good sign: the fact that one peddler has a cult business selling lobster rolls out of his Brooklyn apartment under the name Dr. Claw and the Lobstah Pushah. Find out what's driving the boom.

5 New York Sandwich Trends to Watch

nancyeinhart — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:07:57 PDT

Philadelphia and New Orleans are great sandwich towns, but in terms of rich history and sheer diversity, it's hard to rival New York - in sandwiches, or anything. In NYC, sandwich trends are over before the rest of us have even tasted them, and there's always something new to try.

When New York Magazine's 51 best sandwiches issue arrives in the mail (with 50 more online), I see it as a scouting mission. What trends ruling the New York sandwich scene can we expect to see next? Here are five to watch from NY Mag's latest list.

Banh mi. I love $3 Vietnamese sandwiches, and in New York, the street food is everywhere and getting a gourmet spin. In addition to traditional standouts, New York rewards the smoked pork shoulder banh mi from the Fatty 'Cue and the Sloppy Bao from Baoguette (pictured), featuring curried ground beef and jalapeño.
Cross-cultural combos. I've been saying for years that sandwiches are the real melting pot. Like the BBQ banh mi, NYC sandwiches increasingly combine American classics with exotic ingredients. I'm drooling over the Super Heebster from Russ & Daughters - a bagel sandwich with wasabi-infused flying fish roe - and the Mumbai grilled sandwich from Mumbai Xpress.

Three more trends after the jump.

Sandwich Share: Roasted Eggplant With Goat Cheese

nancyeinhart — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:19:15 PST

My mom is quite the jetsetter lately, most recently in New York City for the holiday season. At the seemingly unassuming Nice Matin, she had what looks to be an outstanding grilled-bread sandwich with roasted eggplant and goat cheese.

I love how it's positioned on the plate alongside the side salad of arugula, tomatoes, olives, and fennel with a citrus vinaigrette. Also, she notes, "in the background, butter WITH olive oil." Wow.

Got your own surprising sandwich to share? Email your photos to nancy@betweenthebreadblog.com, along with a description of what's on your sandwich.

Portrait of a Sandwich Shop Regular

nancyeinhart — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:05:30 PST

I was already transfixed by the New York Times's One in 8 Million series, which is sort of like Story Corps, featuring lovely vignettes told by real NYC denizens, accompanied by photos. But for obvious reasons, I really love the latest installment, William A. Thomas: The Regular, about a lawyer who eats lunch almost every day at Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop.

Thomas admits he's not a foodie and that he's just too lazy to brown bag it. So most days he sits at the counter at Eisenberg's among a few other regulars. His favorite is the tongue, Swiss, and slaw on rye, though he mixes it up with brisket and whitefish sandwiches too. Says Thomas: "Left to my own devices, I would have the tongue, Swiss, and slaw seven days a week, but I recognize that that probably wouldn't be in the best interest of my life expectancy."

No matter where I'm living, I love being a regular. I always have a go-to cafe where they know my order, and I cultivate familiarity at my favorite sandwich shops and bars, too. There's something very comforting about it, especially when you're in a big city. Don't you think?

NYC vs. Philly: What's the Better Sandwich City?

nancyeinhart — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:40:10 PDT

Philadelphia is facing the Yankees in this year's World Series, and these two great baseball cities are also prime sandwich cities. Of course, Philly has the Philadelphia cheesesteak, as well as the hoagie, the roast pork, and the ballpark favorite, the Schmitter. But New York boasts its own Italian great, the hero, plus the Reuben and other NY deli classics. Which city do you think wins the sandwich showdown?

New York's Luxe Sandwich List

nancyeinhart — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:12:00 PDT

While Playboy's "best of" is full of what my boss calls "big, sweaty sandwiches," New York Magazine's latest sandwich list is fancier, and rich in more ways than one. The nine featured creations range from a $5 banh mi at Baoguette Pho Sure (what a great name!) to a croque monsieur at Le Cirque that I'd happily pay $16 for based on this photo.

Even crazier is the "BLT" at Char No. 4, which piles on pork belly instead of bacon, and a sausage and broccoli rabe grinder with ricotta. If anyone has tried any of these, please, feed me some recommendations! Which one has you guys salivating the most?