Waffles by the Missouri Jazz Band
What! No Spinach? by Irving Aaronson and His Commanders
I’ve always loved that song and feel somewhat proprietary about it, since NYC and south Florida are pretty much the only places in the US where you can get a Cuban sandwich.
Now I want a Cuban sandwich.
I would imagine any place with a Cuban restaurant would have Cuban sandwiches (though I believe they originated in Florida–Tampa, IIRC). Certainly, I don’t have trouble finding them here. I’m under the impression that it’s a pretty popular sandwich, so I’d be shocked if it’s confined to only a small handful of cities in the US.
According to the Wikipedia article I linked but did not read, they are easily available outside of Miami/Key West area in “NYC, Puerto Rico, and Chicago.” All of which seem to have Cubans. Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle, Minneapolis, Houston, Boston, Baltimore, DC, Savannah…not so much.
So consider yourself lucky and go out and eat a Cuban sandwich today.
I find that really hard to believe. I only searched LA and Cuban sandwich, and this turned up. It’s a list of the ten best places in LA to get a Cuban sandwich, suggesting there are much more than ten places where you can get one.
OK, I’ll check one more. Here’s a list of Denver’s best Cubans. There are apparently enough there to warrant a curated list, as well.
You’re more diligent than I am, I’ll give you that.
Now go back and research which of those places include salami — Tampa-style — and which are the purists. And hurry it up; there’s no telling whether I’m about to jump on the Denver plane for a Cubano.
One of these days I’ll get my butt down to Florida (something I generally try to avoid doing) and have a cubano in Tampa and/or Miami to calibrate my sense of what a cubano is supposed to be like, at least in its own neighborhood. I don’t think any of the places I’ve had a cubano here in Chicago have included salami as a topping. (Also, our Mexican joints often have a torta Cubana, but this is not to be confused with the Cuban sandwich you know. It’s basically and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink torta.) I also understand that cubano aficionados are very particular about the bread used, as well, so I’d like to get a sense for the bread that is supposed to be used.
But, yeah, it seems to be a fairly mainstream sandwich to me these days. I feel like I see somebody making one on Food Network or Youtube cooking channels like every other day.
I’ve had Cubanos in Miami AND Key West, and they’re not as good as my own little hometown Dominican joint El Gran Castile de Jagua, on Flatbush Avenue just east of Seventh.
The main difference is the Florida places slice the roasted pork with a deli machine, whereas in Brooklyn they hack chunks of meat directly off the joint of pork shoulder.
Yeah, I’ve had both kinds here. I actually prefer the sliced version, so when I make them at home, I use my handy dandy meat slicer. But that roast pork sure is delicious in any form!
…when I make them at home…
You own a SANDWICH PRESS?
Not even going to comment on that meat slicer of yours. You fucker, Ima comin to your house when you asleep, an steal YOUR KITCHEN.
Naw, just a cheap-ass panini press type of thing. The meat slicer, though, is serious heavy-duty stuff. I can barely lift the damned thing. It’s a vintage Globe 150 (I think) meat slicer. Got it from a friend for $200 when he upgraded to a $1000 meat slicer for god knows what reason. Thing is awesome even if only used it for making homemade Italian beef sandwiches and Philly-style roast pork sandwiches. (To be honest, that is about 90% what I use it for.)
The other 10% is eliciting confessions?
Choppin’ Broccoli - Dana Carvey SNL
No Sugar Tonight - The Guess Who
To expand the question a bit to groups:
Hot Tuna
Cream
Pretty much the entirely of Cibo Matto’s first album is about food, with tracks including:
“Apple”
“Beef Jerky”
“Sugar Water”
“White Pepper Ice Cream”
“Birthday Cake”
“Know Your Chicken”
“The Candy Man”
“Le Pain Perdu”
“Artichoke”
Dang, y’all really brought it. Wasn’t expecting such an avalanche of answers!
It’s like a buffet!
There’s some old English music hall numbers
My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock
And one I’ve just heard of, but the words and music seem to be lost:
Pulling My Rhubarb Out
Nancy Sinatra had Sugar Town and (with Lee Hazelwood) Summer Wine.
Les Poissons from The Little Mermaid