University Press of Florida
In the Tampa Bay area, there are dozens of eateries that bill themselves as “home of the best Cuban” – a solid and soul-satisfying sandwich that nestles ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard together between two buttery layers of Cuban bread. But, as Andrew Huse, Bárbara C. Cruz, and Jeff Houck reveal in their forthcoming book, “The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers” (University Press of Florida, 2022), deciding which Cubano is best – or even where the Cuban originated – is no simple matter.
As the title suggests, the book begins with early accounts of the Cubano’s progenitors, the mixto and medianoche sandwiches which served a newly independent Cuba in equal measure as a convenient lunch for hungry cigar rollers or a snack for late-night revelers. Through a generous helping of historical sources, the book conjures the spectacle of specially trained loncheros who rapidly sliced, spread, and pressed their layered creations at busy cafes. From there, it follows the meaty morsel into Tampa, New York, and Miami, where communities of Cuban immigrants and exiles brought the sandwich to new heights in their new homes – and where it finally became known as “the Cuban.”
Gourmands will savor the book’s deliciously evocative discussion of the sandwich’s many components, including the distinctly crusty Cuban bread, sweet bolo ham, and mojo pork, each of which has its own fascinating history. The book also tackles some of the more controversial intricacies of the Cubano’s development, including the proper quantity and placement of pickles, how to correctly apply the mustard, and whether or not to include salami (expected in Tampa, simply unacceptable in Miami). It even considers the issues of corporatizing the Cuban (now available at Arby’s and Pollo Tropical) and multicultural crossovers (including the Jewban sandwich, usually adapted with pastrami and coleslaw).
But even if you’re not a foodie, or even if you are (as I am) more or less a vegetarian, you’ll still enjoy the absorbing social history the book provides. You’ll learn how this special sandwich played a role in the development of landmark restaurants such as Tampa’s Columbia and Miami’s Versailles and came to express an important sense of cubanidad for Cuba’s far-flung diaspora. And, thanks to more than a dozen interviews woven into the history, you’ll meet some of the impressively dedicated chefs, restauranteurs, and food producers who are preserving and innovating Cuban food traditions across the United States and abroad.
No matter how you slice it – though, traditionally, you should slice it on the diagonal – “The Cuban Sandwich” is good food for thought.
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July 04, 2022 at 11:55PM
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