Unbreaded

Tips From A Pro: How To Eat An Iconic Sandwich

Author of several cookbooks, Masthead writer for Esquire and Travel + Leisure, and a 2009 winner of an ASME National Magazine Award for her work on Esquire’s collaborative feature, Almanac of Steak, Francine Maroukian’s passion for food is unmistakable, though not what you might expect from someone whose livelihood is centered around New York fine dining.  Rather, Francine craves simplicity; earnest food that reflects the people who make it and the people who eat it.  Francine finds the “trickery” of food exhausting – the elaborate and confusing productions that once dominated high end restaurants – instead opting for a return to basics, an expression of one’s roots.  In her view, sandwiches are the “antidote to fanciness, but only when not overdone or over-presented.”

Having lived and worked in New York for 20 years as a caterer and writer, Francine is now a Philadelphia resident by choice, which she describes as “the most interesting food city in America.”  A former factory town, once known as The Workshop of the World, Philadelphia has a rich history of everyday food, food that can be eaten while standing, while working.  Philadelphia is best known for its contributions to political Democracy, but should also be recognized for its advancing culinary democracy – the kind of food found in bars, pubs and sandwich shops – food that is not about restricting access but about freedom.  The bountiful agriculture of Pennsylvania, which Francine likens to Northern California without the marketing dollars, offers the Philadelphia region some of the nation’s very best and freshest meats, produce and dairy.  And on Philadelphia’s most celebrated and prolific restaurateur Stephen Starr, who Francine calls “part party planner, part urban planner,” she believes the city should erect a statue in his honor for his revitalization of Philadelphia through its restaurant scene.

So what are her favorite sandwiches?  The simple ones, of course: a savory sandwich, sans condiments, eaten in the morning.  Having recently traveled to San Francisco, Francine has been enjoying hand crafted salumi from Fra’mani and Molinari, but also loves authentic classic luncheonettes like Shank’s & Evelyn’s and John’s Roast Pork.  An accomplished cook in her own right, Francine finds great local buys at the Headhouse farmer’s market, Superior Ravioli at the Italian Market and Old City Cheese at Reading Terminal Market. She also enjoys making roasted chicken thighs with provolone on an onion roll, or sliced boneless short ribs on a whole wheat English muffin.  But what Francine really values is the time-tested preparation, recipes and ingredients passed down through generations.  She even visualizes her mother’s hands when she cooks the very same dishes in the very same style that she enjoyed growing up.

This week, Unbreaded is proud to publish Francine’s essay on sandwiches “The United States Of Sandwiches.”  Equal parts anthropology lesson and mouth watering to-do list, Francine provides historical context for the iconic sandwiches from around the country and how a nation of immigrants developed the original fusion food; after all, a sandwich at its core is simply meat, salad and transportation.

But first, here are the ground rules Francine sends to people who ask where to get what sandwich:

Eating A Regional Sandwich: How To Behave.

1. Maybe you have a friend who raves about his or her hometown sandwich and maybe, even after you eat one, you don’t really get the big deal. Keep this to yourself. Sandwich/city criticism is not the privilege of an outsider. The emotional pull of a hometown sandwich has to do with nostalgia and other intangibles like “roots” and neighborhood loyalty.

2. When a highly touted sandwich joint looks like a hole-in-the-wall, it’s probably operating in its original location and deserves respect as a community institution.

3. Perhaps your discerning palate cries out for a sprinkling of locally harvested arugula or a slather of raw milk sheep cheese. Believe me, no one—especially not the sandwich maker—cares about your “improvements.” Just order and move along.

4. Most famous sandwich places pack in the tourists and can be super crowded. As the line in front of you shrinks, you can feel the number of hungry people growing behind you. Pressure builds. Don’t waste time by dithering: listen and learn the proper ordering code. Since the counter people have heard it all, there might even be an instructional sign.

5. Stop and pay homage to the bread; it is always an important part of a sandwich’s mythology.

Editor’s Note: Read Francine Maroukian’s article, “The United States Of Sandwiches” on Thursday, May 14 (part 1) and Friday, May 15 (part 2), exclusively on Unbreaded.com.