Associated to our earlier submit—New Guide: The Cuban Sandwich: A Historical past in Layers—right here is an “All Issues Thought of” NPR (September 15, 2022) interview with Andy Huse (curator of Florida research on the College of South Florida Libraries) and Barbara Cruz (Social Science Training, College of South Florida) two of the authors of The Cuban Sandwich. Hearken to the complete interview at NPR.
For years, Tampa and Miami have every claimed possession over the Cuban Sandwich. Three researchers dug into historic knowledge and arrived at a conclusion to settle the controversy.
SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST: Two Florida cities have fought for years over one sandwich – the Cuban. Miami and Tampa each declare to be its hometown. We spoke with two of the three researchers who inform the story of the sandwich’s journey to the U.S. and its evolution. They now have a brand new guide referred to as “The Cuban Sandwich: A Historical past In Layers.” The culinary layers can typically be disputed. Inside Cuban bread, you will discover seasoned pork, candy ham, Swiss cheese, a pickle and mustard, and typically even salami.
ANDY HUSE: I’m Andy Huse. I’m the curator of Florida research on the College of South Florida Libraries.
BARBARA CRUZ: And good afternoon. My title is Barbara Cruz, and I’m professor of social science training on the College of South Florida.
CRUZ: In the end, the Cuban sandwich is an immigrant story. It was born in Cuba from the mixto – actually blended sandwich – and by the use of cigar employees going to Key West, then coming to Ybor Metropolis and Tampa. After which, by 1950, Miami turns into the most important metropolis in Florida. And naturally, by the top of that decade, the Cuban revolution outcomes on this enormous inflow of Cuban immigrants coming to Miami. And the sandwich, once more, you realize, adjustments.
CRUZ: So all of those completely different waves add to the sandwich differently.
HUSE: Havana, I believe, conceived it, it’s protected to say, however Tampa actually curated it for a very long time. They tinkered with the sandwich, however they stumbled on – I’d say, by the ’40s and ’50s – a reasonably steady creation that always included turkey and virtually at all times included salami. And we checked out sandwiches in Cuba, and in 1950, there was that actual sandwich. So, you realize, for individuals wanting again and saying, oh, that’s anathema – how may you place salami on a Cuban sandwich? Properly, you realize, it wasn’t – that wasn’t invented in Tampa. You realize, that variation – it had been round for a very long time.
CRUZ: I used to be born in Cuba, I used to be raised in Miami, and I’ve spent the majority of my grownup life in Tampa, so I actually and really have been in all three locations. And I can let you know that, for the longest time, I actually type of grew up on a Miami Cuban sandwich. The bread could be very completely different than the bread that’s utilized in Tampa. So it’s crispier, and it definitely doesn’t have salami in it.
CRUZ: The bread in Tampa – once I received right here, I used to be stunned that it was a lot crustier and, whenever you press it in la plancha – the iron – it comes off completely different.
HUSE: That flourish – that type of last item – so many individuals assume, you realize, you can’t have a Cuban sandwich with out it being pressed. I’m not essentially certainly one of them, though I choose it pressed.
CRUZ: Properly, I’m going to take a stand and say that the Cuban sandwich should be pressed, and I’ll let you know why – as a result of I believe it makes it a lot much less unwieldy, and it’s at all times, at all times reduce on a really sharp diagonal, and so you’ve got virtually two triangles. These two factors of the triangle are crucial for dunking in a powerful and candy cafe con leche, and that would solely be achieved if it’s pressed.
HUSE: And also you’ve received this concept that – to what extent does the Cuban sandwich nonetheless belong to Cuba? And to what extent has it change into actually a totem of exile in Miami and past? And so one of many issues that – I don’t know – is expressed within the guide a number of instances is, is when is the sandwich going to return to Cuba, and when are individuals going to have the ability to, you realize, afford a easy delicacy like that once more?
MCCAMMON: Andy Huse and Barbara Cruz. Their new guide is “The Cuban Sandwich.” So which is the suitable Cuban sandwich? They are saying it’s the one which tastes like house to you.
For unique submit, see https://www.npr.org/2022/09/15/1123289501/a-new-book-explores-the-cuban-sandwichs-history-and-its-evolution-in-the-u-s
[Photo from https://www.cubansandwichbook.com/.]