National Sandwich Day occurs on November 3rd this year and celebrates a delicious and convenient food that has become ingrained in our culture. Despite the sandwich’s modern-day popularity, though, we will probably never know who invented it.
The earliest recorded sandwiches date back to Jewish culture over 2000 years ago. What we do know is that sandwiches were named after John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, who popularized the idea sometime between the late 1600s and 1700s.
These days, there are many types of sandwiches, so everyone can find a sandwich they like. We’ll discuss some of the offerings at the Bout Time Pub and Grub Sandwich shop in this article.
The Reuben
Much like the sandwich in general, the origins of the Reuben are unclear. At least two people claimed to have invented the iconic combination of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing on rye bread.
One of them is Reuben Kulakofsky, a Nebraska grocer who invented the sandwich to feed his friends during card games. One of Reuben’s poker buddies owned a hotel and loved the sandwich so much that he began selling it to his guests. The other claimant, Arnold Reuben, was a restaurateur in New York who served something similar to a Reuben.
Kulakofsky and Reuben may have been some of the first people to serve Reuben sandwiches, but they’re far from the only ones. You can also find Reuben sandwiches on our menu at Bout Time Pub and Grub sandwich shop. Trust us when we say you won’t be disappointed.
Philly Cheesesteak
This sandwich was invented in its namesake city of Philadelphia. The basic ingredients for a cheesesteak are slices of steak, cheese, and bread. In some variations, including ours, add onions and peppers.
The Philly Cheesesteak has a fascinating history, with some claiming that the original Cheesesteak sandwich was just a steak sandwich. The cheese wasn’t added until later. Another fascinating episode happened in the 1930s when one Cheesesteak mogul started a rumor that he was using horse meat rather than beef and dared people to prove the rumor true.
Shrimp Po’Boy
The next classic sandwich on our list was born half a nation away from Philadelphia, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. A shrimp po’boy is the quintessential Louisiana dish, combining French influence with seafood offerings from right off the coast, and the splash of heat that Cajun food is known for.
It uses French bread and a French remoulade sauce drizzled over fried shrimp, lettuce, tomatoes, sliced pickles, and, in some cases, hot sauce.
Our own version of the shrimp po’boy ditches the pickles and hot sauce and puts it all on a hoagie roll. A few small changes, but they don’t take away from the flavor.
What and Where to Eat on National Sandwich Day
With National Sandwich Day approaching, it’s important to talk about the sandwiches that helped define America’s food culture. We’ve talked about a few of these sandwiches here, but there are many more.
You can learn more at our site or by dropping by our restaurant. We have several locations in Colorado and Utah.
