FOOD
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O L I V E AV E N U E S U P P E R C L U B
My Heart is in Havana The rise of the Cuban Sandwich
Story & Photos by Chef Clyde Van Arsdall IV
T
he movie Chef did more to popularize the Cuban sandwich outside of Florida than any other single event. Sofia Vergara and hot-pressed pork sandwiches, you have my full attention. This regional sandwich is all the rage, but is it movieworthy? Why all the hype? A Cuban sandwich, also known as a Cubano, is a pork lover's delight as it features two kinds of the “other white meat.” The first, a slowroasted pork shoulder that has been marinated and cooked with a citrus-rich, garlic-forward mojo sauce. The second, thinly sliced ham, either honey roasted or smoked; both work well in this sandwich. Dill pickle planks, yellow mustard and Swiss cheese join the party between the two halves of a Cuban roll. Things heat up as the sandwich is buttered and pressed on a plancha. A plancha is like a panini grill without ridges, so it's flat. The plancha presses and cooks the sandwich from the top and the bottom simultaneously. This squeeze causes the cheese to melt, fusing the ingredients into what I can only imagine is the taste of Cuba. Side note: If you're in Tampa, genoa salami is part of the mix. In Miami, the addition of said salami is sacrilegious.
A Cuban sandwich is a pork lovers' delight featuring both ham and roasted pork. 28
CROWN CITY MAGAZINE
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JUNE 2022
