Swiss cheese is a big deal in New York – every deli counter offers it as a sandwich ingredient. Patricia Taylor was the daughter of Arnold Reuben, who founded a landmark New York deli called Reuben's Restaurant and Delicatessen, which has since closed. In fact, I’ve spent my entire life somewhat surprised at how great it can be. Please check your email to complete the process of resetting your password. There are two things I love about delicatessens in New York; one, there’s the coffee, and two, the fact that pickles are mandatory. This is juicy and delicious and you might end up wearing half of it if you are not careful. But no matter the origin, it remains a popular deli sandwich choice to this day. One of the poker players was named Reuben. The other, perhaps more prevalent, legend says that the Reuben can trace its origins to a hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, developed to feed a group of hungry poker players one evening in 1928 (via The Nosher). Butter each slice of bread and place into skillet buttered side down. It’s essentially no more than a mix of tomato and mayonnaise – which is also a good base for a cheat’s Marie Rose sauce, by the by – but with the addition of finely-chopped onion and herbs, as well as a few different spices. The origins of the Reuben sandwich are (surprise, surprise) contested, but it is universally acknowledged as an American invention. By clicking SIGN UP I agree to receive news, promotions and information from Boar's Head. It was a hit with the gamblers and someone suggested that the newly-invented sandwich be put on the hotel's menu. With great import placed on red meat, fish, potato, rye and salt, it could never be called the healthiest food in the world, but it could be considered the most comforting. Secret weapons I’ve written before, in a piece about food and coffee pairings, about my love of the Reuben sandwich – the heavenly piling of hot pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing into two slices of soft rye bread. The American deli culture is something I’ve been looking forward to experiencing for as long as I can remember, and this desire was always going to lead me to the world-famous Katz’s Delicatessen – and to their pastrami. Let’s go through the five ingredients: The meat Place skillet over medium-low heat and grill until bread is browned and crisped. Burns supper: the best thing about January, Japan: izakaya & homemade gyoza dumplings, US Diners Blog Day 3 – bigger and definitely not better. Omaha still has a soft spot in its heart for Reubens — March 14th has been named Reuben Sandwich Day in the city. Discover nutritional facts and savory recipes for your favorite Boar’s Head products with this downloadable guide. Some people substitute Thousand Island dressing for Russian dressing. came into the restaurant late one night and told the restauranteur that she was so hungry that she could eat a brick. I will say again, too, that the combination of this kind of food with coffee is a joy unlike anything else. For many people, “rye” means heavy German pumpernickel – which, frankly, I don’t mind one bit – but in the US, rye is usually quite soft bread, made with both rye flour and traditional strong white bread flour. The actress, Anna Selos (sometimes remembered as Annette Seelos, who may now be more famous for her potential role in inventing the Reuben than the films she starred in with Charlie Chaplin, via Eat This, Not That!) We thought long and hard about what we’d pick for America as part of our Foodie World Cup. The end product is what I’m more likely to call hot salt beef – that delightfully moist fall-away meat. I’ve always considered myself to have a very open-minded attitude to food, but as a concept, I’ve never found the idea of shredded pickled cabbage all that appetising (even if it is, of course, absolutely delicious). ; Evenly spread Sauerkraut and place a slice of cheese over each slice of bread. The “corning” refers to the preparation with large grains or “corns” of salt (not with corn kernels, as I bizarrely believed growing up). However, what I was excited for above all that – the main reason, in fact, that I chose New York for my first solo trip to the States – is the Jewish food culture that thrives here. Although the ingredients and preparation method for a Reuben sandwich are widely agreed upon, as with so many American classics, discussion about the origins of the sandwich results in significantly less agreement. The dressing Merlin worked in editorial for Jamie's online team. It’s quite sweet on its own, but with the bitterness of the sauerkraut, mellowness of the cheese and strong saltiness of the beef, it’s perfect. It’s not a strong flavour, but it’s creamy and melts well over the hot beef, mixing perfectly with…. Although the monopoly of the fast-food industry in the US is no joke (seriously, the sizes of the fizzy drinks…), the most memorable experiences I’ve had out here have all been meals. Sign up for our Dish Worthy newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Boar's Head products, recipes, and entertaining ideas. It was, and eventually, it was expanded to all the hotels in the owner's chain, not just the location in Omaha where it was invented. Traditional Reuben Sandwich – Of course I include a recipe for the original way of doing it. As one of the most well-loved establishments in New York, Katz’s Deli was an integral part of the immigrant population of Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the early 20th century. A good ole' fashioned Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich. You may wrinkle your nose at the mere mention of corned beef, but it’s only in the UK that the name is doomed to inspire thoughts of canned beef between forlorn-looking slices of white bread. The bitterness of it makes sauerkraut an essential part of the classic Reuben. First, the part that's settled. Given that I’ve never found a great Reuben in the UK, I’ve only ever eaten imitations of the classic. As well as food, he really, really likes coffee. A valid Recipient Email Address is required. Butter each slice of bread and place into skillet buttered side down. New York knows how to do food. Stay tuned for delicious content from Boar’s Head. Upon sitting down at Katz’s and looking over the magnificent menu, a huge plate of sliced homemade pickles was set down as an appetiser, which we hungrily munched while we ordered. Russian dressing is a funny thing. It doesn’t really matter the quality of sauerkraut you use for your own cooking (pro tip: stew with a cinnamon stick, bay leaves and peppercorns, drain and use as a base layer for a shepherd’s pie), as even the cheap jars from delicatessens are pretty damn good. In this case I put a spin on classic brats. Their corned beef and pastrami are considered the best in the city, and over its lifetime of 125 years almost every famous face you can imagine – as well as millions upon millions of tourists – have dined there. Pile it high and serve on rye.