Cuban Sandwiches are the heart of two cities in Florida, Tampa and Miami.
While both Florida cities, Miami and Tampa, claim the sandwich as their own, each has a uniqueness that is worth tasting.
The Miami version of the Cuban Sandwich is smoked ham, roasted pork, swiss cheese, pickles, mustard on Cuban bread. The Tampa version of the Cuban Sandwich is similar but adds salami. The sandwich can be served cold or more commonly hot-pressed.
There is a debate over which city the sandwich originated, but I’d like to insert that it originated from Cuba! Not that it was made specifically in Cuba, but that it was the Immigrants from Cuba who came to both the Keys and then Miami and to Tampa, who put their Cuban flair into a sandwich and created it. The fact that both cities have a strong Cuban community and both have this delicious sandwich is a clear indicator of its origin. But in Tampa, where Italian immigrants were mixing in the population, the Italian salami was added and became a staple in the Cuban Sandwich in Tampa.
Come on and share the love! Both cities deserve credit, but more importantly, the Cubans who brought their style and taste to Florida and shared part of their culture, deserve the true credit.
Here’s a great Recipe for Making Your Own Cuban Sandwich. Be creative and add your own special twist!