Sailor sandwich
Sandwich with hot meat and cheese
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A sailor sandwich is a hot meat and cheese sandwich popular at Jewish delis in the Richmond, Virginia, area.[1][2][3][4] Its core ingredients are hot pastrami, grilled knackwurst, melted Swiss cheese and hot mustard on rye bread.[1]
Richmond, Virginia
A sailor sandwich, as served at Richmond's New York Deli | |
| Type | Jewish deli Sandwich |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Virginia |
| Created by | New York Deli, Richmond, Virginia |
| Main ingredients | Pastrami, knackwurst, Swiss cheese, hot mustard, rye bread |
Origins
The New York Deli, a Jewish deli founded in 1929, claims to be the originator of the sailor sandwich.[1][5] According to local legend, during World War II, Navy seamen from the University of Richmond Navy V-12 program would frequent the New York Deli and order this then-nameless sandwich. It eventually became known as a sailor sandwich, although it is uncertain who officially named the dish.[1][5]
Variations
The marine sandwich is popular around some Marine bases like MCB Quantico.[6] It is usually served on Italian bread with knackwurst, pastrami or salami and uses Jewish-style mustard and comes with peppers. The West Coast version often includes sliced tomatoes on the side.[6]
In popular culture
- Patricia Cornwell, whose Kay Scarpetta novels often take place in the Richmond area, include characters ordering and eating sailor sandwiches in Cause of Death[7] and Cruel and Unusual.[8]
- In Guy Fieri's book, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip, the chapter on Virginia features Dot's Back Inn in Richmond as a place to get a sailor sandwich.[9] Dot's Back Inn and the sailor sandwich were featured in an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives filmed in 2007.[10]
