This episode originally aired on September 14, 2022.
If you ask someone from Miami who is really into Cuban sandwiches where they originated they’re very likely to say, Miami, of course! Ask the same question to someone from Tampa and they’ll say, of course it’s Tampa! Over the decades there have even been claims made that what we consider to be the modern Cuban sandwich first showed up in Key West.
Part culinary history, and part Cuban history, the book “The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers” traces the delectable sandwich’s path from the late 1800s to its place in modern American cuisine.
We dig into the history of the Cuban sandwich with two of its co-authors, and get an answer to the age-old question: was it Tampa, or Miami, or maybe even Key West, where ‘The’ Cuban sandwich was born in the U.S.?
Guests:
- Barbara C. Cruz, professor of social science education and co-director of the Inside ART project at University of South Florida
- Jeff Houck, vice president of marketing for the 1905 Family of Restaurants (formerly Colombia Restaurant Group) and former food editor, writer, and blogger for the Tampa Tribune
