The messy history and disputed origins of the Reuben sandwich
By
@NatGeoTravel
Summary
The article explores the history, disputed origins, and cultural significance of the Reuben sandwich. It traces competing origin claims (from Reuben Kulakofsky's poker group in Omaha to Arnold Reuben of New York's Reuben's Restaurant), examines the key ingredients (corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, rye bread), and discusses how this messy, unglamorous sandwich became an all-American deli icon featured in Hollywood films and beloved across the country.
Source
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe Reuben is not, by any reasonable standard, a beautiful sandwich. It arrives looking like a hot mess: a chaos of corned beef brisket and sauerkraut, gooey Swiss cheese melting into a slick of dressing, slapped between a couple of slices of rye bread.
For a dish lacking in silver-screen good looks, the Reuben has a certain knack for stealing the show.
What would New York be without this all-American sandwich? The stacked deli staple has stirred disputes, starred in Hollywood films and yet has somehow stayed faithful to just a handful of key ingredients.
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