Yesterday I found on social media a list of things one should know about Tampa, host of this year’s Super Bowl. Written by a friend, it mentioned the city’s claim to be the inventor of the Cuban sandwich with the usual South Florida skepticism.
I was dubious too until I went to Tampa a few years ago for a story, which included an aside on the famous sandwich. Proving its place of origin is difficult; less problematic is recognizing the difference between the two versions: Tampa’s adds to the roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickle, and ham a slice of salami. While enriching the taste, it pays tribute to the city’s, or more specifically Ybor City’s, Italian population, which in the heyday of cigar making ran the grocery stores and produce shops. You can debate which is the better sandwich (though, what isn’t improved by the addition of salami?), or where it originated, but not which one is the more multicultural.
