Tagged: Cuban sandwich

"Bring it on!" That was Michelle Faedo's response when asked if she would put her Cuban Sandwich up against one from Miami.

WUSF interviewed Michelle and her husband, Robert Faedo, when Tampa City Council was considering its vote to make the "Cuban" its signature sandwich in April.

Saturday May 26 in Ybor City's Centennial Park there's an event billed as the Cuban Sandwich Festival where the best Cuban sandwich in Florida will be judged.

Restaurants from Tampa and Miami have been invited to compete.

But, in the wake of Tampa City Council passing a resolution proclaiming the Tampa concoction the "Historic Tampa Cuban Sandwich," Victor Padilla, festival co-organizer, says only one Miami eatery had the nerve to enter 'enemy' territory.

"So far we've only had one. I guess the rest chickened out," says Padilla.

After an incursion by the upstart Miami Cuban community, the people have spoken – Tampa is the true home of the Cuban sandwich.

More than 7,200 people voted at the NPR food blog, “The Salt,” and the results speak for themselves: 57 percent for Tampa, 43 percent for Miami as the true home of the Cuban sandwich.

Two cities -- Tampa and Miami -- are locked in a battle to claim the Cuban sandwich as its own.

WUSF's Bobbie O'Brien makes the case for Tampa on based on history and taste.

Reporter Kenny Malone from Miami’s WLRN took on the assignment to defend the Miami Cuban sandwich. For him, the best defense was an offensive strategy.

If we’ve learned anything this political season -- attack ads win wars.

Two cities -- Tampa and Miami -- are locked in a battle to claim the Cuban sandwich as its own. Last Thursday, the opening salvo was fired by Tampa City Council when it officially renamed it the “Historic Tampa Cuban Sandwich.”

Two cities, Tampa and Miami, are locked in a battle to claim the Cuban sandwich as its own.

A Cuban sandwich is shredded pork, glazed ham, Swiss cheese, yellow mustard, and dill pickles – served either cold or hot-pressed on Cuban bread. Think of it as the ham-and-cheese for the guayabera set.

Tampa’s version includes Genoa salami. Each city uses differently-shaped bread. Those are about the only substantive differences.