National Cuban Sandwich Day Highlights Who Makes It Right

Plus, Andrew Zimmern wants to come to your home - and more links

Photo by Chatchow TV

It’s National Cuban Sandwich Day

Today is National Cuban Sandwich Day, a celebration of a sandwich that has roots in Cuba and has a diverse (and divided) history in Florida. When Cuban immigrants came to Florida, they brought this hearty sandwich that was thought to have its origins with the Taino tribe.

Though both Miami and Tampa have robust Cuban populations, each city has its own way of making the “Cubano.” In Miami, the sandwich is made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on Cuban bread. In Tampa, salami is added, possibly a nod to the Italian immigrants who also resided there. Both cities claim the sandwich as their own. If you want a taste of an authentic Cuban sandwich, Sangwich de Miami makes a superior product. The small restaurant, located in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, cures its own ham, marinates its own pork, and bakes its own bread. If you can’t make it to Miami, Goldbelly offers a kit that yields four sandwiches for just under $110 (including shipping).

Martha Stewart Invites You Into Her Home…Sort of

It’s hard to believe, but Martha Stewart has finally opened her first restaurant. The Bedford, is located at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas and, according to the Bedford’s website, the dining room is an “accurate replica of her own brown faux-bis dining room.” The Bedford is designed to make you “feel just like you are a guest in Martha’s home.” Martha held an opening night party where she drank her own Martha “Chard” with her bestie Snoop Dogg, reports the Daily Mail.

Andrew Zimmern Wants to Come to Your House for Dinner

Andrew Zimmern is looking for someone to invite him over for dinner. The author and chef, famous for highlighting the stories behind what we eat, posted a casting call on his ChefAZ Instagram page. Zimmern is is looking for people who want to share "unique family stories, recipes, and food traditions” in casting for his Magnolia Network show, Family Dinner. If you know anyone in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle, or Portland areas, email casting@intuitivecomtent.com.

Love Chipotle? Wear the Merch

Everyone loves wearing their favorite brands. While it used to be that companies would give away shirts and hats as free promotional items, others see it as both advertising and an additional stream of income (thoughts of the Coca-Cola and M&Ms stores come to mind). If you're a fan of fast-casual custom burrito bowls, check out Chipotle Goods — an entire site devoted to Chipotle merch. The company sells everything from pool slides to shirts to a candle in a Chipotle water cup.