1 day Ago By [email protected] (Natalya Bucuy)
When you hear the word "lunch," an image of a mouthwatering deli sandwich with a side salad or a cup of soup often pops into mind. While economic circumstances and a mother's voice — "we have plenty of food at home" — often prevent us from indulging in the delicious offerings of a deli, sometimes the temptation is too hard to resist. And let's be honest — some things taste better from a deli than anywhere else.
It is no wonder, as even the root of the original Deutsch word, that "delikatessen," means delicacies. Like the name, the concept of a small storefront with a variety of cured meats and cheeses comes from German traditions and those of their Jewish, Eastern European, and Italian neighbors. In the late 19th century, with an increase in immigration in America, merchants of every nationality ran small stores in various neighborhoods of the East Coast cities.
The small businesses . They offered traditional food and a place to connect with the community — a piece of home in the new land. With more Jewish immigrants coming to the U.
S shores in the 20th century, the concept of kosher delis spread. With time, delicatessens opened up all across the nation, many of them offering prepared sandwiches, soups, pickles, and salads in addition to meats and cheeses. The hybrid of it all is the modern American "deli," as it became known in the 1950s, now a staple of American life and diet.
Why do things just taste so much better from a deli? Besides the convenience of it (there are so many easy lunch choices that you do not have to cook! how amazing), food from the American delicatessen stems from the multitude of ethnic traditions. And those always taste good. So strap in to find out which foods just simply taste better from the deli, and why.
Pastrami and other meats Fresh cured meats put "delicious" in the "deli." are the OGs of a good delicatessen, as any good deli-lover would know. American pastrami, unlike its Turkish and Romanian cousins that are made with mutton or pork, comes from a brisket cut.
The process of making pastrami involves brining the beef and resting it overnight. Smoked the next day, pastrami delivers a rich flavor that feels even richer when it comes from a deli. Another cured delight, of cattle and low salt prices in Ireland in the 1660s.
The beef is salted for over a week, then boiled and steamed. Corned beef is richer, saltier, and leaner in flavor than pastrami. Deli meats like these and others like pepperoni, roast beef, turkey breast, ham, and prosciutto simply cannot be beat.
But, annoyingly, . The sad truth is that modern food processing has moved away from the use of natural ingredients. Today, roasting or smoking meats at home offers a viable solution.
Still, occasional pastrami on rye bread with mustard or a smoked peppered turkey with mayo can be just what the doctor ordered, and is truly the best from a deli. Whitefish salad It is quite a simple recipe: mayo, sour cream, dill, celery, and lemon juice. And that is white fish salad, people.
A perfect topping for bagels, English muffins, or toast, the smoky-flavored friend of tuna fish salad has roots in Eastern Europe. It is perfect as a protein-rich breakfast item or a part of a festive spread for company. Fishier, smokier, oilier, and bonier than tuna fish, whitefish brings more flavor to the table.
Especially if it comes from an authentic Jewish deli. Ashkenazi Jewish communities used white freshwater fish from local rivers in a variety of traditional dishes, and whitefish was often even served at holiday celebrations. In America, immigrant Jewish communities found similar qualities in the fish found in the Great Lakes.
Originally, the scraps were used in a salad, mixed into a creamy paste with those few ingredients. Now, whitefish salad is a popular staple at many delis, and it should also be a popular staple in your deli order. You won't regret it.
Cheese The Industrial Revolution introduced the cheese press, which allowed this delicacy to enter the everyday diet. Today, this staple enters many of our dishes, be it lunch or dinner. Cheese is a key ingredient in many a sandwich.
And deli sandwiches do taste better. Block cheese, sliced cheese, shredded cheese — the refrigerators of grocery stores are absolutely bursting with choices for any cheese lover — it can be hard to choose. You totally cannot help but stop and stare when coming upon a deli cheese case.
Why do they taste (and look!) so much better? First, it is because they are freshly sliced. Kudos to cheese producers who pre-slice and prepackage cheese for our convenience, but there is magic in that giant cheese slicer. And if your deli places little pieces of wax paper in between, you are a lucky one — it often means no sticky cheese slices break off into annoying pieces that run away from your sandwich.
Deli cheese might also count as less processed or containing fewer ingredients, as its shelf life is shorter. Finally, there is just something satisfying about a wheel or a large block of fresh cheese, be it Parmesan, havarti, or Swiss cheese. Rye bread There is something about rye bread that is deeper than its rich taste, darker color, and deep flavor that lingers in the mouth even after a lunch sandwich has made its way further into the digestive system.
It is in the wholesome grain and in a slow process that produces authentic rye bread. Only a skillful baker dedicated to the process, often found in traditional delis across the nation, hence its inclusion in this list, can reproduce the flavors of traditional European recipes of rye bread. Because wheat bread takes less time to prepare, modern bakeries tend to gravitate towards those choices.
However, should the opportunity to taste authentic rye bread from a traditional bakery or (obviously) a deli, you should seize it at once. Especially when paired with those aforementioned quality deli meats and freshly-cut cheeses, the fresh, homemade bread take the sandwich to a whole new level that can only be achieved at a deli. Bagels Another contender to cross over between traditional bakeries and delis, bagels take their place on the list of foods that taste better than the homemade versions.
While making bagels at home can be a fun activity, there is nothing like a takeout bagel. Especially if you find yourself in New York City, where, in addition to traditional baking skills passed from one generation to the next, factors like (though controversial) also play a role. Bagels often get boiled first.
This process is very important for creating the chewy texture and flavor we know and love from a quality bagel. The process makes the dough absorb the malt syrup or honey used, which, in turn, enhances flavor once the bagel makes it into the oven for baking. Yum.
And like rye bread, freshly-made bagels at a deli are magic when paired with the other fresh ingredients to create the ultimate breakfast sandwich (or an any-time-of-day sandwich, in our book). The history of the bagel, like many items on this list, dips into the necessity created by ethnocentric laws common in Europe in the past. In 17th-century Poland, anti-Semitic laws prevented Jews from baking bread.
Hence, the boiling process was born. After making its way to America, bagels quickly became a staple. Records indicate that some bagel bakers unionized in 1900s New York City.
Later into the 20th century, a bagel rolling machine made the treat's production and distribution a commercial and accessible endeavor. Potato salad Another European migrant, potato salad, brings an array of varieties from every country imaginable. A Jewish deli is likely to carry a German recipe of the salad, while a Polish or Russian store brings may its own list of ingredients to the table.
Whatever the ingredients of the chosen potato salad, having someone else do all the slicing and dicing, while maintaining the home-made flavor, makes this prepared food a winner from the start. But there is more to it. The secret lies with the seasonings of the salad.
More salt in the boiling water for the potatoes not only ensures even seasoning, but also even cooking of the potatoes, as well. Additionally, the quality of the ingredients that go into the salad — dijon mustard, bacon, and herbs of choice also play an important role. The potato salad, as it once again aligns with other deli items on this list, German immigrants are said to have brought it to the United States, as their numbers increased in the 1860s.
From there, Southern populations, particularly African Americans, picked up this staple and created popular variations of it. Any kind of potato salad you find in a deli is a winner in our book. Subs Asking why subs taste better from a deli is like asking why a house designed by an architect looks better than one put together by an amateur builder.
Like many things at the deli, it is an art. Deli sandwiches take thought and strategy in their construction. And seasoning and condiments are everything.
Fresh ingredients, of course, play the primary role. Bread, for example, makes the sandwich, and a . Delis also use mayo and other fat-based condiments that prevent bread from getting soggy even if you transport the sandwich to your favorite picnic place before consuming it.
Seasoning the vegetables prior to assembling the sandwich is important as that also prevents them from sagging and creating a moist mess of a sub that nobody wants. Laying all these ingredients just right is another way delis ensure quality and flavor in these edible masterpieces. The story of a sub deserves some attention, as its name has created some controversy across the nation.
What do you call this fabulous portable meal option that contains everything you ever wanted — from delicious spreads to meats to cheeses? Almost like a kitchen sink of this entire list, isn't it? Depending on the region, sub can go by hoagies, grinders, heroes, spuckies, and po' boys. The origins of each name depend of history, cultural roots, and other influences. But no matter what you call it, a classic deli sub captures everything we love about delis.
Coleslaw Like the cabbage it is made of, coleslaw recipes come as varied as the colors of the rainbow. In the spirit of the "better from the deli" theme, we will forgo the recipes and get to the . One of them, similarly to the other items on this list, lies in the salt.
Delicatessens follow a process of salting cabbage before making coleslaw. This draws out the moisture from the vegetable. That, in turn, gives the cabbage a crispier texture and allows for better dressing absorption.
The well-balanced acidic, oily, and well-seasoned dressing mixed in is also key. The dressing must be properly mixed before dressing the salad in well-established proportions so that it is not too much and not too little. This careful process is rooted in long-standing tradition.
Some records show that coleslaw's story traces back thousands of years. Celts are said to have spread the popularity of cabbage across Europe, and there are many mentions of a cabbage mix containing vinegar and spices. Vinegar, an important ingredient in coleslaw, dates back as far as 5,000 B.
C.E. Babylon and was used for cooking and as a medicine.
Matzo ball and other soups We can't have a conversation about delis — especially since the Jewish deli is taking center stage on this list — without mentioning the matzo ball soup. For that matter, all deli soups deserve a highlight. From traditional chicken noodle to mushroom barley, hearty soups boil at the heart of any deli.
And beyond matzo ball soup, there is likely a signature soup that your local deli offers that once you try, you just can't take your mind off of. The chefs who make deli soup are nothing short of artists, and they employ techniques learned from generations of cooks. Starting with a good base for the broth is key, as that provides the foundation for the heartiness and a canvas for layering further flavor and building the depth of the dish.
Balancing flavors is vital, as well. And having just the right amount of seasoning, textured vegetables, and liquid can make or break the soup. Let's dip our ladle into the history of matzo ball soup.
Originating within the Jewish Passover tradition, matzo balls hold an important cultural place. The original European dumplings that eventually became known as matzo balls are called "knoede." Matzo balls, along with other , represent Jewish people's escape from slavery and oppression by the Egyptians.
Made from unleavened bread during the holiday, matzo balls are one holiday dish that is hard to keep as such, and, luckily, you can enjoy it year-round at many delis. Tuna salad Canned sardines enjoyed popularity during their widespread availability post-Industrial Revolution of the 1800s. But around the turn of the century, the sardine industry struggled due to overfishing.
as an alternative. During that time, women were also entering the workforce at an increasing rate. With that, the need for a quick, portable lunch easily available to families arose.
One natural way to use leftovers — and meet that need at the same time — was to mix them with mayo, seasonings, onions, and other condiments and eat them for lunch the next day. With the addition of bread to make the salad portable, tuna fit the bill. Why does deli tuna hit differently? As always, the quality of ingredients and seasonings sits on top of the list of reasons.
Delicatessen tuna salad usually contains higher-quality albacore tuna, though sometimes chunk light tuna goes better in the face of mercury content concerns. Dressing of tuna salad at the deli sometimes goes beyond mayo with the addition of spices and other ingredients such as mustard and pickle relish. Another reason for a better flavor of tuna salad from the deli counter is that it is made in large batches.
This allows for even flavor distribution as well as some resting time that ensures the "marinating" of the tuna in seasonings and dressings. This, in turn, gives the dish a richer, deeper flavor. Pickles Unless your pickles are hand-made by an Eastern European grandma in a housedress in a messy kitchen filled with love, deli pickles are your next best bet.
There is nothing like that crispy crunch of a pickle fresh from the deli counter barrel. The beauty of kosher pickles — another name for deli pickles — is the prep of the cucumbers and the way they are fermented and pickled. Saltwater brine, flavorful and well-seasoned, is what gives these little salty morsels their unbeatable flavor.
In contrast to other pickles, the preparation of which often involves vinegar, brined pickles help maintain that crunchiness. Garlic, dill, and peppercorns serve a common additions that bring even more savory flavor. Pickles crown our list in terms of the oldest historical mention.
Originating in Mesopotamia over 4,000 years ago, pickles presented a great way to preserve cucumbers. Eventually, the tradition of soaking vegetables in brine spread into other cultures, eventually making it to those New York City Jewish delis of the early 20th century. Recommended.
