The 1st bakery in the United States to
make Pan Cubano, which most Americans
call Cuban Bread was probably Tampa Florida’s
La Joven Francesca Bakery. La Joven was
established in 1896 by Sicilian baker
Francisco Ferlita, and was the major bread
consumables supplier for the Tampa Area.Disaster
struck La Joven in 1922 when a fire resulted
the near total destruction of the bakery;
only the brick bread oven was left standing.
Francisco rebuilt the bakery, however,
even larger than before, and it soon surpassed
even its previous success, and before
long delivery boys distributing the bakery’s
distinctive Cuban Bread throughout the
Tampa Region. Today, however, the El Segundo
Bakery (another bakery that has been opperating
in Tampa for nearly a century) is Tampa’s
main Cuban Bread supplier. Cuban Bread
is one of Tampa’s local culinary staples,
however, and one can buy Cuban Bread all
over the city.
While Cuban Bread is tasty in and of itself,
it really shines as the base for the wonderful
Cubano or “Cuban Sandwhich”, which were
popular with the 1st Cuban immigrants
who worked in Tampa’s cigar factories.
This delicious sandwich has a submarine-sandwich
like structure in which layers of ham,
roast pork, cheese and pickle are stacked
between slices of Cuban Bread.
Most Cubano lovers agree that the most
important element of a great Cuban sandwich
is properly grilling it in a sandwich
press, or “plancha”, until the ham, pork,
and pickles have warmed in their own steam,
and the firm application of heat and pressure
fuse the meat, cheese, and bread into
a dense and delicious compact rectangle.
These sandwiches generally don’t use mayonnaise,
lettuce, onions, bell peppers, or tomatoes,
but some mavericks (or philistines, depending
on who you ask) will use butter mayonnaise
or mustard. Cuban sandwiches are sold
hot when freshly pressed or at room temperature.
Cuban bread is best eaten when fresh,
as it tends to go stale quickly.
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