BIRTH OF THE SLOPPY JOE

From the Trivial Information Department of Old Havana Foods comes the story of the "Sloppy Joe" sandwich. It might surprise you to know this lunchroom workhorse has a well-traveled past. And it has nothing to do with cafeteria-ladies wearing plastic gloves.

The evidence shows this all-American classic was born 90 miles offshore, on the island of Cuba! Sloppy Joe's Bar in Old Havana lays claim to this colorful piece of culinary history. The famous watering hole is said to be the first to offer seasoned ground beef on a bun, beginning in the 1920's. If nothing else, the hearty offering helped rum-soaked patrons absorb buckets of Cuban Mojito's. Many remember cooks serving up a spicier variation of the“Sloppy Joe,” known as Ropa Vieja (which translated to English means 'old clothes.')

But Cuban food detectives say the exact origins of the“Sloppy Joe” are difficult to pin down. On the northern side of the Florida Straits, you'll hear competing claims from Sloppy Joe's Bar in Key West. Proud owners say their establishment is the birthplace of the legendary ground beef sandwich. Frequented by the great Ernest Hemingway, and the site of the annual "Hemingway Look-Alike Contest," the people at Sloppy Joe's have been serving up sandwiches to dangerously sun-burnt tourists for decades (along with unfathomable quantities of gin and rum).

Regardless of who invented the famous sandwich, we’d like to think that we’ve got the tastiest Chili Cubano on the planet! At Old Havana Foods, we offer a tantalizing version of the legendary Cuban standby.

Our famous Chili Cubano is a blend of centuries-old Cuban recipes that were passed down from great-grandfather, Julio. And the fantastic thing is it only takes minutes to prepare this all-natural specialty. All you do is brown ground beef and combine in a large pot with our ready-made saute seasoning (sofrito) and Old Havana black beans. Serve it over a fresh Kaiser roll and watch the kids go loco.

As a zesty warm-up to Thanksgiving, serve up a plate of famous Old Havana Foods “Sloppy Joe’s!”

For more colorful stories and Cuban recipes, visit Oldhavanafoods.blogspot.com





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To add authentic Cuban sabor to your Thanksgiving Dinner, order our famous black beans and rice meal (frijoles negros). The famous Old Havana flavor is the perfect complement to Turkey, Chicken or whatever meat dish you serve this November 26th. And our hearty black beans are a protein-rich, meat alternative for your vegetarian guests.

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Check out recipes and other stories at our Old Havana Foods Blogspot!