A Cuban sandwich is a layered sandwich of ham, mojo-roasted pork, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and mustard on pressed Cuban bread—bread baked in long loafs with a crisp exterior, a soft interior, and a palmetto leaf on top. Although the history of the sandwich is debated (check out our stories for more!), the politics and economics affecting its origin are undeniable. Some suggest that the predecessor to the Cuban was created by the indigenous Taíno tribe, who sandwiched cracker-like Cassava bread around fish; Spanish influence on the island transitioned the sandwich to one of bread and pork. Cuban cigar manufacturing moved first to Key West and then to Tampa, Florida in the late 1800s. The first written indication of a “Cuban sandwich” was recorded in cafes frequented by cigar-factory workers in Ybor City, Tampa, around 1900, although the sandwich was popularized in Miami, Florida after the Cuban Revolution led to an influx of immigrants to the United States. In Tampa, Cuban sandwiches include Genoa salami, which some attribute the influence of the Italians working alongside Cubans in Ybor City’s cigar factories.

Learn more about the politics of the Cuban Sandwich from The Politics of Cuisine on Instagram.

There are a million recipes for Cuban Sandwiches. This one is from here.