Twin City Cuban

The Cuban sandwich is a meat lover’s dream.  It is an undeniably delicious grilled sandwich made with ham, pernil (Cuban style roasted pork), Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and Cuban bread. The Cuban is a variation of a ham and cheese originally created in cafes catering to Cuban workers in Cuba and in the early Cuban immigrant communities of Florida: Key West and Tampa. Later on, Cuban exiles and expatriates brought it to Miami where it is also still very popular.  Basically, where ever there are Cubans or where ever you go to buy specialty sandwiches, you will find a Cuban sandwich variation.  Imagine a crispy, buttery warm crust.  Followed by soft, warm bread, then the salty ham, the Latin-spices of pernil, the melted Swiss cheese, the tart pickle and mustard all in just one bite!   I am getting hungry just thinking about it. 

When I think of a Cuban sandwich my experiences take me to Elizabeth NJ.  If you are from a Spanish speaking country and you live in north-central Jersey, you know Elizabeth is one of the places to go to find authentic Latin foods.  When my family wanted ingredients to cook traditional Puerto Rican food, we went to Twin City Supermarket on Sherman Ave. in Elizabeth.  That is where I discovered my beloved Cuban sandwich, at their lunch counter full of Latin delights. 

Twin City is not the only place in Elizabeth or in Jersey to buy a Cuban.  There are plenty of good Cuban restaurants in Jersey to find the sandwich.  I remember working at the Boys and Girls Club down on 3^rd St. off Elizabeth Ave.  Back then there was a little Cuban cafe that sold some of the best Cuban sandwiches I ever tasted.  Unfortunately, the owners retired and moved to Florida, leaving me with an empty space in my stomach.  However, Twin City is where I first started eating the sandwich and I can still get the same Cuban flavors along with an authentic Latino ambience. 

So what is the story behind my favorite sandwich from Twin City? As I started to unravel the story, I was surprised to learn that it has to do with America on Wheels Skating Clubs, skating competitions, roller disco, break dancing, the local economy, and the immigrant experience.  How do you ask…the answer is: Twin City Supermarket in Elizabeth, NJ. Twin City is an example of how a place reflects the changes of society…who knew that when I started to write about the food of Twin City I would come across a story so deep in NJ history that expands and touched the lives of numerous ethnic groups and people. Depending on your age and your cultural background, Twin City has a different meaning.  If you research immigration history in the Elizabeth/Newark area you will find that Germans and Irish were the first to arrive during the 1800’s.  The late 1800s and early 1900s brought newcomers from Eastern Europe, including many Jews, and a much larger number of Italians to the cities. 

It was back in the late 1930’s early 1940’s that Twin City was born and became the official head quarters for America on Wheels skating clubs and skating competitions.  I remember having a conversation with one of the Italian patriarchs of First Baptist Church in Union and hearing about Twin City being a skating rink.  Is weird how you associate a place with one thing, but for someone else it can be completely different. 

 

 After the Europeans settled in the area, there were other places near Twin City of great significance to this story.  For example, the Singer sewing machine factory on Newark Bay had a work force of six thousand, at the time the largest in the world.  Singer provided an economic mainstay for the Elizabeth area from 1873 to 1982.  You also had the Durant Motors Factory, the first assembly line in New Jersey, producing 500 cars a day. Unfortunately Durant Motors couldn’t keep up with Ford and the facility was sold in 1927, in the 1930’s it was turned into one of the first supermarkets, then it became a cookie bakery for Burry Biscuits. 

 I remember as a kid going to Twin City and the cookie smell from the nearby factory permeating our car, provoking my siblings and me to beg my mom for cookies.  How I dreamed of going in the factory and stuffing my face with the freshly baked goods.  In my childhood imagination, inside the factory was a Willy Wonka World of cookies, cakes, and other baked delights. After that it was turned into a warehouse that unfortunately was destroyed by fire in 2011.  The Singer sewing machine factory, Durant Motors, and Burry Biscuits all provided jobs for the residents in the area.  Some of those same residents spent many hours at Twin City and participated in the skate and dancing competitions.  However, with the factories closing down and jobs lost, the area took a dramatic change. 

 

The original European immigrants that helped establish the area started to move away.  African Americans from the southern states as well as Hispanic newcomers settled in Jersey’s major cities just as the decedents of the original European immigrants were departing for the suburbs.  Although the population in the area changed, Twin City was still a kept as a skating rink.  The 1970’s brought roller disco and the 80’sbrought break dancing.  The economic challenges of the area brought with it all that relates to poverty.  From what I have read, it seems to me that Twin City was a safe place to go in an area that was being hit by poverty and drugs.  I wish we had more places like that for kids in the inner-city areas today.  By the late 80’s and the early 90’s more Hispanic immigrants were moving into the area and in 1990 Twin City was bought and converted into an International Latino Supermarket, keeping the same name.  Which brings me back to my Cuban sandwich; before I started on this journey about my favorite Cuban sandwich, my perspective of Twin City was limited to what was directly in front of me and my own Latino identity.  Now, when I sit at the counter and take a bite of pernil, ham, cheese, and pickle, I will think of all those who skated, danced, and called Twin City their place to be.   Do you have a Twin City story?
  Email Ms. A at: JICUISINE@gmail.com

 If you want to try to make your own Cuban Sandwich try...

Food Nework's Ultimate Cuban Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients

Cuban Pork:

• 1 pound boneless pork shoulder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and gently smashed with the side of your knife
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 long Cuban bread roll
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 8 thin slices Swiss cheese
• 1 cup bread and butter pickles
• 8 thin slices deli ham
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil

You can do this in a regular Dutch oven, but for convenience and time use a pressure cooker as follows:

Directions

Begin by braising the pork shoulder. Tie the shoulder in 4 places with kitchen twine so it will hold its shape while being cooked or ask your butcher to do this for you. Season the pork with salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Set the base of a pressure cooker over low-medium heat and add a 2 count of olive oil.

Add garlic and chili flakes and as the oil heats up it will become fragrant and infuse the oil. Add the pork. Add onions around the pork and brown slightly before adding orange juice, lime juice, stock and bay leaves.

Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 20 to 25 minutes depending on the size of your pressure cooker. The pork should be tender when done. When done allow to cool in juices before removing twine and slicing.

To prepare Cuban sandwiches, split bread in half then layer the sandwich with mustard, cheese, pickles, ham, pork then cheese again (the cheese glues everything together). Season with salt and pepper in between the ham and pork layers. (Optional: drizzle a little of the pork braising liquid over the meat as well).

To cook, heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil. Place the sandwiches on the skillet and top with another heavy skillet and a couple of heavy weights (bricks, or cans of tomatoes work well). Press down firmly and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until the sandwich has compressed to about a third of its original size and the bread is super-crispy. Serve with beans, rice and plantain chips.

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References:

Images – Cuban Sandwich, Twin City Supermarket, Twin CityArena, Singer, Burry’s Fudge Town

Research- Elizabeth NJ History, New Jersey Immigration, Modern Twin City