Spiedie
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The spiedie (pronounced /ˈspiːdi/ "speedy") is a dish local to Greater Binghamton in the Southern Tier of New York State, and somewhat more broadly known and enjoyed throughout Central New York state.[1] Spiedie consists of cubes of chicken or pork, but it may also be made from lamb, veal, venison or beef. The meat cubes are marinated overnight or longer (sometimes for as long as two weeks under a controlled environment) in a special marinade, then grilled carefully on spits (if steel skewers are used, they are called "spiedie rods") over a charcoal pit.
The freshly prepared cubes are served on soft Italian bread or a submarine roll, skewer and all, and sometimes drizzled with fresh marinade. The bread is used as an oven glove to grip the meat while the skewer is removed. Spiedie meat cubes can also be eaten straight off the skewer or can be served in salads, stir fries, and a number of other dishes. The marinade recipe varies, usually involving olive oil, vinegar, and a variety of Italian spices and fresh mint.
Spiedie has been celebrated at the Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally in Binghamton, New York, every August, since 1983. The annual event includes a spiedie cook-off in search of the best spiedie recipes. The spiedie and the Spiedie Fest were featured on an episode of The Food Network's "Unwrapped".
Commercial marinades are available regionally and can be ordered from various internet websites for shipment throughout the world.
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[edit] History
The original idea for spiedie was brought by Italian immigrants to Upstate New York in the early 1920s. The specific origin of the spiedie is disputed. Two men – Agostino "Augie" Iacovelli and Peter Sharak – are credited with the creation of the spiedie.
The term "spiedie" comes from the Italian "spiedo," meaning "spit." Traditionally the early Broome County spiedie was made only from spring lamb, but currently most commercial restaurants prepare spiedie using chicken or pork. The "chicken category" was added to the Spiedie Fest cook-off in 1987, and quickly became the most popular meat choice. The regional dish in Abruzzo, Italy most closely resembling spiedie uses goat meat or lamb on a skewer, and is known as "spidducc'". Another regional dish from Sicily, "zúzzu," consists of a gelatinous sausage made from the cartilage of pork and beef meat that is usually served cut into cubes.
Iacovelli, from Endicott, New York, began serving spiedie sandwiches in 1939 when he opened Augie's, his first restaurant. He emigrated from Abruzzo, Italy (Civitella Casanova) at the age of 25 in 1923. His son Guido continued in the spiedie business into the 1990s, owning as many as 26 restaurants at the peak of his career.
Iacovelli's marinade, which he called "Zuzu," originally was made simply from wine vinegar, water, lemon juice, garlic and mint. Italian spices, olive oil and minced onion were added later as regional tastes and the choice of meat began to vary.
Sharak is also supposed to have invented spiedies. Apparently, patrons of Sharkey’s Bar and Grill were served lamb straight from the grill on its metal skewer with slices of bread. At the original Sharkey's on Glenwood Avenue the spiedies are preceded, accompanied and followed by copious quantities of beer. Sharkey's promotes itself as the birthplace of the sandwich in television commercials across the greater Binghamton area.
Though the issue is disputed, Sharkey’s began serving spiedies in 1947, which makes Iacovelli more likely to have invented the dish first.[citation needed]
Through the 1960s, and 1970s, spiedies also became popular with the families of deer hunters since venison has a strong game quality and is similar to lamb. Many local families made their own marinade and enjoyed the wild game as a delicacy of back yard grills.
[edit] Availability in the United States
While Shish Kabobs are often referenced when describing spiedies to those who've never had them, spiedies are not the same and attempts to list such products with the spiedie name is quickly rejected by those who know and love spiedies.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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This article's external links may not follow Wikipedia's content policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links. (April 2009) |
- Atlas of Popular Culture in the Northeastern United States: The Spiedie
- Essay celebrating the Spiedie
- Ellis Island Record, Agostino Iacovelli
- Social Security Record, Agostino Iacovelli
- Abruzzo Province of Pescara, Italy[dead link]
- Zúzza (meat dish) from Etna, Italy[dead link]
- Olive Garden's Chicken Spiedies
- Recipe Rabbit Spiedini - Spiedini di Coniglio of Abruzzo
