St. Paul sandwich
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2013) |
 A St. Paul sandwich |
|
| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Details | |
| Type | Sandwich |
| Main ingredient(s) | White bread, egg foo young patty, pickle slices, white onion, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes |
The St. Paul sandwich is a type of sandwich that can be found in many Chinese American restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri as well as other cities in Missouri including Columbia, Jefferson City, and Springfield. The sandwich consists of an egg foo young patty (made with mung bean sprouts and minced white onions) served with dill pickle slices, white onion, mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato between two slices of white bread. The St. Paul sandwich also comes in different combinations and specials, such as chicken, pork, shrimp, beef and other varieties.
Contents |
Origin [edit]
One source has the origin of the St. Paul sandwich dating as far back as the early 1940s, when Chinese restaurants, desperate to attract the American public to try their cuisine, invented the sandwich to appeal to their palates.[1] According to local legend, the St. Paul sandwich was invented by Steven Yuen at Park Chop Suey in Lafayette Square, a neighborhood near downtown St. Louis; Yuen named the sandwich after his hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Variations [edit]
According to one source, the phrase "St. Paul sandwich" has meant multiple things over the past 60 years. Originally, the St. Paul sandwich contained four pieces of white bread with chicken and egg stuffed inside; later, it was just egg and hamburger on a bun.
Another local legend has it that during the early 20th century when the railroads were being established and St Louis was a crossroads of workers, many were Chinese immigrants. The sandwich developed as a staple of the workers' lunches and was referred to as the "St Louis sandwich". However, being hard to pronounce by the Chinese immigrants, they started calling it a St Paul to make it easier to say. It has been served in St Louis ever since.
Availability [edit]
It is usually only available in Chinese restaurants in the St. Louis metropolitan area, as well as at least one Chinese American restaurant, Chinese Wok Express on Broadway, in Columbia, Missouri and at Happy Garden in Jefferson City, Missouri. It can also be found at Yen's Chinese Food restaurant in Springfield, Missouri, the owners of which are originally from St Louis. This sandwich was featured in the PBS documentary Sandwiches That You Will Like in 2003. One can also pick up a vegetarian option at the Blue Door in St. Paul, MN. Royal China in Winfield, Missouri also carries the sandwich occasionally as a daily special.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Mercuri, p. 71[broken citation]
External links [edit]
- Article on the St. Paul sandwich by Thomas Crone
- "St. Louie Chop Suey," St. Louis Riverfront Times, Nov 15, 2006
 |
This article related to Chinese cuisine is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
