Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published November 6, 2006 Click here for the current edition Deli Sandwiches Deli sandwiches stand outside the hegemony of poor boys, muffulettas, and the almighty hamburger in the New Orleans kingdom of sandwiches. Deli used to be truly foreign, so much so that when Martin Wine Cellar first opened its deli in the late 1970s they had to explain to many of their customers people what exactly they were trying to do. Most of us now have traveled enough and read enough and eaten enough to know what a deli sandwich is all about. Thin-sliced meats, usually cold, stacked up high on a sandwich of the likes of rye bread, slathered with mustard or stacked with cole slaw. The variations are infinite, however, especially when you move outside the realm of kosher-style deli. Martin still leads the deli league here. But other vendors have come on the scene. You even see deli-style sandwiches sometimes being served in places that specialize mostly in poor boys. My standards for a great deli sandwich are that the meats must be of top quality, lean, and sliced very thinly (this gives more flavor release, because of greater surface contact with your taste buds). The breads must be very fresh, but naturally firm enough to hold together. (Getting the breads may be the greatest challenge to a would-be deli.) And they must be generous with the meats. There are a lot of sandwiches out there that seem fake-deli to me. Among them the most common is the reuben, a collection of corned beef, sauerkraut, cheese, and thousand-island dressing, all served hot on rye. Only rarely have I been able to get through this appealing combination without its disintegration halfway through. (Trick: if the cheese is right up against the bread, it keeps the bread from getting soggy. Share, please, your ideas about deli sandwiches, whether you make them yourself or have a favorite place, here, in New York, or anywhere else. Post it on the web messageboard. © 2006 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com