The Best Sandwiches In America According To Food Network and 2 Of Them Are In New Jersey. How cool is that?
If you’re thinking of iconic sandwiches here in New Jersey, the first one that comes to mind is a sandwich containing pork roll, that’s what we call it on the Jersey Shore. I occasionally like a Pork roll, egg, and cheese from one of the local bagel places in Toms River, and one in Belmar, the town where I work.
In North Jersey, it’s referred to as Taylor Ham. Let’s not get into that old tiring argument.
According to Pete & Elda’s website: The early history of pork roll is unclear. It’s possible that New Jersey’s favorite breakfast meat has origins in the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Trenton. If pork roll can truly trace its history back that far, it’s because the Continental Army needed a food that could withstand travel and carried their rolls of salted, cured ham around to each battle.
While New Jersey would love for that story to be true, Taylor Ham’s official history begins in 1856. John Taylor created pork roll in Trenton, New Jersey.
He originally sold his pork product under the name Taylor Ham, which is what North Jersey still calls it today.
Back home on Long Island, it was called Taylor Ham, but it wasn’t considered iconic. It was a deli meat I would often see in the deli case at my local supermarket. I didn’t actually try it until I arrived on the Jersey Shore in 1996.
Thanks to my former colleague, MaryAnn Schel, for the pork roll education, and for introducing me to the pork roll, egg, & cheese breakfast sandwich.
The Best Sandwiches In America According To Food Network & 2 Of Them Are In New Jersey
There are 98 sandwiches named, and 2 of them are here in the Garden State, and both were born here in New Jersey.
If you guessed one of them was a sandwich containing Taylor Ham, you’d win a prize if I had one to give.
Let’s take a look at the sandwiches chosen by the Food Network, and the places who make them.
