Reuben Sandwich

The Reuben sandwich is a grilled sandwich from North America that consists of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing grilled between slices of rye bread. It is linked with kosher-style delicatessens, but it is not kosher due to the combination of meat and cheese.

Who knew sauerkraut could be so delectable? Was it the late-night idea of grocer Reuben Kulakofsky, who invented the eponymous sandwich in 1925 to feed Omaha's Blackstone Hotel's poker players? Or was it the idea of Arnold Rueben, the German owner of the now-defunct Reuben's Delicatessen in New York, who came up with it in 1914?

The answer is significant for dictionary etymologies, but the greater part of the Reuben's secret is not who it's named after, but what it's dressed in. Aficionados believe that no store-bought Russian or Thousand Island sauce will do; the sauce must be created from scratch. You'll also want thick hand-sliced rye or pumpernickel bread, as well as nice pastrami or corned beef.