Is Swiss Cheese on a Muffuletta...[moved from New Orleans]

[Philly Ray]

...authentic??

I'm wondering if this question will cause some of the same commotion that questions about cheesesteaks cause on the Philadelphia Board.

A bar/restaurant in Philadelphia has been serving po' boys, muffulettas, and other New Orleans fare. Now before you scoff, they are making an attempt at "authenticity" (there's that word again) by importing Leidenheimer rolls. Their muffuletta is comprised of, "salami, ham, mortadella, swiss, provolone, olive salad".

I know that everyone's definiton of "authentic" or "traditional" will vary, but I'm asking because I have been to New Orleans a few times and have had muffulettas at both Progress and Central Grocery and I don't recall having Swiss cheese on either sandwich. However, I do remember seeing it listed as an ingredient on Napoleon House's menu description.

Lastly, seeing that the sandwich itself is of Italian/Sicilian invention, that also makes me wonder where the Swiss cheese may have come from.

And if this doesn't stir up enough debate, I will leave you with this...cold or warm?

[chocolatetartguy]

I thought the olive relish was the key ingredient in a muff.

That said I am all about the sharp provolone on a muff or a cheesesteak. Come to think about it a muff is very similar to the Italian combo sandwiches I ate when I visited Philly, but without the olive relish. I get a similar effect here at Genova Delicatessan in Oakland by ordering Galantina and Mortadella with mufflaletta olive spread.

The last real New Orleans muffaletta po boy I ate was one from Streetcar Sandwiches on my way home from NO. I ate that before the little filet mignon that came as my special low sodium meal..

[laliz]

FROM CENTRAL GROCERY SITE
The muffuletta consists of one Italian muffuletta bread loaf split horizontally in half and covered with marinated olive salad and layers of capiocola, salami, mortadella, emmental cheese and provolone cheese.

FROM WIKIPEDIA
Emmental or Emmentaler is a cheese from Switzerland. It is sometimes known as Swiss cheese in North America, Australia and New Zealand, although Swiss cheese does not always imply Emmentaler.

[hazelhurst]

I had no idea Central Grocery even had a website....

I'm a traditionalist,. I want the thing to have lots of filling and the last ones from there have not been as loaded as they used to be. And I like the olive salad to soak in.

The best I think I ever had were made at a Carnival party using Angelo Gendusa' seedless mini-muffs. THey had no swiss cheese and the olive salad was from Central but it was goosed up with more garlic and left to sit in the icebox for a few days. Some were toasted, some were just cold. I kinda like a slightly charred one from time to time.

[CDouglas]

If you go by Central Grocery's recipe the answer is yes. Salami, capicola, mortadella, ementaller and provolone (I prefer sharp provolone) with olive salad on muffuletta bread.

I like it both hot and cold but feel that the flavors are more pronounced when it is at room temperature or heated.

Great pics and description of CG's muffuletta here: http://www.rachelleb.com/2008/04/15/m...

[midcity]

I'm from PA, and as such, I think Swiss on a muff is really weird--it's definitely possible to get wonderful aged provolone in Philly, and that's the traditional cheese for muffulettas. What's more confusing to me is the Leidenheimer bread. Muffs are actually named for the bread they are served on, which is generally a round loaf topped with sesame seeds. It's more ciabatta-like in texture than French bread-like.

When I get homesick, I go to Stein's Deli on magazine--so Pennsylvanian that it carries Tastykakes. They serve hoagies [on rolls imported from the Northeast] that would be perfect if only they had hoagie peppers to top them with. Now if I could only get them to carry Herlocher's dipping mustard and Middleswarth potato chips. I suppose that you wouldn't want hoagies if you traveled here, but they're worth a trip to me.

[Philly Ray]

I might have confused the issue when I mentioned Leidenheimer bread. I am certain that they are using it for the po' boys, but the muff I had today was made with a round loaf (and was not listed on the menu as specifically being from Leidenheimer's, as they do for the po' boys).

Midcity, what kind of hoagie peppers are you looking for? I have seen most pepper types in supermarkets. Maybe we can trade. I'll send you some peppers and you can send me some Zapp's.

As for the Swiss, I have to admit I was surprised when I saw it on Napoleon House's menu. But I guess stuff like that happens everywhere. You'd be surprised at some of the cheesesteak "atrocities" I have seen in my home town.

[The Professor]

I think the biggest atrocity on a Philly cheese steak is Wizzzzz. Pretty foul.

As far as a muffuletta goes though, I think swiss would taste fine and compliment the usual meats used, but no matter how good the swiss is, it would be a so-so sub for provolone. Two totally different flavors.

[midcity]

Aw, thanks for the offer! I will be going home to Northeast PA for Christmas and will be picking up some jarred hoagie peppers--probably Tallarico's--to bring back, possibly along with some hoagie vinaigrette. I'll be bringing a box of Costas Club Sandwiches [a Schuylkill County delicacy], too. Now if only Yuengling and Middleswarth chips were more carryon-efficient!

[hill food]

I have no horse in this race. but...
I like 'em warm and melty when fresh and later cold as well.
Swiss sounds wrong.
and then again I like Swiss-ish on a Cubano...

can I be of any less help? 'cause I bet I can.

[alkapal]

>>can I be of any less help? 'cause I bet I can.<<<

hill food, you crack me up!

yes, i was thinking of a good old cuban sandwich, too!

[Bill Hunt]

I have never encountered Swiss cheese.

Now, I am more a fan of a heated muff, but that is my personal preference, and what I grew up with, at the old Frank's Deli, on Decateur St. For me, the ultimate is cold fixins' and then a quick run in the toaster oven - again, that is just me.

Hunt

[collardman]

The easy one first. Cold or warm depends on if, at that meal, I prefer it cold or warm. There are different flavors and different textures in the two deliveries.

Provolone not Swiss. However I would probably rather have a good aged Swiss over a factory bland Provolone. Then, every butcher from Oslo to Athens makes a different "salami". This can get complicated!
A muffuletta needs good full flavor ingredients, at least for my palate. Or palette.

[Bill Hunt]

Good points. A good cheese substitute is usually better than a lousy, authentic cheese.

Hunt

[expatorleanian]

I'll go first. No. Cold. Although I will heat up the bread only of a leftover muffaletta and then re-assemble.