From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Regional sandwich of southeastern Massachusetts
The chow mein sandwich typically consists of a brown gravy-based
chow mein mixture placed between halves of a
hamburger -style bun, and is popular on Chinese-American restaurant menus throughout
southeastern Massachusetts and parts of neighboring
Rhode Island .
[1] Originating in
Fall River, Massachusetts , in the 1930s or 1940s,
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5] the sandwich is not well known outside of a relatively small area of
New England .
This sandwich was created to provide a low-cost meal in an economically depressed region inhabited by recent immigrants from
Europe and
Canada while providing it in a form with which they were already familiar.
[3]
[4] Even the gravy has been modified to be very similar to that used in typical New England cooking.
[3]
These sandwiches are sometimes served outside of Chinese American restaurants by the food services in local area schools and senior citizens' centers.
[7] Celebrity chef and Fall River native
Emeril Lagasse has also publicized this sandwich,
[7] along with food writers
Jane and Michael Stern .
[1]
The sandwiches are served "strained" or "unstrained," referring to whether or not the sandwich has vegetables. "Strained" means that it is served without vegetables. Just like plated chow mein without the bun, the sandwich may also include meats or seafood, usually chicken, beef, or shrimp. The Oriental Chow Mein Noodle Company of Fall River is the regional source for the sandwich's distinctive crispy noodles.
[8]
These sandwiches can be found in the cities of
Fall River ,
New Bedford , and
Taunton in Massachusetts; and in the cities of
Woonsocket ,
Pawtucket and
Tiverton in Rhode Island.
[9] Although the sandwich is mostly unknown in nearby
Boston ,
[3] it was on the menu at the more distant
Coney Island location of
Nathan's Famous in Brooklyn, New York as recently as 2013.
[4]
[1]
See also
References
^
a
b
c
Stern, Jane &
Stern, Michael (February 23, 2013).
"Mill Town Meals: The Massachusetts city of Fall River boasts uncommon—and uncommonly good—regional foods" .
Saveur .
^ Lim, Imogene (Summer 1999).
"Chow Mein Sandwiches" . Flavor & Fortune . Vol. 6, no. 2. p. 5. Archived from
the original on 2006-03-25.
^
a
b
c
d Lim, Imogene L. & Eng-Wong, John (1994).
"Chow Mein Sandwiches: Chinese American Entrepreneurship in Rhode Island" (PDF) . In Kwok, Munson A. & Quan, Ella Yee (eds.). Origins and Destinations: 41 Essays on Chinese America . Los Angeles: Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, UCLA Asian American Studies Center. pp. 417–436.
ISBN
9780930377038 .
OCLC
260218520 . Archived from
the original (PDF) on 2015-07-14. Retrieved 2018-03-10 .
^
a
b
c
"Fall River's Famous Chow Mein Sandwich" . New England Historical Society. January 18, 2014.
^ Lim, Imogene L. (1993).
"The Chow Mein Sandwich: American as Apple Pie" (PDF) . Radcliffe Culinary Times . Vol. III, no. 2. pp. 4–5.
^
a
b
"Senior Scene 2: The Council on Aging will be holding a public open house at the Senior Center on Thursday, April 21 from 1 to 2 p.m."
Fall River Herald News . April 12, 2011.
^ Devitt, Phil (December 24, 2009).
"Back In Business: Oriental Chow Mein Company returns after devastating fire" .
South Coast Today . Archived from
the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2014 .
^
"Made In Fall River: The pounds of noodles pile up at chow mein factory" .
Fall River Herald News . 2008-09-23. Archived from
the original on 2013-10-05.
External links
Mizes-Tan, Sarah (June 12, 2019).
"The Chow Mein Sandwich, a Fall River Classic and a Bite of History" . The Salt . Woods Hole, Mass.
NPR .
WCAI .
Lim, Imogene (Summer 1999).
"Chow Mein Sandwiches" . Flavor and Fortune . Vol. 6, no. 2. Archived from
the original on 2006-03-25.
Lagasse, Emeril (2003).
"Southeastern New England style Chow Mein Sandwiches" .
Food Network . Archived from
the original on 2010-02-03.
Chow Mein Sandwich song . Alika & The Happy Samoans . August 30, 2011.
Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via
YouTube .
Panganiban, Rik (August 19, 2007).
"Coney Island Nathan's Chow Mein Sandwiches (with pictures)" . The Click Heard Round the World (blog) . Archived from
the original on 2007-11-23.
Monteiro, Laura (January 16, 2010).
"China Lake" . New England Bites (blog) .
Fish and seafood Meat
Vegetarian
Open Other Related