I was talking about food recently with a friend, and he mentioned enjoying Chow Mein Sandwiches while growing up in Fall River, Massachusetts. Chow Mein Sandwiches? I had never heard of such a thing.
Chow Mein Sandwiches are a Fall River specialty, and there's not many other places you can find them. Even in Fall River, they're becoming increasingly rare. According to
Flavor & Fortune magazine, a Chow Mein Sandwich is:
a mixture of minced meat (pork), celery, onions, and bean sprouts in gravy over deep fried noodles. This combination or blend of ingredients is more like a thick sauce or a stew. It is placed between a hamburger bun or between two slices of white bread. For the latter, brown gravy is ladled over the works.
The key is that the noodles have to be crunchy. In other words, you can't slop Chow Mein from your local Chinese restaurant on a bun and expect it to taste like a
real Chow Mein Sandwich. If you want to try one, and you don't live in New England, your only option seems to be to mail-order the
"Original Hoo Mee Chow Mein Mix" from the Oriental Chow Mein Company in Fall River, and prepare your own.
The thumbnail is from
Wikipedia.
Category: Food | Regionalism