Trail Blog
November 01, 2011
Hot Item » The Po-boy: Louisiana’s favorite sandwich
Despite its humble origins and name, the po-boy might just be one of Louisiana’s richest culinary treasures. Thankfully, the Oak Street Merchants Association in New Orleans recognized its value and now hosts an annual festival celebrating the beloved sandwich. Here’s what you need to know about the state’s favorite sandwich and the festival that honors it.
Po-boy Provenance: While you can find them served up in every corner of the state, po-boys originated in New Orleans. There’s some disagreement on exactly how the sandwich came about, but many credit Bennie and Clovis Martin, brothers who worked as streetcar conductors before opening a coffee stand in the 1920s. The duo was sympathetic to striking streetcar workers when contract negotiations failed in 1929 and offered free sandwiches to the striking union members. As legend has it, whenever the Martins saw a striking man coming in for lunch, they’d say: “Here comes another poor boy.”
SandwichSignatures: Not to be confused with a traditional sub or hoagie, the po-boy is served on New Orleans French bread. A traditional French loaf with tapered ends meant sandwiches would vary in size, so the Martin Brothers asked local baker John Gendusa to create a 40-inch loaf that was uniform in shape from end to end.
While the loaf is a constant, the options for what goes between the bread are nearly limitless. You can order a po-boy with roast beef, ham, shrimp, catfish, oysters, soft-shell crab, roast pork, hamburger and more. There’s perhaps no other sandwich with such versatility!
When ordering, you may be asked if you’d like your po-boy “dressed.” That just means topping it off with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and pickles.
Most Unusual Ingredient: French fries. That’s right. Toss a helping of French fries on the bread, top with a little beef gravy and, voilà, a carb lover’s dream lunch.
Festival Facts: The fifth annual Oak Street Po-Boy Festival will be held Sunday, November 20, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Oak Street and Carrollton. More than 40 different vendors will be on hand serving a variety of po-boys, including old favorites and new innovations. Here’s a sampling to whet your appetite: Confit pork cheek po-boy with tangy coleslaw from Emeril’s Delmonico; barbecue oyster po-boy from Red Fish Grill; prime beef debris po-boy from Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse.
Such savory sandwiches can lead to long food lines, so you may want to splurge on a V.I.P. wristband, which gives you access to special V.I.P. food and drink lines. Other perks include Sky Box access, allowing great views of the festival’s three performance stages.
In between bites, check out the festival’s arts and crafts and culinary history panels presented by the University of New Orleans history department. Learn more about the festival at www.poboyfest.com.
Don’t Miss This: The Thanksgiving Po-Boy from Parkway Bakery and Tavern. This taste of the holidays features turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy and dressing. Order it at the festival’s Parkway Plaza at the corner of Oak and Dante Street. The Plaza, a new addition, will have tables, chairs and restrooms. Plus it’s where Parkway Bakery and Tavern, whose po-boys are a favorite of celebrity chef John Besh, will be handing out free pens, hats and menus.
Po-Boys Around Town: If you can’t make it to New Orleans for the festival, try ordering a po-boy at one of these favorite establishments: Parkway Bakery and Tavern; Domilise’s Po-Boys and Mahony’s Po-Boy Shop.
