The year 1952 is a momentous one in sandwich history. It was in that year the name poor boy was first bestowed upon a food product created by inserting meat and mixed pickles between two slices of bread. The result, a substantial sandwich that even “poor boys” could afford, caught on like hot cakes and quickly spread across the lunch counters of North America. The name of this sandwich changed, however, as it migrated from region to region. Poor boy was restricted to the Deep South, especially New Orleans where it originated. In New England, in 1954, the name grinder was also given to the sandwich, supposedly because its size demanded a lot of “grinding” or chewing. One year later, in Connecticut, the sandwich, now made with a long bun, also became well-known as a submarine, the change in design and name having been prompted by the frequent sightings of submarines at the naval base in Groton, Connecticut. The year 1955 also saw the appearance of the name hero sandwich, originally used in New York City, and hoagie, which became associated with Philadelphia and New Jersey. The hero sandwich may simply have acquired its name from the supposedly herculean effort needed to consume it; it is more probable, however, that the name has some connection with the Greek pita sandwich known as a gyro (the Greek pronunciation of gyro is yheero). The origin of hoagie is less certain. There is no evidence to suggest that it has any connection with the songwriter, Hoagy Carmichael. As well, supposed links to Hog Island, Delaware, or to an ice-cream treat known as the hokey pokey, seem far-fetched. It may be possible, however, that the name is a corruption of the French term haut gout, meaning high taste or strongly flavoured. Pronounced ho go as it sometimes was by Americans, the French haut gout may have been bestowed on a particularly spicy version of the original poor boy sandwich.
Transporting us back to the turn of the century in the vibrant city of New Orleans, we encounter a sandwich that has become an iconic culinary symbol—the poor boy. Constructed within the embrace of a split French bread loaf, these sandwiches were typically brimming with a delightful medley of meat and cheese. However, much like their counterpart, the Hero sandwich, the contents of poor boys could vary in a splendid array of possibilities, offering a tantalizing assortment of flavors to suit every palate.