Florida food historian Andy Huse dives into Cuban sandwich debate

Forget the fiscal cliff. The year just past may be remembered for another heated deadlock: Tampa and Miami's Great Cuban Sandwich challenge. Bragging rights to the sandwich got so fierce that in 2012 the Tampa City Council officially renamed the Cuban sandwich the "Historic Tampa Cuban Sandwich." On pressed Cuban bread, it contains shredded pork, glazed ham, Swiss cheese, yellow mustard, dill pickles, salami and maybe a little mayo … or does it? Kicking off the "Happy Hour with the Historian" lecture series on Thursday at the St. Petersburg Museum of History, Florida food historian and author Andy Huse gets to the bottom of the sandwich brouhaha. He talks turkey — or Genoa salami — about just what makes the Cuban Tampa's earl of sandwiches. The event from 6-8 p.m. features a full bar, wine and beer, and Cuban sandwich samples provided by Pipo's Cuban Café. $5 suggested donation. It's at 335 Second Ave. NE, St. Petersburg.