HOT diggity dog! HOT tamale! Whoa! This celebration is not hot dogs nor tamales but it is HOT!

HOT Pastrami Sandwich Day

http://www.bronxbanterblog.com/2013/01/14/tasters-cherce-618/

Oh, my! This looks so-o-o-o-o-o go-o-o-o-o-o-od!

Pastrami was introduced to the U.S. in the early 20th century by Romanian Jews. Today, the seasoned and smoked meat lives on in classic deli sandwiches.

FACTS ABOUT PASTRAMI

By smoking corned beef, you turn it into pastrami!

Pastrami is typically sliced and served hot on rye bread.

Pastrami and coleslaw are combined in a Rachel sandwich.

Pastrami originated in Rumania, it was made from goose breast.

A 1-ounce serving of beef pastrami has 41 calories.

Compared to other deli meats pastrami is low in calories & fat but high in sodium.

Pastrami is a way of going back in time. As with so many life inventions, it evolved out of necessity. Before the days of refrigeration meat was smoked and cured, which was ideal for preserving valuable proteins. Pastrami is usually beef but can be made from pork, mutton or turkey. The raw meat is brined, partially dried, seasoned with various herbs and spices, then smoked and steamed. A păstra is the Romanian word for preserve. It is considered the root word of "pastrami."

A Bit of 'Pastrami Sandwich' History...

A wave of Romanian Jewish immigration introduced pastrami (pronounced pastróme), a Romanian specialty, in the second half of the 19th century. Early English references used the spelling “pastrama” before the modified “pastrami” spelling was used.

New York kosher butcher, Sussman Volk is generally credited with producing the first pastrami sandwich in 1887, claiming to have gotten the recipe from a Romanian friend in exchange for storage of his luggage. Due to the popularity of his sandwich, Volk converted his butcher shop into a restaurant to sell pastrami sandwiches.