If you are visiting New York City, you absolutely have to visit an authentic New York deli. Local delis in every ethnic neighborhood supply consumers with real tastes of their own cultures and heritages. When you visit these delis, you can expect more than just meat and cold cuts. Here is what else you can expect to find.
Fresh and Authentic Breads
While many New York delis sell meats and sandwiches, some of the best ones bake their own breads using traditional recipes that have been handed down for generations. For example, if you enter an authentic Italian deli, you will probably see focaccia, ciabatta and pane di matera breads, among others. Other eateries may offer these, but what makes the breads authentic are the recipes used by the deli owner to make the bread from scratch every day. The breads are not brought in from store bakeries or general purpose bakeries who might make their breads from pre-packaged mixes. All of these are sold by the loaf or sliced to order for sandwiches right there in the deli. If you walk into an Irish deli, you will probably get Irish soda bread with freshly pickled and prepared corned beef, hot or cold, served with a side of cabbage. The trick is to find a deli of any ethnicity in the city, make sure to ask about how the deli prepares its bread, and then you know if the deli has authentic bread or not.
Authentic Side Dishes
Many delis prepare side dishes and sell them out of the cooler case. However, the authentic delis usually make their side dishes and salads fresh every morning before the deli opens. This is usually why the delis do not open for breakfast and will not open until lunch--they are busy prepping the fresh foods and ingredients. Again, for true authenticity, you want authentic sides. A true German deli will probably have several kinds of German potato salad, while an American deli may serve baked beans six ways. The more true to the ethnicity and heritage the deli promotes, the more authentic it is.
Authentic Soups
Since New York delis are known for their sandwiches, it should come as no surprise that many of them also sell soups. An authentic Italian soup is Italian wedding soup, while an authentic Irish soup is lamb stew or a potato chowder. Just to encourage other consumers of other ethnicities as well as to appeal to tourists, authentic delis may also have a more common or popular soup on the menu, such as chicken noodle, but do not be fooled. There is almost always a slightly ethnic twist on these common soups (e.g., more oregano and basil, a tomato soup base rather than animal soup stock, etc.).
If you're looking to check out a deli in your area, visit Deer Park Deli.
Share11 May 2016
When I bought my first restaurant, I had no idea how challenging it would be. I assumed that I would be able to throw open the doors and offer whatever I wanted to serve that day, but that didn't turn out to be the case. Customers had opinions that they weren't afraid to voice, and it was kind of hard to juggle my responsibilities. I realized that my first order of business needed to be finding a food supplier that could handle my needs, so I started doing my research. It was amazing to find a business that really had a feel for the food industry. My blog might teach you some tips for managing your first business, especially if you own a restaurant.