Order a tasty po’boy for National Sandwich Day at Daiquiri Depot in Arlington, TX!
What is a Po’boy?
A po’boy, often spelled po-boy, po boy, or poor boy, is a sandwich with Louisiana origins. It typically contains roast beef or some other fried seafood like shrimp, crawfish, fish, oysters, or crab. The meat is placed atop New Orleans French bread, which is renowned for its flaky interior and crisp exterior.
From Poor Boy to Po-Boy
At Martin Brothers’ French Market and Coffee Stand in New Orleans, during the 1929 streetcar strike, the poor boy sandwich, now known as the po-boy sandwich, was created. Bennie and Clovis Martin, the Martin brothers, worked as streetcar conductors from the middle of the 1910s until they launched their restaurant in 1922. The Electric Street Railway workers went on strike in 1929, and the Martin brothers gave out sandwiches to the strikers. This is when the poor boy sandwich was born.
Fried potatoes, gravy, and leftover roast beef were commonly included in the original Martin poor boy sandwiches, which were made with French bread. Benny would yell, “Here comes another poor boy!” to Clovis whenever a striker entered the eatery
In the 1930s, the po-boy spread fast across the nation and began to show up on menus and in newspapers. Older New Orleans eateries that served sandwiches known as “loaf” or “loaves” started switching to po-boys. In a letter to the strikers, the Martin brothers made a commitment to provide them with free meals and said, “We are with you till hell freezes, and when it does, we will furnish blankets to keep you warm.” The Martin brothers came to the conclusion that they required a new loaf created for their large sandwiches after the strikers were promised free meals. They got together with John Gendua, their bread supplier, and made a forty-inch-long loaf that startled the public. The Martin brothers were hailed by the city of New Orleans as the “Originators of Poor Boy Sandwiches”.
National Sandwich Day
National Sandwich Day on November 3rd recognizes one of America’s favorite lunch items. The sandwich is believed to be the namesake of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, following the claim that he was the inventor of the sandwich.
Although John Montagu is thought to have inspired the contemporary sandwich, it is unclear exactly when it was created and how it was used. There is a legend that gave rise to the widespread misconception that Lord Sandwich was nourished at the gambling table by bread and meat in a modern travelogue by Pierre Jean Grosley titled Tour to London. According to rumors, Lord Sandwich was an extremely skilled gambler who spent long hours at the card table without stopping for a meal. He would order his servants to bring him slices of meat sandwiched between two slices of bread when he was hungry. His gaming acquaintances were well aware of this propensity and soon started to place orders “the same as Sandwich.”
Po’boys at Daiquiri Depot
In New Orleans fashion, Daiquiri Depot in Arlington, TX, brings to you a couple of po’boys you will love.
See our menu and order now!
By Leslie Radford
