Po-Boy Sandwiches: the Food of the South

A po-boy, sometimes called a poor-boy, is a sandwich which is sought after with great enthusiasm in the city of New Orleans. Many restaurants in this great city claim to have the best po-boys in the city, but which is truly the best one? In this article I will explain what a po-boy consists of and how to identify those which stand out among the rest.

A po-boy consists of a piece of French bread. Typically the French bread is cut in half. On the bottom half is usually placed the main ingredient of the sandwich, usually items such as fried seafood, roast beef, or hot sausage just to name a few. On the top half is where the items which make up the term "dressed" are usually placed, i.e. tomatoes, pickles, mayonnaise, and lettuce. The two halves are put together to make what is known as a po-boy.

Now, you ask, "What makes a good po-boy stand out above the rest"? The first key ingredient is the bread.

French bread comes in all shapes and sizes. Typically it is presented in a straight loaf. The loaf is then cut into smaller sections to comprise the piece of bread the sandwich is to be made on. The hardness of the bread is an important factor when determining the best po-boy. The bread should be crispy when bitten into, but not so crunchy as to remind you of chewing rocks, however the bread should not be so soft that you have to tear a piece of it off in order to get it separated from the sandwich.