Food - Drink
Why Subs Taste Better From A Deli Than At Home
By KAREN GRECO
Why does food from restaurants taste better, even if it's just a sandwich from your local deli? Food service establishments simply understand the nuances of preparing meals properly — to make a sandwich like the pros do, start by smearing a fat-based spread like mayo or oil on both cut sides of your bread, to prevent it from getting soggy.
The balance of flavors also must be kept in mind: delicate meats like turkey will be overpowered by robust cuts like salami, so use meats that compliment one another. Delis also match the right cheese to the meat so that each ingredient's flavor can shine; for instance, the spice of pepper jack will liven up a simple cold-cut sandwich.
Also, delis always season their veggies and construct sandwiches properly. After salting and peppering veggies like tomatoes, stack them with roughly-textured ingredients like arugula, not similarly-slippery items like meat — and for a copycat deli touch, wrap your sandwich tightly in wax paper to let the flavors marry before slicing it in half.