(Chicago) From the Useless Information Department of WGN Morning News comes the story of the "Sloppy Joe" sandwich. It might surprise you to know this lunch room staple has a well-traveled past. And it has nothing to do with cafeteria ladies wearing plastic gloves.
The evidence shows this all-American classic was born 90 miles offshore, on the island of Cuba. Sloppy Joe's Bar in Old Havana lays claim to this colorful piece of culinary history. The famous watering hole is said to be the first to offer ground beef on a bun, beginning in the 1920's. If nothing else, the hearty offering helped rum-soaked patrons absorb buckets of Cuban Mojito's. Many believe the cooks served up a spicy, seasoned version of ground beef that's long been a favorite Cuban dish , known as Picadillo.
Nevertheless, Cuban food aficionados say the exact origins are difficult to pin down. My older relatives remember a slightly different version of the legendary sandwich at Sloppy Joe's, known as Ropa Vieja (which translated to English means 'old clothes'). Classic Cuban recipes call for marinated skirt steak stewed in tomato sauce, fresh garlic, peppers and a splash of cane sugar. And it's served steaming hot on a hamburger bun or bed of white rice.
But on the other side of the Florida Straits, you'll hear competing claims from Sloppy Joe's in Key West. They say their establishment is the birthplace of the legendary ground beef sandwich. Frequented by Oak Park's Ernest Hemingway, and the site of the annual "Hemingway Look-Alike Contest," the people at Sloppy Joe's have been serving up sandwiches to dangerously sun-burnt tourists for decades (along with unfathomable quantities of gin and rum).
But regardless of who invented the famous sandwich, here's my argument for the best-tasting Sloppy Joe's you'll ever enjoy. At Old Havana Foods (the family-owned specialty food company we launched earlier this year), we offer a tantalizing version of the old Cuban standby. My famous Chili Cubano is a blend of centuries-old Cuban recipes that were passed down from my great-grandfather. And the great thing is it only takes minutes to prepare this all-natural specialty. All you do is brown ground beef and combine in a large pot with my ready-made saute seasoning (sofrito) and Old Havana black beans. Serve it over a fresh Kaiser roll and watch the kids go loco. My little crazies love the slightly-spicy but sweet family recipe.
So the next time a cafeteria lady with big arms serves you a "Sloppy Joe," take the time to tell her the amazing story of this satisfying (but underappreciated) Cuban dish that's served in cafeterias from Schaumburg to Havana.

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