Cheesesteak!
Cheesesteak
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Cheesesteak History
Please expand and improve this section as described on this article's talk page or at Requests for expansion, then remove this message.The invention of the cheesesteak is claimed by Philadelphian Pat Olivieri (died 1970) who combined chopped-up steak and put it in a bun. Another source lists him as a co-creator with his brother Harry Olivieri (died 2006). They began selling the new concoctions at their hot dog stand near south Philadelphia's Italian Market. This restaurant still operates today as Pat's King of Steaks (v.i.).
Pat's website calls the preparation a "steak sandwich" (not a "cheesesteak") and says that "as the years passed, both employees and customers alike demanded change . . . cheese was added." Joe Vento of Geno's(v.i.) claims that he was the first to add cheese.
Cheesesteak Ingredients and preparation
Steak is sliced into either thin or thick pieces and placed on a lightly oiled griddle. Locations that sell cheesesteaks cooked with thin slices of steak will grill the steak in a large pile, chopping and flipping the steak with a large metal spatula until cooked to a light brown. The thick pieces of steak, due to their need to be cooked more thoroughly, will be set in a single layer on the grill and flipped until brown. The meat is then transferred to a long roll, typically a 6-inch (15 cm) or 12-inch (30 cm) loaf of French or Italian bread. The bread is sliced lengthwise to form a cradle, similar to a hot dog bun. Along the inner sides of the sliced roll one of three cheeses is placed. The cheese is either melted beforehand by a warmer or is melted by the heat of the freshly cooked steak.In the Philadelphia area, cheesesteaks are often made with rolls from the Philadelphia-based Amoroso's Baking Company, commonly known as Amoroso Rolls. (Pat's rolls are made by the Vilotti-Pisanelli bakery). Locals believe there is something about Schuylkill Punch, nickname for Philadelphia's drinking water, which, by its alkalinity, makes the rolls distinctively flaky and airy. (Although Philadelphia's tap water is known locally as "Schuylkill Punch" and some proprietors have been known to refer to it as "dirty water," that's mostly tongue-in-cheek since the water is actually sourced from both the Delware and Schuylkill Rivers and is purified to a greater level of quality than in most cities, regularly winning taste tests even against leading bottled water products.)
A cheesesteak may include other optional ingredients such as grilled onions, saut'ed green peppers, and mushrooms. Some menus include hot sauce, ketchup, or Pizza sauce (a Pizza Steak, often with mozzarella as the cheese). A popular variation is the chicken cheesesteak, which uses thinly sliced chicken, also saut'ed on a griddle.
Cheesesteak Cheese
American cheese, provolone, and Cheez Whiz are the three major cheeses and are available for steaks at most places. Swiss and cheddar are available at a few locations, and any place that also sells Pizza will substitute mozzarella. A cheesesteak is even available without cheese and is simply called a steak sandwich.Cheesesteak Cheez Whiz
Cheez Whiz, first marketed in 1952, was not yet available for the original 1930 version, but it has come to achieve some popularity. A common order is "Whiz, wit", a cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz and fried onions. "Wit" is an approximation to the South Philadelphian Italian-immigrant pronunciation of "with," which is how the word is actually spelled on some menus.In fact, a 1986 New York Times article called Cheez Whiz "the sine qua non of cheesesteak connoisseurs." In a 1985 interview, Frank Olivieri (Pat Olivieri's nephew) said that he uses "the processed cheese spread familiar to millions of parents who prize speed and ease in fixing the children's lunch for the same reason, because it is fast." He went on to say that "American cheese takes longer to melt" and made clear his preference for Cheez Whiz over other unnamed, fast-melting cheese spreads.
A recipe published by Pat's King of Steaks says, with regard to cheese, "We recommend Cheez Whiz'; American or Provolone works fine." The proprietor of Geno's considers provolone or American to be authentic, but a food writer notes the "ascendancy of Whiz," which is "nearly synonymous with cheesesteak" and observes that "there isn't a decent steak place in Philadelphia that doesn't offer it, including Geno's." An article in Fortune says that after Pat's introduced it, Cheese Whiz became "the topping of choice."
Cheesesteak American cheese
American cheese, with its mild flavor and medium consistency, is another favorite on cheesesteaks. Some places melt the American cheese to achieve a Cheez-Whiz-like consistency, while others just put freshly cut slices under the meat.Cheesesteak Provolone cheese
Provolone of the mild, unaged variety is also almost universally offered. However, a Los Angeles reporter claimed that "provolone is the cheesesteak cheese, preferably an extra-sharp provolone with a distinctly savage bite. A cheesesteak is supposed to hurt, and it takes more than those fried dry Japanese chilies that Pat's offers as a condiment.... In Philadelphia, I've heard, Cheez Whiz is often considered a tourist affectation, the kind of thing ordered by a person more concerned with what people might think of him than with what he might be putting into his mouth."Cheesesteak Other cheeses
Other varieties of cheese may be offered a 1986 New York Times article mentioned a Philadelphia establishment that serves "mesquite-grilled cheese steak with Jarlsberg cheese" but traditionalists scorn such newfangled modes of preparation. A few establishments have begun offering the new low-fat cheeses as health-conscious alternatives.A steak sandwich topped with Pizza sauce and sliced or crumbled mozzarella constitutes a Pizza steak, which is often placed briefly in a Pizza oven or under a broiler to melt and lightly brown the cheese. Sometimes, pepperoni is added. Some vendors offer plain cheddar as well, though these sandwiches are sometimes called "Cheesy Beef" sandwiches rather than "cheesesteaks."
Cheesesteak Ordering etiquette
In shops in Philadelphia that sell primarily cheesesteaks, there is defined protocol for ordering a cheesesteak, consisting of the desired cheese and whether fried onions will ("wit") or will not ("witout") be added. For example, "I'd like a provolone wit," is an order for a cheesesteak with provolone cheese and fried onions on top. Orders for additional toppings, such as sauteed mushrooms or peppers, are usually added at the end, e.g. "I'd like an American witout and peppers." Some shops will refuse or delay service to customers who order incorrectly. Shops that sell cheesesteaks in addition to other items, such as Pizza shops, lunch trucks or delis, usually do not follow this etiquette.Cheesesteak Cheesy and politics
In the 2004 presidential campaign, candidate John Kerry, on a visit to Pat's Steaks in South Philadelphia, committed the faux pas of ordering a cheesesteak with Swiss cheese. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, "reporters snickered," because "in Philadelphia, ordering Swiss on a cheesesteak is like rooting for Dallas at an Eagles game. It isn't just politically incorrect; it could get you a poke in the nose."In 2005, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney turned up his nose at a cheesesteak wagered by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell in the traditional pre-Super Bowl bet between leaders of the states represented in the game. Rendell later told reporters, "He said the cheesesteak had no nutritional value."
Cheesesteak Famous locations
Among all the Philadelphia cheesesteak eateries, Pat's and Geno's Steaks are the best known. The famous rivals are located across the street from each other on 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia.The hub of the cheesesteak universe is a South Philadelphia triangle where Pat's King of Steaks (est. 1930), birthplace of the cheesesteak, stands in an eternal face-off with across-the-street rival Geno's Steaks (est. 1966).
According to a 2003 article in Fortune, the rival proprietors, Joey Vento and Pat Olivieri, hate each other:
Vento uses words like "arrogant" and "idiot" to describe his opponent, and dismisses Pat's steaks. (So why do so many people eat them? "You can acquire a taste for bad food," he says.) Olivieri, who went to a Quaker high school, refuses to be drawn into a shouting match. "I don't even call him a competitor," he sniffs.
Many Philadelphians claim a loyalty to a certain steak shop as maker of the best cheesesteak, based on the quality of the ingredients, the attention given to the preparation, and other reasons not necessarily relevant to the dish itself. Much lively debate can be had in Philadelphia over what makes one establishment's cheesesteak better than another. Street vendors also prepare and sell cheesesteaks from trucks and carts in and around the city, especially on the larger college campuses.
Both Pat's and Geno's are open 24 hours a day. The establishments can frequently be seen packed with long lines of hungry people, even during the late hours of the night.
For other famous cheesesteak restaurants, see "Best of Philly" winners below. But keep in mind that the famous shops are not necessarily better than others. As Patti Labelle notes, "when we were growing up, Llona and I always went to the same little shop to get ours this twenty-four-hour hole-in-the-wall that made the best ones in Philly."
