Fri., Apr. 27, 2018 - The art of the Italian sandwich

The renowned Andrea Borderi of Caseificio Borderi is a sandwich maker extraordinaire!

We had only had our feet on Sicilian land a matter of hours before we visited Caseificio Borderi sandwich shop in Ortygia, the old city of Syracuse.  This meat and cheese shop specializes in Andrea's free-flowing sandwiches which people line up for out the shop door, along the outdoor counter and around the corner.  The artiste chats in high speed Italian, stopping to dance a two-step, create a little delectable in response to a customers question or to take a swig of espresso while the customers shared laughter and looked at each other in appreciation and amazement at the huge sandwiches he created. We were entertained in line for about 30 minutes - this is no Subway! - only to be told in mime that they were out of bread.  No more sandwiches but we felt we had our entertainment.

The women employees and perhaps his wife, made sure that the master had all that was required.  His wife - I will call her that but have no idea if it's true - handled the cash and the bag into which he plopped each wrapped sandwich as they were finished.  The others made sure that his ingredients were topped up and at his command, while he was cutting the meat, they would balance olives, a couple of slices of cheese on the vegetable half which was already 8 or 9 cm tall.  She also rubbed a plastic plate with crushed garlic and cut fresh mozzarella into chunks sprinkled with oregano and olive oil to periodically pass out to the hungry fans.

Having viewed the 18 cm high creations, we skipped breakfast and headed into town before noon with Sandy and Al of Sandali.   Again, we were entertained as we waited - 45 min - by the amount and the varied contents of the sandwiches which take at least 10 minutes to make.  Andrea chops most ingredients by hand.  I have read that freshness is an Italian requirement.

In pictures (should've had a video), our sandwich in the making:

The first customers of the day get a square bun.  At 11:30, he was out already so we got a baguette, hollowed out so he can fit more in.  Herbed olive oil brushed on the bread, chopped fennel...

...roasted red peppers, marinated mushrooms (I think), sundried tomatoes, oregano sprinkled from a bunch of the dried stalks,  copious amounts of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes wiped through a counter space that had been rubbed with crushed garlic, grated parmesan....  By the way, you don't have options - you get what is served...

...chopped greens including basil - of course - and mint, arugula etc.

by this time, the two crusts were submerged under a huge mound of ingredients.

...more mozzarella and other cheeses, big black olives, some red things, lemon zest and I've probably missed several items.

Onto the meat.  For the vegetarian, they could request that the meat be left out.  We, however, let the maestro choose.  Mortadella was his decision cut fresh and spread on a piece of paper with more mozzarella, turmeric infused rice, some kind of thing that looked like but wasn't mashed potatoes.  At 11:30 he was out of oranges, but previous sandwiches had included a freshly cut orange.  More oregano.  And other stuff.  The paper was then rolled into a huge tube which was plopped on the top of the sandwich.

The speed of creation picked up here before all collapsed into oblivion.  Cut, quickly wrapped into sheets of paper and plopped into the bag which his wife was holding ready with care.

Crowds cheered and clapped - really.  And the ham, framed himself with a smile for the cameras while his employee looked on like she see's it 20 times a day.  I think it's always fun for Andreas.  Sandwiches are obviously a passion which is working for him and are delicious.

No pictures of eating the masterpiece which with squishing we could get to about 10 cm. high.   Half filled us for the day.  We had our breakfast for dinner still full from an extraordinary and well-balanced feast at lunch.