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History of Spiedies, Spiedie Sandwich © copyright 2004 by Linda Stradley - United States Copyright TX 5-900-517- All rights reserved. This web site may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission and appropriate credit given. If you use any of the history information contained below for research in writing a magazine or newspaper article, school work or college research, and/or television show production, you must give a reference to the author, Linda Stradley, and to the web site What's Cooking America.
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Spiedie Sandwich (SPEE-dee) – The name comes from the Italian spiedo meaning “kitchen cooking spit.” Originally made from lamb, they are now made with virtually any meat. It is chunks of lamb, pork, chicken, beef, or venison that has been marinated for days in a tart sauce and then grilled on a metal skewer, usually over charcoal or gas. The traditional way of serving is between sliced Italian bread with extra sauce poured on top. The Spiedie, skewer and all, is then inserted in sliced Italian bread. The bread is used as a sort of mitt, wrapping around the meat. Pull out the skew and you then have a wonderful and delicious hot sandwich. If you find folks who know of spiedies, they are most likely originally from Binghamton in Broome County, New York, or they know someone who is. Broome County is in New York's Southern Tier, southeast of the Finger Lakes and just north of Pennsylvania. People who live in the area eat them at restaurants, from street vendors, buy from supermarkets, and even make their own at backyard cookouts. Spiedies have been completely integrated into the food culture of the region, and natives who have moved away from the area have been known to have commercial spiedie sauce shipped, by the case, to their new homes. An annual three-day community gathering is held featuring hot air balloons, live music, and hundreds of varieties of spiedies cooked and sold by countless vendors. The weekend of entertainment and fun always concludes with the Spiedie Cook-Off on Sunday.
They originated with Binghamton’s Italian immigrant population in the 1920s.
Augustine Iacovelli from Endicott, New York is believed to have popularized the Spiedie by
introducing them in his restaurant, called Augies, in 1939. The original
sauce, which he called Zuzu, was wine vinegar, water, lemon juice, garlic
and mint. His spiedies
caught on so well among the local railroad workers and shoemakers that for
years every little corner grocery had a spiedie stand on the street in front
of it. Comments from readers:
I was just reading through your explanation of Spiedies and noticed you
mention an annual "Spiedie Cook-Off with a recipe contest." I'd just
like to pass along that its a bit more than that these days, its 3 days
of community gathering, hot air balloons, live music, and hundreds of
varieties of spiedies cooked and sold by countless vendors. The weekend
of entertainment and fun always concludes with the Spiedie Cook-Off on
Sunday, last year's event drew between 100,000-120,000 people and will
be held again this weekend (annually the first weekend of August).
D espite the fact that it originated from Italian families of Binghamton and Endicott, and that every local ethnicity seems to have put its signature on it in some form, and that the Spiedies have adapted to popular tastes... ie Buffalo Chicken Spiedies (like chicken wing sauce), Blue Cheese Spiedies, Philly Cheese Spiedies etc.. just some of the more popular varieties at local restaurants.The Lupo family seems to be the dominate commercial spiedie people with two groups of the family owning two separate competing restaurant chains - The Lupo's Charpits and Spiedie & Rib Pits. Commercially, Spiedie Sauce from local companies can be found on shelves of Wegman's, Giant, A&P, and Price Chopper Supermarkets over much of the Mid-Atlantic states now. - (8/02/05)
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Spiedie Sandwich Recipe
2 pounds meat (chicken, lamb, pork or
beef), cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes* * Use boneless and skinless chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, top round steak, or leg of lamb. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and sugar. Add garlic, bay leaf, red pepper, thyme, basil, oregano, salt and pepper; stir until well blended. Place prepared meat in a large resealable plastic bag set into a shallow dish. Pour marinade mixture over meat and close bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for a least 24 hours and up to 3 days; turn bag occasionally to distribute marinade. Remove meat from refrigerator and let stand in marinade at room temperature for 2 hour; drain, reserving marinade. Preheat barbecue grill. Thread 4 to 5 cubes of meat onto each metal skewer. Place onto hot grill and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until done to your preference, basting with reserved marinade. Remove from grill and serve immediately. To serve, fold the bread over the contents of the skewer and pull the skewer out, leaving the meat sandwiched within the bread. Makes 6 servings. |
History of Spiedies