The grinder, the sub and the hero, the po’boy and the Italian sandwich along with the torpedo are all recognized on National Eat a Hoagie Day on September 14.
The hoagie consists of meats, cheeses, vegetables, sauces and seasonings on a long roll of Italian or French bread. The origin of this giant sandwich is a bit of mystery.
The epicenter of the controversy seems to be eastern Pennsylvania where the DiCostanzas and DePalmas lay claim to being the first to make the hoagie. One family claims to have been making the sandwich since 1923 and the other since 1925. But who has the proof?
Another story from the Philadelphia area during World War I describes large Italian sandwiches shipyard workers would bring to work wrapped in newspaper to help them get through their long days. The massive sandwiches were nicknamed “hoggies” because anyone eating them at one sitting would have to be a hog. The transformation of the word to “hoagie” is explained by the Philadelphia accent which often exaggerates vowel sounds.
At one time if a kid skipped school it was called being “on the hook” or “playing hokey”. A “hokey” sandwich could be bought for a price a kid on the lam could afford, and eventually “hokey” became “hoagie” especially if the kids were skipping school.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Stop off at your favorite food joint and pick up a hoagie. Use #NationalHoagieDay on social media.
