Andy Montoya
The chopped cheese sandwich is a cultural symbol of New York City's diverse food scene. It is made with seasoned ground beef and American cheese on a hoagie roll with toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and condiments. While its origin is debated, it is generally believed to have been created in a Spanish Harlem bodega called Hajji's Deli, also known as Blue Sky Deli. The sandwich has gained significant media attention and made its way into hip-hop culture, with some upscale restaurants and groceries now serving their own versions. If you want to try making it at home, the recipe is quite simple and only requires a few basic ingredients.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Place | New York City, particularly Harlem, Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens |
| Type of Food | Sandwich |
| Type of Shop | Bodegas, small shops, sandwich shops, corner stores, delis, and upscale restaurants and groceries |
| Price | $4 or $5 in bodegas, two to three times more in upscale restaurants |
| Cultural Significance | A cultural symbol of New York's diverse and dynamic food scene, featured in hip hop culture |
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What You'll Learn
Chop cheese in New York City
The chopped cheese sandwich is a New York City staple, particularly associated with Harlem and the Bronx. It is a cultural symbol of New York's diverse and dynamic food scene. This beloved sandwich is made with seasoned ground beef and American cheese on a hoagie roll with toppings. It is found in bodegas throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens.
The sandwich gained significant media attention in the 2010s, with many people outside of the local neighborhoods learning about it for the first time. This sparked accusations of cultural appropriation, as the sandwich began to be sold by upscale restaurants and groceries for two to three times the original price.
The actual origins of the sandwich are up for debate, although most agree it was first created in a Spanish Harlem bodega called Hajji's Deli, also known as Blue Sky Deli, in the 1980s or 1990s. The sandwich is thought to be an adaptation of an Arab specialty, dagha yamneeya (دقة يمنية), which is cooked chopped meat and vegetables served with Yemeni bread.
The sandwich has made its way into hip-hop culture, being featured in or the subject of many songs. Harlem rapper Cam'ron filmed his music video "Child of the Ghetto" at Hajji's Deli, and the sandwich was also the topic of a documentary on the website First We Feast, titled "Hometown Hero: The Legend of New York's Chopped Cheese."
If you're looking to try a chop cheese sandwich in New York City, you can either visit a bodega in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, or Queens, or try one of the upscale restaurants and groceries that have started serving it. Keep in mind that the bodega experience may be more authentic, as the sandwich has been a well-kept secret of local neighborhoods for years.
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Chopped cheese in other cities
Chopped cheese is a New York City icon, but it is slowly making its way to other cities. If you're craving a chopped cheese sandwich outside of NYC, you can now find it in Los Angeles, thanks to New York's Chopped Cheese, which brings the taste of New York's vibrant street food culture to the West Coast. They have two locations in LA: one on Tamarind Ave and the other on Venice Blvd.
While the exact origins of the chopped cheese sandwich are debated, many claim that it was invented in Harlem, New York, specifically at Blue Sky Deli, formerly known as Hajji's. This iconic sandwich consists of ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a special "bodega sauce" served on a soft sub roll or hero roll. The quality of the chopped cheese sandwich is said to increase the further uptown and into the Bronx you go.
Now, if you're in Los Angeles and craving a taste of New York's famous chopped cheese, you can head to one of New York's Chopped Cheese's two locations. They promise to bring a taste of New York's street food culture straight to the heart of LA. While the chopped cheese sandwich may have originated in Harlem, its popularity has spread, and it's now considered one of New York's iconic sandwiches, even being compared to the Philly Cheesesteak.
So, if you're in LA and craving a hearty, messy, and bold-flavored sandwich, why not try the famous chopped cheese at New York's Chopped Cheese? You might just get a taste of New York with every bite!
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Making chopped cheese at home
Chopped cheese is a type of sandwich that originated in New York City. It is made with ground beef, cheese, and vegetables such as lettuce and tomatoes, served on a hero roll or hoagie roll. The sandwich has become a cultural symbol of New York's diverse and dynamic food scene and has even made its way into hip-hop culture. Here is a step-by-step guide to making chopped cheese at home:
Ingredients:
- Ground beef (an 80/20 mix is recommended for flavour and fat content)
- Butter
- Onion
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder or fresh garlic
- American cheese
- Mayo
- Ketchup
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Hoagie roll or hero roll
Instructions:
- Halve the roll and lightly toast it. Spread one side with mayonnaise.
- In a non-stick pan, melt some butter. Add the onion and cook until fragrant. Push the onion to one side of the pan.
- Add the ground beef to the pan and do not break it apart. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Sear the beef for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Slowly break apart the beef and mix with the onions. Continue cooking until there is no pink beef in the centre.
- Divide the beef mixture into four equal portions and add cheese on top. Cook until the cheese is melted.
- Use a spatula to "chop" the cheese into the beef mixture.
- Transfer the mixture into the toasted roll. Add shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
- Garnish with ketchup and serve immediately.
Tips:
- If using leaner ground beef, you may want to add a drizzle of oil to the pan before cooking.
- For a more authentic bodega-style sandwich, use a griddle or flat-top grill instead of a skillet or pan.
- Feel free to add other toppings or condiments to customize your sandwich.
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The history of the chopped cheese sandwich
The chopped cheese sandwich, also known as the chop cheese, is a type of sandwich that originated in New York City. It is made on a grill with ground beef (typically pre-formed ground beef patties), onions, adobo or other seasonings, and cheese, all of which are chopped together on the grill as the meat and onions cook and the cheese melts. It is served with lettuce, tomatoes, and condiments on a hero roll.
The actual origins of the sandwich are up for debate, but most agree it was first created in a Spanish Harlem bodega called Hajji's Deli, also known as Blue Sky Deli. There is speculation that the sandwich was an adaptation of an Arab specialty, dagha yamneeya (دقة يمنية), which is essentially cooked chopped meat and vegetables served with Yemeni bread.
Hajji's Deli claims a former worker invented the sandwich for himself sometime in the 1990s, after which the concept spread to other bodegas throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens. The sandwich is particularly popular in working-class neighborhoods and is considered a blending of immigrant stories. It is affordable, appealing, customizable, and readily available.
The chopped cheese sandwich gained significant media attention in the 2010s, starting with a 2014 episode of Parts Unknown in which Anthony Bourdain, a lifelong New Yorker, told a group of students in the Bronx that he'd never heard of it. This sparked accusations of cultural appropriation, as the sandwich began appearing in upscale restaurants and groceries, with prices two to three times higher than the original bodega versions. The sandwich has also made its way into hip-hop culture, being featured in or the subject of many songs.
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Chopped cheese in hip-hop culture
The chopped cheese sandwich is a cultural symbol of New York's diverse and dynamic food scene. It is a type of sandwich originating from New York City made with ground beef, onions, adobo or other seasonings, and cheese, all of which are chopped together on a grill as the meat and onions cook and the cheese melts. It is then served with lettuce, tomatoes, and condiments on a hero roll. The sandwich is believed to have originated in a Spanish Harlem bodega called Hajji's Deli, also known as Blue Sky Deli, in the 1990s.
The chopped cheese sandwich gained significant media attention in the 2010s, with some accusing the majority culture of "Columbusing" or "discovering" the sandwich, as it was previously only known in specific parts of New York City. This media attention led to multiple upscale restaurants and groceries serving the sandwich, sparking accusations of cultural appropriation as the price of the sandwich increased significantly compared to its original cost in bodegas.
The chopped cheese sandwich has also made its way into hip-hop culture, with Harlem rapper Cam'ron filming his music video "Child of the Ghetto" at Hajji's Deli, the alleged birthplace of the sandwich. The sandwich has been featured in or been the subject of many songs and has even been the topic of a documentary on the website First We Feast, titled "Hometown Hero: The Legend of New York's Chopped Cheese," which discusses the origins of the sandwich and its cultural history.
The chopped cheese sandwich is not just a meal, but a symbol of New York's cultural diversity and dynamic food scene. It has become a beloved and iconic regional sandwich, widely available in bodegas and small shops across New York City, each putting their own twist and variation on it. The sandwich is a testament to the blending of immigrant stories and the working-class neighborhoods of New York City.
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Frequently asked questions
You can get a chop cheese sandwich in bodegas throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens. It is believed that the sandwich originated in East Harlem’s Blue Sky Deli.
Yes, you can get a chop cheese sandwich outside of New York. For example, there is a restaurant in Los Angeles called New York's Chopped Cheese, which serves the sandwich.
Yes, you can make a chop cheese sandwich at home. The sandwich is made with ground beef, onions, and cheese, served on a hero roll with lettuce, tomatoes, and condiments.
