Reuben sandwich

TheReuben sandwichis aNorth Americangrilledsandwichcomposed ofcorned beef,Swiss cheese,sauerkraut, andRussian dressingorThousand Island dressing,grilledbetween slices ofrye bread. It is associated withkosher-styledelicatessensbut is notkosher, as it combinesmeat and cheese.
One origin story holds that Reuben Kulakofsky (his first name sometimes spelled Reubin; his last name sometimes shortened to Kay), aLithuanian-born Jewishgrocer residing inOmaha, Nebraska, asked for a sandwich made ofcorned beefandsauerkrautat his weekly poker game held in theBlackstone Hotelfrom around 1920 through 1935. The participants, who nicknamed themselves "the committee", included the hotel's owner,Charles Schimmel. Schimmel's son, who worked in the kitchen, made the first Reuben for him, addingSwiss cheeseandthousand island dressingto his order, putting the whole thing onrye bread.The sandwich first gained local fame when Schimmel put it on the Blackstone's lunch menu, and its fame spread when a former employee of the hotel won the national sandwich 
idea contest with the recipe.In Omaha, March 14 was proclaimed Reuben Sandwich Day.
Another account holds that the Reuben's creator was Arnold Reuben, theGerman-Jewishowner ofReuben's Delicatessen(1908–2001) inNew York City. According to an interview withCraig Claiborne, Arnold Reuben created the "Reuben Special" around 1914.Bernard Sobelin his 1953 book,Broadway Heartbeat: Memoirs of a Press Agentstates that the sandwich was an extemporaneous creation forMarjorie Rambeau, inaugurated when the Broadway actress visited the Reuben's Delicatessen one night when the cupboards were particularly bare.
Still other versions give credit to Alfred Scheuing, a chef at Reuben's Delicatessen, and say he created the sandwich for Reuben's son, Arnold Jr., in the 1930s.
TheMontrealReuben substitutesMontreal-style smoked meatfor the corned beef.
Thousand Island dressingis commonly used as a substitute forRussian dressing.
ThewalleyeReuben features the freshwater fish (Sander vitreus) in place of the corned beef.
The grouper Reuben is a variation on the standard Reuben sandwich, substitutinggrouperfor the corned beef, and sometimescoleslawfor the sauerkraut as well.  This variation is often a menu item in restaurants inFlorida.
Reuben egg rolls, sometimes called "Irish egg rolls" or "Reuben balls", use the standard Reuben sandwich filling of corned beef, sauerkraut, and cheese inside a deep-friedegg rollwrapper. Typically served with Thousand Island dressing (instead of Russian dressing) as an appetizer or snack, they originated at Mader's, aGermanrestaurant inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, where chef Dennis Wegner created them for a summer festival circa 1990.
The Rachel sandwich is a variation which substitutespastramiorturkeyfor the corned beef, andcoleslawfor the sauerkraut.In some parts of the United States, especially Michigan, this turkey variant is known as a "Georgia Reuben" or "California Reuben", and it may also call forbarbecue sauceorFrench dressinginstead of Russian dressing. The name may have originated from the 1871 song "Reuben and Rachel".
The Dinty Moore sandwich is aDetroitvariation which substitutes coleslawor shredded lettuce and tomatofor the sauerkraut.  It is sometimes on toasted white (wheat) bread instead of toasted ryeand sometimes omits the Swiss cheese.It is often a triple-decker sandwich.
Vegetarianversions, called "veggie Reubens", omit the corned beef or substitute vegetarian ingredients for it, including zucchini, cucumbers,wheatmeat,and mushrooms.Vegan versions can use the aforementioned wheatmeat also known asseitan,tempehor mushrooms with non-dairy cheese, dressing and butter.
As a Reuben combines both meat and dairy ingredients in the same meal, it is notkosher.However, it is frequently served atkosher stylerestaurants.Kosher versions may be made using non-dairyimitation cheese, or substitute vegetarian corned beef, thereby omitting the meat or the cheese.