Philly Connection

It takes a chef extraordinaire to combine common day-to-day ingredients in an uncommon fashion and create a dish that becomes synonymous with the city or province of its origin. If its appeal is universal enough, it becomes a culinary legend.

Some 75 years ago, such a miracle happened in depression-era Philadelphia. The cheesesteak sandwich was born, destined to be recognized in the United States and internationally as a most adaptable steak product.

What is a real cheesesteak sandwich anyway? There’s the roll - the mandatory Italian roll -crisp of crust and golden smooth, light and just a tad moist. Piled inside are wafer-thin choice steak slices that are placed on a hot grill and sauteed in its own juices for 100 seconds. Say cheese - and you’ve gotta say cheese - and on comes your choice of white American or provolone. EXTRA! EXTRA! There’s a hos t of cheesesteak garnishes - the most popular of which are grilled onions and mushrooms. The cheesesteak can be further dressed with tomatoes, lettuce and sweet peppers, or dressed to kill with hot peppers.