The Italian cold-cut sandwich is a part of our lunch life. Its beginnings are said to go back to Giovanni Amato, an Italian immigrant who sold fresh-baked rolls filled with meat, cheese and fresh vegetables to his fellow Italians working on the docks of Portland, Maine.
Linda Stradley, who tracks the history of this and other sandwiches on the Web site What's Cooking America, makes the educated guess that the "Italian" was born in Portland about 1903.
Giant Foods Deli
6340 York Road
Phone --410-377-2673
Deli hours --6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
This is a big "hoagie" with the basic cold cuts and soft bread and not much spice. The two things going for this pre-made sandwich are its low price, $3.99, and the fact that you can quickly grab it from a basket in front of the deli counter and head to the cashier.
Know of a good carryout? Write to rob.kasper@baltsun.com.