The Surprisingly Humble Origins of ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ Favorite Meal
“I sang at social clubs and at roadhouses,” Frank sinatra told his daughter Nancy, as quoted in the latter’s 1995 biography, Frank Sinatra: An American Legend. “Sometimes [I sang] for nothing or for a sandwich or cigarettes, all night for three packs. But I worked on one basic theory: Stay alive, get as much practice as you can.”
The story of Frank Sinatra’s preferred sandwich reveals a interesting contrast between his hardscrabble beginnings and his later, glamorous life.
- Frank Sinatra began his career singing for meager compensation-sometimes just a sandwich or cigarettes.
- While many speculate about elaborate dishes, Sinatra often favored simple foods like cold cuts or scrambled eggs.
- A Kansas City restaurant created a massive, elaborate sandwich in his honor that became a pilgrimage site for fans after his death.
- Modern chefs continue to interpret “Frank Sinatra’s favorite sandwich,” often with more inventiveness than past accuracy.
When we picture Frank Sinatra, images of tuxedoed swagger, Las Vegas casinos, and the Rat Pack often come to mind. It’s easy to forget that Francis Albert Sinatra grew up poor in Hoboken, New Jersey, and that his early career unfolded during the Great Depression. He honed his craft singing in dimly lit clubs and roadside bars, often accepting payment in the form of a simple sandwich or a pack of cigarettes. But what exactly was that sandwich?
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