We at Tower Deli have long been serving up home-style dishes for years but are still surprised at how people’s palates shift. We sometimes experience an influx of customers wanting good old-fashioned hamburgers and sometimes, we get a barrage of salad orders. It’s common for Americans to order burgers and fries, but sometimes we get Panini requests in our humble restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Though not as famous as the burgers which we order, this sandwich definitely deserves more recognition.
As you have read, the Panini is an unassuming dish. That’s because it looks like any other sandwich that one might be able to order in places like our restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. But for the sandwich connoisseur, it’s not just a dish you eat and forget the moment you eat something else, no. It is a dish steeped in tradition and sophistication. Rumor has it that some people argue about the Panini the same way they argue about pineapple and pizza. We’re not so sure about that but what we do know is that the Panini is a dish of its own.
Panini in Italian literally means sandwiches. The word Panino, on the other hand, is the singular form of the word. The dish itself, as you may have already guessed, comes from Italy as early as the 16th century. It was not until the 1950s when America started embracing the Panini as part of their culture. There’s no argument there, as the Panini doesn’t demand formal fillings as compared to other sandwiches, making the dish a lot more flexible. This means one has the privilege of choosing any type of filling you wish. So don’t be surprised if you’re halfway around the world and are able to order a Panini filled with chocolate or stuffed with Peking duck.
What exactly makes the Panini different from the rest? Well, if there’s a word that would distinguish the Panini from the rest, it would be filling. For a grilled sandwich or a toastie, you got sliced bread while the Panini uses anything other than latter, preferably bread roll. Now why the hell is bread roll used for the Panini, you may ask? It’s simple, you get to put bits and pieces inside the Panini as compared to a regular sliced bread where one puts them on top. Just imagine placing bits and pieces of meat, cheese, and other ingredients on top of your sliced bread. Yes, it is possible, but those ingredients will only end up falling off. Even if you’d say you could simply press another slice of bread on top of it, the dish wouldn’t be able to contain all those ingredients. The bread roll, on the other hand, is initially flat. It’s then loaded with the person’s choice of meat or cheese before being rolled over on itself. It is then pressed and grilled using a Panini press (think of an elongated waffle maker). Then viola! You got yourself a Panini. Take note that while it is a flexible dish, some people view the construction of the Panini so religiously that they won’t even consider a Panini a Panini if it’s made with sliced bread. So better stick to bread roll or anything equivalent when you’re making one for a Panini critique just to be sure.
For us here at Tower Deli, we have a wide selection of Panini dishes, from Italiano to Tuscan, to our famous tuna and bacon sandwich (because you can never get wrong with bacon). Our Italiano Panini is a top choice. It’s filled with Capicola ham, Genoa salami, pepperoni & provolone cheese, accompanied with a side of Italian dressing. Our Tuscan Panini is a favorite.
It’s filled with fresh Mozzarella & vine ripened tomatoes with fresh basil pesto and field greens. Don’t these all sound so mouthwatering to you? Now you might be thinking exactly how do we make our Panini? Same thing we do with all of our dishes – with passion and dedication. Hey, we have to have some secrets, right? That’s why our Panini dishes are a top choice on our menu.
We could go on and on about our Panini dishes and you’d still be left wondering what the dish is. So our advice is for you to experience the dish itself. Come visit our restaurant in Fort Lauderdale and order your first Panini here. We at Tower Deli provides only the best food around. For more information, give us a call or order from us online. You can also visit our CONTACT US and fill out the form.
If its good food, good people, and outstanding Panini, you’re looking for, Tower Deli is the place to go.
