Gatsby (sandwich)

A Gatsby is a South African submarine sandwich consisting of a bread roll filled with chips (French fries) and a choice of fillings and sauces.[2] It originated in Cape Town[1] and is popular throughout the Western Cape province.[3] The sandwich is typically large and suitable for sharing by several people.[1][2]

Gatsby
A close-up view of a personal-sized Gatsby sandwich prepared with calamari and chips
TypeSandwich
Place of originSouth Africa
Region or stateCape Town
Main ingredientsBread rolls, French fries, meat or seafood (masala steak, chicken, polony,[1] Vienna sausage, calamari, fish), sauce

There is no standard recipe for a Gatsby, but it is usually offered in a long (one foot or more) french-style bread roll cut lengthwise.[2][4][5] Other breads used may include hotdog buns or roti flat breads. The sandwich is made large to be shared, usually four ways. The filling of a Gatsby comprises chips with any number of other ingredients such as meats, fish and eggs. Meat fillings may include chargrilled steak,[4] masala steak,[2]chicken, polony sausage, Vienna sausage and Russian sausage. Fried or pickled fish,[4] calamari,[1]curry [3][4] and eggs are also frequently offered.[1][6] The fillings are commonly dressed with achar pickles or piri piri sauce.[3][5]

History
A mural in Athlone celebrating the area as "Home of the Gatsby".

The Gatsby sandwich originated in 1976 in Athlone, in the Cape Flats area of Cape Town.[1] Food shop owner Rashaad Pandy wanted to serve a quick but filling meal to workers helping him renovate his store. He filled a large round loaf with "slap chips" (South-African-style chips with vinegar), polony sausage and achaar and cut this into wedges. "Froggy", one of the workers, declared the sandwich a "Gatsby smash",[7] alluding to the movie The Great Gatsby which had been screened at an Athlone cinema. The name stuck and Pandy subsequently offered the sandwich in his shop.[8][9] The sandwich grew in popularity and was adjusted to use a long French-style roll.

  • A store in Cape Town, South Africa with signage for Gatsby sandwiches, 2014
  • A personal-sized Gatsby sandwich prepared with calamari and chips, being sold at a food stall for R45 (approximately USD $3.75), 2014
  • A Gatsby sandwich

See also

References
  1. Kavonic, Dayle (17 April 2015). "The Gatsby Sandwich". Cape Town Magazine. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  2. Weiss, Andrea (21 June 2013). "Where to find a gatsby in Cape Town". South African Tourism. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  3. Albala, K. (2011). Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia: [Four Volumes]. Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 178. ISBN 978-0-313-37627-6.
  4. Lehman, A.; Fodor's Travel Publications, I.S. (2005). Fodor's South Africa. Fodor's Gold Guides. Fodor's Travel Publications. p. 1–PA58. ISBN 978-1-4000-1366-1.
  5. The Editors. "The Great Gatsby". Saveur. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  6. Merwe, Marelise van der (9 October 2013). "In search of Cape Town's own Great Gatsby". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  7. Richardson, Heather (1 December 2020). "Cape Town's most famous fast food". BBC Travel. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  8. "The Story Behind One Of Cape Town's Favourite Foods: The Gatsby". www.capetownmagazine.com. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
  9. "5 great gatsbys in Cape Town". Eat Out. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
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