The French dip sandwich is an American delicacy made with sliced meat on a French bread baguette dipped in pan sauces. Its origins are debated, but it’s believed to have been invented by Philippe Mathieu, former owner of Philippe’s restaurant in Los Angeles. The sandwich can be made with various meats and is still served at Philippe’s, where customers can request the amount of juices to dip the sandwich into. The sandwich quickly spread in popularity and is now served in many restaurants across the US.
A French dip sandwich is a type of sandwich consisting of sliced meat on a roll, usually a French bread baguette, that has been dipped in the pan sauces of the cooked meat. These sandwiches can also be served dry with a small dripping container, referred to as eating the sandwich au jus or “with juice,” rather than being dipped in liquid before serving. Sometimes, beef stock is used rather than the actual liquids in the pan from cooking the meat, or the drippings may be added to other liquids such as stock to increase the amount available. The French dip sandwich doesn’t owe its origin to French cuisine and is an entirely American delicacy.
While the origins of the French dip sandwich are debated, the most popular claim is that it was invented by Philippe Mathieu, former owner of Philippe’s restaurant in Los Angeles, California. The story goes that in 1918, Mathieu was preparing a sandwich for a police officer consisting of sliced roast beef on a French bun. While making the sandwich, Mathieu reportedly accidentally dropped the bread into the pan dripping from the roast beef and the police officer insisted he would eat it regardless. The story goes that the officer liked it so much that the next day he brought some friends back to try the sandwich “dip”.
Many people associate a French dip sandwich with roast beef, but it’s often made with lamb, pork, and turkey as well. French sandwiches are still made at Philippe’s in Los Angeles and are still made by dipping the bread in liquids, rather than serving the sandwiches au jus. Customers are able to request both single and double sandwiches, dictating the amount of juices that will be dipped into the French Dip sandwich. Philippe Mathieu was French, and the bun that the sandwich was first served on was also French, but is otherwise an entirely American staple.
The French dip sandwich quickly spread in popularity, and a number of restaurants across the United States now serve these sandwiches. Many restaurants offer the sandwich “con au jus,” which typically means the sandwich is prepared dry and comes with a container of liquid to dip the sandwich into as you eat it. The unnoticed repetitive nature of the list, which basically translates as “with with juice,” is similar to other American linguistic repetitions such as referring to ATMs as ATMs.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
