The Charm of the Cheesesteak

It takes a chef extraordinair to combine common day-to-day ingredients in an uncommon fashion and create a dish that becomes synonymous with the city or province of its origin. If its appeal is universal enough, it becomes a culinary legend.

Some 75 years ago, such a miracle happened in depression-era Philidelphia. The cheesesteak sandwich was born, destined to be recognized in the United States and internationally as a most adaptable steak product.

What is a real cheesesteak sandwich anyway? Well, it averages just under 6 ounces, but there's more to every mouthfull than that. There's the roll - The mandatory Italian roll - crisp of crust and golden smooth, light and just a tad moist. Piled inside are wafer-thin choice steak slices that are placed on a hot grill and sauteed in its own juices for 100 seconds. Say Cheese - and you've gotta say cheese - and on comes your choice of white American, Provolone, or mozzarella.

Extra! Extra! There's a host of Cheesesteak garnishes - The most popular of which are fried onions, mushrooms, and pizza sauce. The cheesesteak can be further dressed with tomatoes, lettuce and sweet peppers, or dressed to kill with hot peppers.