There seems to be no doubt about where and how the French Dip sandwich originated, and the best part is that the restaurant has been a going concern since 1908.   You can visit in person on North Alameda Street in Los Angeles every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas.  You can also visit online at the web site for Philippe the Original, where you can read the entire story and also see today's menu, which includes not only French Dip sandwiches but also pickled pig's foot and a nine cent cup of coffee.

It was 1918 in Los Angeles and a French immigrant named Philippe Mathieu was preparing a sandwich for a policeman who came into his delicatessen and sandwich shop.    When the French roll for the sandwich was accidentally dropped into the pan juices, the policeman said he'd eat it anyway.  The policeman liked it so much that he returned the next day with some friends who wanted to try the sandwich that was "dipped" into the meat juices.

Most people think of the French Dip as pertaining only to a beef sandwich on a long white roll that has been dipped into pan juices.   However, roast pork, lamb, turkey and ham, are also French-dipped with their pan juices, and at Philippe's customers are asked to choose whether they want them "single dipped" or "double dipped."

Is the French dip French?  Well, no.  The roll is French, the inventor was French and possibly the policeman's name was French, but few Parisiens have ever heard of it.  Actually, Parisiens would cringe at the way American menus often describe it -- "with au jus."   "Au jus" is a French expression which means "with broth" or "with juice" so  "with au jus" means "with with juice," which of course is redundant.   However, in Los Angeles they have "The La Brea Tar pits," which, when translated from Spanish means "the the tar tar pits."   So I guess you can't overstate a thing in Los Angeles.

Because the restaurant is within a mile of Dodger stadium, it's a favorite with baseball fans.   For some candid views of the restaurant, click here for pictures of customers over the years.  And then you can click here to see how the place looks today.  To learn all about the restaurant, click on the logo at the top of the page and  go directly to the web site of Philippe The Original.

Can you make a French Dip sandwich at home?  Of course you can.  You can either use your own family recipe for a pot roast, pork roast or any other roast, or you can consult some recipes online.  Here are the links to some recipes you can try, possibly en route to the TV to watch a ballgame at home.

Finally, you might want to serve your French Dip sandwiches with the kind of hot mustard sauce served at Philippe's.  An online discussion group produced the following recipe, which purports to duplicate the one used at the restaurant.  If you try it, remember, it is hot.  Use it sparingly, to your taste.

Whisk together dry mustard, vinegar and beer. Use a garlic press or a large pair of pliers to squeeze the juice from the clove of garlic into the mixture.  Stir in sugar, salt and turmeric.  To make smoother and less hot, add olive oil to taste.
(Source given:  The Press Enterprise)
 
 

Who Cooked That Up? is copyrighted 1999 by J.J. Schnebel
Revised February 2002
all rights reserved for your pleasure and enlightenment

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