Reuben Egg Rolls

As March kicks off the start of many things Spring, it also marks the first of several fun holidays that inspire me to make something unique.

I have been making these for years, but they have a name that has never quite settled with me.  The idea was shared with me nearly 20 years ago when I worked in the restaurant industry.  A super cool guy that I worked with would often share ideas for new recipes with me as we completed a busy dinner service.  We’d pass in the service alley and he’d often say, “I’ve got one for you…” Next would be only a few descriptive words about a dish and we’d fill in the rest- detail, by detail as we executed our tasks to keep our guests happy on a busy Saturday night.  We worked at a very popular steak house and nothing we served was remotely Irish-except beer- and when St. Patrick’s Day came, he was armed with one of his best ideas ever…Reuben Egg Rolls!  I make them around St. Patrick’s Day because I think of corned beef and love remembering the great friends and experiences I had in the restaurant.

Before I get too deep into the explanation of this dish, I’d like to share some facts with you about this creation and festive holiday that might surprise you.

Saint Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland wasn’t Irish-he was born in Britain, kidnapped at the age of 16 by Irish raiders and sold as a slave to a Celtic Priest in Northern Ireland.  He eventually escaped back to Britain after 6 years and returned to Ireland much later as a Christian missionary.

Corned beef and cabbage in what we consider it’s “Irish” tradition is in fact Irish- American, originating in New York in the late 19th century during a dark period in history.  Millions of Irish fled Ireland in 1845 after a devastating potato blight. Nearly a quarter of the Irish population came to the shores of United States and some settled in areas of lower Manhattan in New York.  While Irish-Americans are proud to celebrate their heritage today, Irish immigrants were not treated well and were seen as unfavorable and unwelcome.  Out of necessity, impoverished immigrants purchased left over corned beef from trade ships. It was then boiled three times to remove some of the brine and cabbage was added the third time.  So the corned beef and cabbage we prepare in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day actually had quite a sad beginning in Irish-American culture.  

Reuben Sandwich-corned beef, cabbage…. must be Irish right?  Nope-it’s origins are debated-either created in Omaha, Nebraska (1920-1935) by the owner of the Blackstone Hotel for a Jewish-Lithuanian guest named Reuben Kulakofsky during a weekly poker game OR a collaborative creation by Jewish-German deli owner Arnold Reuben in New York in the early 1900’s. My research has also discovered that my pal’s Reuben egg rolls, aka “Irish Egg rolls” originated at Mader’s, a German restaurant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where chef Dennis Wegner created them in 1990 for a summer festival!…and while we’re at it…egg rolls do not originate from authentic Asian cuisine!  

I guess the name didn’t settle with me because my understanding of the cultural influence on all of it’s elements were all wrong! 

My conclusion is, we should always appreciate the unique fusion of cultures and flavors that inspire so many dishes.  Be curious, be a sponge for knowledge and the best recipes and friendships come from embracing the many cultural differences that make our world so beautiful.