The Houston Press examines it all HERE.
Finally watched the "James at 15" made-for-TV movie, which served as the pilot for the short-lived and critically acclaimed series. Hadn't seen it since it debuted in 1977, but it held up nicely thanks to its smart writing and strong performances. (Remembered Melissa Sue Anderson was in it, but totally forgot about Kate Jackson!) After teenage stick-in-the-mud James is forced to move from Oregon to Boston so his dad can take a more prestigious job at a college there, he refers to the sandwiches the family is eating in the scene as a "submarine." James, already reeling, screams back: "This isn't a submarine sandwich, it's a hero!" Dad then explains, "In Boston they call them submarines or subs, to which James replies, "Ah, I couldn't care less."
I'm pretty up-to-speed on the whole Pop-Soda-Coke map, but I'm less familiar with this one. I'm pretty sure Michigan was a sub state -- Tubby's being the most famous chain -- and I believe Arizona was too. This map confirms that, but it also doesn't confirm what James said about Oregonians calling them heroes, so I'm wondering what else it isn't reporting. I've never heard of a Wedge or Grinder(!), so I'd love to hear what you know about the topic in the comments.
And skip to 48:19 for the Hunter family's big sandwich debate!
6 comments:
Yep, the Northeast is such a hot mess when it comes to this terminology, for some reason. Growing up in North Jersey, I'd always heard it called a sub. The school cafeteria called it a torpedo sandwich (one of the few lunch items I looked forward to!). I've encountered hero also. I've spent a lot of time in New England and Pennsylvania, but have never seen/heard any of those other trying-too-hard names in person!
Was Kim Richards in the pilot as well?
Yes, Kim was adorable in it. Tomboy jock type :-)
Grinder is primarily central and eastern CT. RI, and some parts of MA. The way I heard it, it's a shortened form of the "organ grinder's sandwich" since Southern New England has a very large Italian population.
I've heard of all them, then again, I liked a lotta borscht belt humor. But they got Cuban all wrong. Cuban Sandwich is like a sub, but it's not. There's a certain recipe and bread for a cuban. It's like calling a cosmopolitan a shirley temple.
Grinders comes from italian workers for electric boat in groton connecticut. Their sandwiches got thir name from their work - metal grinding.
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