This year Tramezzino, the Italian version of sandwich, turns 100.
A century ago one of Italy’s most beloved snacks was born. A quick food symbol of elegance and taste. What is behind this little gastronomic masterpiece?
Which came first, sandwich or tramezzino?
The sandwich was born around the middle of the seventeenth century, out of laziness or excessive zeal. It depends on your point of view. Lord John Montagu, fourth Earl of Sandwich, a British diplomat, just didn’t want to get up from his desk to go eat and stop working. (Some say that in reality it wasn’t about work but gambling, who knows!). So, he asked to bring him some roast beef between two slices of buttered bread. Something easy and quick to eat. And… it was instantly a trend! A trend that has been going on since that day and that is the symbol of the fast lunch. As the Italian version: the Tramezzino.
How do you get the tramezzino in Italy?
The genesis of the tramezzino is linked to Caffè Mulassano, a historic venue in Piazza Castello in Turin. In 1925, Angela Demichelis and her husband Onorino Nebiolo, returning from America, became owners of that famous bar and decided to innovate the menu. They introduced an Italian version of the classic Anglo-Saxon sandwich. They decided not to toast the sandwich bread but to leave it soft, cutting off all the crust, and filling it with fresh and tasty ingredients. Thus they created a soft and refined sandwich. The first tramezzino was stuffed with butter and anchovies, a tribute to the Piedmontese gastronomic tradition. The official consecration at a national level of the Turin tramezzino occurred in July 1936. The Italian magazine La Cucina Italiana published a very long article on this triangular stuffed panini and its recipe.
Tramezzino and Futurism
In those years, futurism was the artistic movement in vogue. Technological progress and the consolidation of fascism were changing the lifestyles and habits of Italians. Many foreign terms were no longer appreciated. So the intent was to modify them or replace them with 100% Italian words. Marinetti, already in 1932, in his book Cucina Futurista, advanced the request to replace the term sandwich with the Italian term Traidue (between the two). However, according to tradition, it was the writer Gabriele D’Annunzio who coined the term tramezzino. Remaining faithful to the concept of a snack to break the hunger, he invented the diminutive of tra-mezzo, to indicate something that is consumed between main meals. In Italy, from north to south, the tramezzino no longer knows barriers.
Tramezzino variations
The tramezzino is not just a sandwich, it is a journey through Italian taste and tradition. Every bite tells a story of innovation, passion and love for good food. Whether it is a simple tuna tramezzino or a gourmet version with fine ingredients, it continues to conquer the hearts of Italians and beyond. There are many different flavors. Tuna and tomato, ham and cheese, hard-boiled eggs and mayonnaise or grilled vegetables. In Rome, thanks to the brilliant idea of pizza chef Stefano Callegari, the Trapizzino was born. A play on words between Tramezzino and Pizza. It is in fact the corner of Roman pizza, stuffed with traditional dishes of Italian cuisine. In short, the tramezzino has evolved with the times, while always maintaining its spirit of a practical and tasty snack.
The best tramezzino in Rome and where to find it
Let’s celebrate the centenary of this little masterpiece, tasting and trying as many tramezzini as we can eat! Let’s discover the best in Rome!
Spazio Niko Romito Bar e Cucina – (Piazza Giuseppe Verdi, 9e)
Roscioli Caffè – (Piazza Benedetto Cairoli, 16)
La Casina del Caffè – (Mercato Trionfale, Via Tunisi, 60)
Grani, Farine e Caffè – (Via dei Quattro Venti, 152)
Casa Manfredi – (Viale Aventino, 91)
Becco – (Piazzale degli Eroi, 7)
Trapizzino – (Piazza Trilussa)
Toccannacce al Tramezzino – (Largo Guglielmo Bilancioni, 1)
