“Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!” I’ve already made my traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner and intentionally made extra corned beef for today’s reuben sandwich.

This has to be one of the most famous (and delicious) sandwiches ever made. And like most great historical sandwiches, its genesis is disputed. Here’s my favorite version, pulled from the “What’s Cooking America” site:

"The year was 1914. Late one evening a leading lady of actor Charlie Chaplin came into the restaurant and said, 'Reuben, make me a sandwich, make it a combination, I'm so hungry I could eat a brick.' He took a loaf of rye bread, cut two slices on the bias and stacked one piece with sliced Virginia ham, roast turkey, and imported Swiss cheese, topped off with coleslaw and lots of Reuben's special Russian dressing and the second slice of bread. He served it to the lady who said, 'Gee, Reuben, this is the best sandwich I ever ate, you ought to call it an Annette Seelos Special.' To which he replied, 'Like hell I will, I'll call it a Reuben's Special.'"

I made my rueben a couple of hours ago, and it was delicious. But while combing the Web (brushing the buttery crumbs away from my keyboard), I searched sites informing of the rueben's history. And, wonder of wonders, out pounced Zingerman's recipe for their incomparable rueben! I thought that recipe would have been as well-guarded as the gold in Fort Knox!

If Zingerman's shared it with the Food Network, I'm sure they wouldn't mind the recipe link here. Their recipe serves "6" (I'm thinking 12), and the dressing for their incomparable sandwich, by virtue of the ingredient list, would have several more layers of flavor mine. Why didn't I think of adding horseradish to the dressing?

Once again I pinch myself, marveling at my good luck to be located dead center in such a small town food-lover's paradise!

Yield: 1 sandwich (1-2 servings)
Active Time: 15 minutes
Grill Time: 20 minutes
Cost: Approx. $6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 heaping tablespoon chopped dill pickle or pickle relish
1 tablespoon butter, divided
2 thickly sliced (apx.7”X4”X ) pieces of freshly baked rye bread
3 ounces thinly sliced swiss cheese
1/2 pound sliced corned beef
1/2 cup sauerkraut, rinsed

Directions

1. To make a relish, combine ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard and pickle. Reserve.
Spread 1/2 tablespoon butter on each bread slice.
2. Over medium-low heat in a nonstick skillet, panini press or Foreman grill (350 degrees), place one piece of bread, buttered side down.
3. Spread exposed bread slice with relish, then layer with cheese, corned beef, sauerkraut and remaining bread, buttered side up.
4. If cooking in a skillet, press with a flat spatula . When golden brown, about 10-12 minutes, flip and cook and additional 10-12 minutes or until cheese has melted and sandwich is golden brown. Serve.