There was a brief reference to a Chinese stand, located on the Boardwalk, selling a Chop Suey Sandwich. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (NY), July 31, 1924, published an article about the Coney Island Boardwalk, titled “ Try Chop Suey Sandwich In Cosmopolitan Luncheon On Coney’s Boardwalk.” Curiously, most of the article had nothing to do with the chop suey sandwich.
The Press and Sun-Bulletin (NY), April 7, 1914, made a brief mention of the chop suey sandwich, using the term in an analogy, thus indicating it was also known to New Yorkers at this point.Īnother New York reference.
It is far more probable that someone in California had a similar idea, separate from what was occurring in Massachusetts. If the chop suey sandwich had originated in Salem and/or Fall River before this time, it would be quite surprising that its fame had spread across the country by 1912. Potentially, this could predate the concept of the sandwich in both Salem and Fall River. Unfortunately, no details of the sandwich were provided, but we know the concept of this sandwich was known in California at least as far back as 1912. The club had its own dining room and one of the dishes that they served was a Chop Suey Sandwich. The Long Beach Telegram (CA), January 30, 1912, published an article which discussed the opening of a new Masonic club. One of the first references to this sandwich I found wasn't in New England at all, and was actually on the other side of the country. This brings to mind my previous article, The Origins of American Chop Suey, a so-called "regional New England" dish which actually had origins all across the country. The sandwich can be found all around the country, from Florida to California, Arkansas to Michigan. I decided to conduct some of my own research, and what I've found seems to indicate the chop suey sandwich isn't isolated to New England and parts of New York. Initially, it seems to me that this might be a case of another food origin myth, where the origin tale, which isn't true, has become "common knowledge," accepted by the masses without question. These sources also all seem to have concentrated on New England as the source of origin, with no consideration to the rest of the country. Those sources also haven't offered sufficient evidence of the possible year of origin.
I haven't seen sufficient documentary evidence from any of the sources which have alleged Salem, Massachusetts was the origin of the sandwich. So, when and where did the Chop Suey sandwich originate? And is it only a regional New England dish? A definitive origin date for the sandwich wasn't provided. Lim, and John Eng-Wong, in their article, “T he Chow Mein Sandwich: Chinese American Entrepreneurship in Rhode Island,” placed the likely place of origin of the chop suey sandwich in Fall River, also noting that its heyday was in the 1930s and 1940s. Its heyday was in the 1930s and 1940s, and it was also popular in the New York City area." This sounds more likely, though no evidence was provided to support the claim.Īnd anthology professor, Imogene I. For example, the New England Historical Societyalleges it extends back to the Salem Willows in 1905, which seems unlikely, especially as Salem Lowe wouldn't exist until around 1912.Īccording to Sweet and Sour: Life in Chinese Family Restaurants, by John Jung, " In parts of New England, many lunch counters, drugstores, five-and-dimes, and amusement parks offered a variant known as the chop suey sandwich as early as the 1920s. However, these sources disagree as to when this sandwich was invented. Many sources claim that this sandwich is unique to New England and parts of New York. If you've visited the Salem Willows, you might have enjoyed a Chop Suey Sandwich, likely at the Salem Lowe restaurant. New England Historical Society, "Salem Chop Suey Sandwiches, A Sign Of Summer" " The chop suey sandwich is a cheap and filling concoction of roast pork or chicken, onions, celery and bean sprouts cooked in a thickened soy gravy and served on a hamburger bun."
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