From sub shops to fine-dining spots, turkey is a year-round star
By Pam George
Bardea Steak in downtown Wilmington promotes itself as the “meat kingdom.” But this month, poultry has stormed the gates. James Beard Award-nominee Antimo DiMeo created the Bobbie Bao Bun partly to honor Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, home of the Bobbie sub, and November’s favorite fowl: turkey.
The upscale establishment is in good company. In September, Wawa brought back the Gobbler Hoagie and Hot Turkey Gobbler Bowl — a base of macaroni and cheese with roasted vegetables, turkey and cranberry sauce.
But turkey is far more than a seasonal flavor. According to the National Turkey Federation, turkey consumption has nearly doubled since 1970. That year, turkey consumption was 8.2 pounds per capita. By 2021, it was 15.3 per capita, and the number has been steady.
The versatile ingredient appears in both classic and creative ways.
Thanksgiving on a Bun
Capriotti’s Bobbie is perhaps Delaware’s best-known turkey sandwich. The Little Italy shop was founded in 1976 by Lois and Alan Margolet. To stand out in a sub-centric area, the siblings roasted turkey, which they initially sliced before opting to shred it. The concept caught on, and a second location followed on Basin Road. The Bobbie — a blend of Thanksgiving dishes on a roll — was named for the owners’ Aunt Bobbie.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Casapulla’s Subs offers the Turkey Stuffer Sub with stuffing, mayonnaise and cranberry sauce. You’ll also find a version at Sabatina’s Sandwich Shop in Delaware City, home of the Del City Gobbler.
For a fun twist, try Taco Reho Bobby’s Burrito. “It’s gobbly good,” maintains owner Billy Lucas. “It’s a big ol’ burrito filled with ancho-braised turkey breast, mashed potatoes, stuffing and jalapeño-cranberry salsa. It hits the spot!”
DiMeo’s creation on Bardea’s snack menu includes turkey confit, stuffing and red currant. “It’s a great balance between different textures and flavors,” he says. The chef is a fan of bao buns. Pronounced “bow,” it’s made from a sweet white dough.
In the Club
Before the turkey sub, there was the club sandwich, which is aptly named. Saratoga Club House in Saratoga Springs (Fla.) and the Union Club (N.Y.) claim its creation in the late 19th century. The latter served the sandwich with turkey or chicken and ham, which led to the belief that club stood for “chicken and lettuce under bacon.”
Modern diners would agree that layers should include toast, bacon, lettuce and tomato. If you want the real deal with turkey, head to Washington Street Ale House in Mid-town Brandywine, which serves the sandwich on country white bread. However, they’re easy to find at diners, sub shops, delis and casual eateries. Even Pat’s Pizza & Bistro near Claymont has a club.
To be sure, some restaurants push the envelope. Consider Pure Bread Deli’s Newfoundland, which has smoked bacon, pepperjack cheese, and chipotle mayonnaise on grilled cheddar bread, one of three creative turkey sandwiches.
Turkey Meet Beef
Although the club sandwich isn’t native to Nigeria, the country has embraced it, adding such novel ingredients as hardboiled eggs, sardines, cabbage and carrots. But the Nigerian sandwich is a sub with roast beef and turkey in the Philly area. (Primo’s Hoagies calls it an “Audie.”)
Gaudiello’s in Trolley Square, however, sticks to the Nigerian name. Turkey and beef are joined with lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, mayonnaise, olive oil, red wine vinaigrette, and American cheese. It’s not as popular as the Italian but has a devoted following, says owner Eric Huntley. “Sometimes, I see it with the addition of corned beef,” he adds.
Kentucky Comfort
The Hot Brown is to Kentucky what the lobster roll is to Maine, and it originated at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1926. Reportedly, guests wanted a late-night nosh after dinner and dancing, and the usual ham-and-egg combo wouldn’t cut it. So, chef Fred Schmidt put thick-cut turkey, bacon and tomatoes on Texas toast with Mornay sauce, a bechamel sauce with pecorino Romano cheese and nutmeg. The sandwich is still the star of the hotel, which serves up to 1,000 a week.
Donny Merrill at Skipjack makes a brie Mornay and stacks turkey, smoked bacon, tomato and spinach on sourdough bread instead of Texas toast.
Of Rachels and Reubens
A Rachel is a Reuben sandwich with creamy coleslaw instead of sauerkraut and turkey or chicken. Over the years, the definition has grown muddy, with some saying the Rachel can include pastrami; the coleslaw is the difference. Add avocado, and you turn it into a California Reuben or Rachel.
Lucky’s Coffee Shop in Talleyville makes a California Reuben with turkey, Swiss, avocado, coleslaw and Thousand Island dressing on grilled rye. On Maryland Avenue, Deerhead Hot Dogs is a destination for its turkey Reuben, as well as wieners, bathed in special sauce.
Diner Delight
The open-faced hot turkey sandwich, another classic, likely has roots in the Middle Ages, when thick slabs of bread served as edible plates.
In the 20th century, the turkey platter — with mashed potatoes and peas — became the ultimate comfort food and the darling of diners and family-friendly restaurants like Howard Johnson’s. For instance, Goober’s Diner in Wilmington features a platter with the day’s vegetables.
The frozen turkey dinner turned Swanson’s into a household name. (The Hungry-Man line is all that remains of the well-known brand.) The original foil-wrapped dinner had sections for sliced turkey over stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, peas and a square of “tangy cranberry sauce.”
If you want a fresh take on the turkey dinner, even in summer, drive to Theo’s Steak, Sides & Spirits in Rehoboth Beach, which sells Thanksgiving Dinner every day it’s open. Closer to Wilmington, Urban Kitchen in Price’s Corner also serves a classic turkey dinner — served with soup or salad and two veggies.
Savvy Substitute
For the most part, turkey is lower in saturated fat than beef. What’s more, fat-free, low-salt options are available. For those watching their weight and cholesterol, it’s a healthy option. The turkey quinoa bowl at Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House & Saloon is a salad with cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, sun-dried cherries, avocado, arugula and honey-goat cheese.
Bachetti’s Bros. on Kirkwood Highway makes a turkey Cubano, using low-salt, low-fat turkey instead of ham and pork. Similarly, Restaurant 55 in Dover uses turkey in its Cobb salad. Admittedly, that’s not a stretch — the traditional Cobb uses chicken. However, the turkey comes from nearby T.A. Farms, which also provides ground turkey for burger options.
The farm also makes turkey sausage links and patties, and most diners offer turkey as a substitute for pork breakfast meats. It’s hard to replicate traditional bacon with turkey, but it’s in the markets.
Turkey burgers are ubiquitous, and Two Stones Pub has had a turkey burger on the menu since it opened, although the toppings changed once. It comes with garlic mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onion and sharp cheddar cheese today. However, owner Mike Stiglitz says the sandwich has always been a two-patty option.
Why? The chef didn’t want to offer a 4- or 5-ounce patty, and anything larger would be a challenge for the kitchen.
“They have to be fully cooked all the way through, and you don’t want them to dry out,” he explains. By stacking two on a bun, the restaurant gives customers a satisfying meal and the kitchen an easier task.
Iron Hill Restaurant & Brewery has also boasted a turkey burger for, well, decades. The Left Coast includes guacamole, bacon, IPA, siracha, ranch, Monterey Jack cheese, and arugula on a potato roll.
Ground turkey’s texture makes it a popular substitute in other dishes usually made with beef. In Hockessin, for example, Doc’s Meat Market sells prepared turkey chili.
But one of the most interesting takes is Gary’s Dewey Beach Grill’s turkey cheesesteak. The unique sandwich is the bestselling item, and you can add Buffalo sauce if you wish.
Customer Jimmy Kirlin is a fan. “It’s chopped and seasoned,” he says. “It definitely has a different flavor than chicken, and you can taste the turkey. It’s really good how they do it!”
You’re not likely to see many steak shops following suit; the chicken cheesesteak has more appeal. But Gary’s, Bardea, and Capriotti’s are certainly giving turkey lovers something to gobble about.