Lobster Roll Or Italian? Which Should Be Maine’s State Sandwich?

Oh, the choices we have to make.

There may or may not be a bill submitted to the Maine State Legislature for consideration next year, that could be decided when a panel of 10 politicians meets to take a look at that along with 329 other proposals.

But of course, food is always top of mind, most of the time at least, and we hear that Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitellia, a Democrat from Arrowsic, would like one of those proposals to become a bill, one that would make the lobster roll the official state sandwich of Maine.

During the warm season months, both tourists and locals alike will drive miles and miles for a sweet-tasting lobster roll, which of course is basically a toasted hot dog roll stuffed with lobster and seasoned with mayonnaise. Everyone and their brother knows that lobster is synonymous with Maine, the two go hand in claw. So, it makes sense that the lobster roll should be the State sandwich.

Or, does it? There may be another contender. The Italian sandwich.

Now before you say, "get the heck out of here, that's bologna."  First off it's ham we're talking about here. Ham, cheese, tomatoes, onions, and whatever else your heart desires stuffed into a submarine sandwich roll and served up with oil, mayonnaise, or mustard.

The Italian sandwich was born in Maine. Anyone from Portland can tell you that.

In 1899 an Italian by the name of Giovanni Amato started making the sandwiches at his shop and sold them to workers throughout the city. Nowadays, there are Amato's restaurants and sandwich kiosks all over Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts.

Seeing as how we'll probably be hearing a whole lot about this in the future (remember the Moxie and Whoopie Pie things?), we may as well get a head start.  Tell us what you think.