America's Favorite Post-Thanksgiving Tradition Is in Danger of Disappearing. You May Be Part of the Problem.

"Confit turkey thighs. Roasted sweet potatoes. Creamed spinach casserole. You've seen this all before as examples of standard Thanksgiving fare. However, what I'm listing here are not the dishes that will be on my table on Thursday but the filling of a specialty Thanksgiving sandwich from the highly esteemed Philadelphia sandwich shop Middle Child. The creation, dubbed the Turkey Dip, comes with all of that layered atop orange-cranberry-sauced bread and is paired with a side of gravy."

"Middle Child consistently serves up interesting twists on comforting classics, and it's not the only upscale sandwich shop trying to move in on Turkey Day territory. Edith's in New York has been selling the Carmela for three years, North Buena Deli in Chicago is known for its Thanksgiving special, and Mendocino Farms in California has one called November to Remember, to name a few. Just two years ago, Stephanie Farr went around Philly to try seven different Thanksgiving hoagies for the Inquirer."

"Nowadays, as sandwich shops have become one of the more hyped genres of city eateries, many of these specials are selling out faster than you can say "gobble gobble." That's all well and good for these restaurants' bottom lines, but is it good for us? Forgive me for not sticking with the gratitude of the season, but when it comes to this particular seasonal food fad, I've got a wishbone to pick."

Specialty sandwich shops are packaging classic Thanksgiving fillings—confit turkey, roasted sweet potatoes, creamed spinach, orange-cranberry sauce—into seasonal sandwiches often served with gravy. Regional shops such as Middle Child in Philadelphia, Edith's in New York, North Buena Deli in Chicago, and Mendocino Farms in California offer branded Thanksgiving sandwiches that regularly sell out. The trend leverages the cultural love for holiday flavors and the particular joy of leftover sandwiches. As these upscale eateries monetize seasonal nostalgia, many people question whether the commercialization diminishes the pleasure and ritual of homemade post-Thanksgiving sandwiches.

Read at Slate Magazine