Delaware's signature Bobbie sandwich could have been the 'Winona'
When it comes to iconic Delaware sandwiches, it's pretty hard to top the Bobbie.
The famed Capriotti's sub, made with slow-roasted, pulled turkey, cranberry sauce, homemade stuffing and a schmear of mayonnaise on a freshly baked roll, was introduced 40 years ago to the public at the chain's flagship shop on Wilmington's North Union Street.
One bite of this magical concoction and it's been witch craft ever since.
Many longtime Delawareans already know the Bobbie's history, but since today is National Sandwich Day, let us refresh your memory.
The Bobbie, also known as Thanksgiving on a roll, gets its name from a family member of Capriotti founders Lois and Alan Margolet.
When the brother and sister opened their first store in the city's Little Italy neighborhood in 1976, they wanted to re-create a beloved sandwich that was served to them by their Aunt Bobbie.
Bobbie was married to the Margolets' uncle John Capriotti. "Her real name was Winona, but she hated that name," Alan Margolet jokingly told The News Journal in 2005.
(And, somehow, we think a sandwich named the Winona might not have been as popular as the Bobbie.)
The day after Thanksgiving, the Margolets would visit their aunt and uncle at their Baltimore home. Aunt Bobbie, now deceased, would build her famous sandwiches with Thanksgiving leftovers. Lois Margolet loved the sandwich so much, she decided to put her aunt's creation on the menu of the original Wilmington sandwich shop.
It became an instant hit. And, 40 years later, it remains the shop's signature sandwich.
The Capriotti's chain began a march westward in 1993 with outposts in Las Vegas. And as it the Bobbie gained national exposure, kudos poured in. There are now more than 100 company-owned and franchise Capriotti's locations in 16 states.
The Bobbie has been spotlighted in Esquire magazine and on the Food Network, and in 2009 AOL.com named it "The Greatest Sandwich in America."
There also are celebrity admirers. Vice President Joe Biden visited the first Capriotti's Sandwich Shop in Washington, D.C., when it opened in 2013. Actor Kal Penn made a point of trying the Bobbie at the Capriotti's off Basin Road near New Castle when he visited Delaware to talk at the University of Delaware.
To celebrate National Sandwich Day on Thursday, the Capriotti’s locations in Middletown and Smyrna will be offering the Bobbie for only $4.
Sorry, these are the only Delaware locations offering Bobbie discounts on Nov. 3.
Why these two stores?
"They wanted to show these two stores a little extra love with the promotion," said a public relations spokesman for the Capriotti's chain.
The Subway chain also is offering a National Sandwich Day deal on Thursday. Customers who buy a sub and drink at the chain will get a free sub of equal or lesser price. No takeouts. The promotion is eat-in only.
The website, gobankingrates.com, has created a list of 18 sandwiches places offering discounts. Visit www.gobankingrates.com/personal-finance/cheap-national-sandwich-day-2016/.
Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico