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Deli-Man

A documentary.  About Jewish people.  Specifically those that owned a Delicatessen (or Deli for short).  In  the USA.

An informal food purveyor or establishment with origins going back to the mass exodus of eastern Europeans to the United States to escape persecution.

People anywhere are nostalgic for what they leave behind whatever the circumstances.  So it was with the Jews.  They wanted to enjoy a taste of home.  They decide to open delis in the east coast - largely New York, NY where they first settled.  Matzah ball soup, babkas and corn beef were staples.

Some went on to become institutions like the Katz, or the Carnegie.  But the numbers dwindled steadily from the first war when there were thousands in the country to today where only a handful remain.  NY still leads in number of delis per capita.

The deli traditionally served kosher food (a style of preparing the meat served) to some being non kosher.  The most revered food in pop culture is the Corn Beef sandwich or the Pastrami sandwich.

Both are beef on rye with vinegar fermented cabbage called Slaw or Sauerkraut.  And mustard.

Simple yet very delectable.

I have had the corn beef sandwiches in NY and they were tasty.  But I recently found a good pastrami (the meat is smoked vs boiled) here in the bay area at the Refuge.

Refuge in San Carlos has good pastrami sandwich.  Bit spendy but the sandwich can really  fill you up.  Add a good crunchy pickle I am set.

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