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A Brief History of the Local Delicatessen | Federal Industries

Written by Federal Industries | Oct 7, 2020 3:45:00 PM

It's one of life's great pleasures: a freshly-prepared deli sandwich. The meat is cured in-house and sliced on the spot, the bread is often baked onsite, and the staff behind the counter use extra TLC — and seemingly, magic — to prepare custom made-to-order sandwiches. Somehow, deli sandwiches simply taste better. 

That concept translates to other traditional deli foods, as well. The dishes are incredibly humble, yet are enjoyed throughout the world. Take, for example, knishes, matzo ball soup, cabbage rolls, and macaroons. These are all foods you find in delis virtually anywhere on Earth, and they always seem to have that "extra something." 

Most people don't even pause to think when asked about their favorite spot for pastrami on rye, but widespread knowledge of how delis began isn't nearly as straightforward. For starters, do you know where the word delicatessen comes from? It's derived from both the German delicatessen, meaning "fine foods" or "delicacies," and the French delicatessen, meaning "fanciness." Saveur explains it best by saying delicatessen "loosely translates as 'delicious things to eat'." 

Humble Beginnings

The original delicatessen was founded in 1700 in Munich, Germany, when foodservice company Dallmayr started importing foreign fruits and coffee from other countries. Then, in the post-Civil War 1870s, Jewish immigrants, primarily from eastern European countries, flocked to the United States — and they brought their delis with them. 

The first U.S. delis were simple mom-and-pop shops that served up little more than sausages and other cured and smoked meats. Fascinatingly, while the delis all had Jewish roots, their specific offerings were unique to the European region the owners were from. For example, delis run by German immigrants were notorious for their frankfurters, while the Russian delis specialized in blintzes.

Interestingly, delicatessen and the term "deli" originally referred to the foods themselves, not the shops selling them. Deli as a place didn't begin until the concept was well-rooted in American soil.  

Delis became family businesses, passed from generation to generation, particularly in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region. Most of the original immigrants settled in major cities like New York and Philadelphia, but as their families grew and their children had children, many immigrant families began to move away from city centers. By the 1930s, delis were wildly popular in communities like Brooklyn and Harlem, as well as suburbs of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. There was one on seemingly every corner, each serving its own neighborhood. People just couldn't get enough of the convenience and quick, friendly service delis offered. 

Modern-Day Delis

Gradually, deli menus expanded beyond their owners' eastern European roots and began to incorporate American influences. For example, pastrami originated in eastern Europe as dried, jerky-type meat most often served on its own. It was Jewish American deli owners who developed a way to make the meat softer and then began serving it hot in sandwich form.

Today, the classic deli has become a foodservice category of its own and the term "deli" refers to many things. There are several original delis that still have lines out the door every morning, like NYC's Katz's Deli and Factor's Famous in L.A., but they're no longer strictly standalone businesses. Nearly all grocery stores — even small ones — have a deli section, and it's not at all uncommon to find delis that are also gourmet bakeries or even wine shops. 

For many, delis represent tradition and heritage. The modern deli serves as a type of community, and people take great pride and comfort in both patronizing and running them.

Although deli foods are fairly simple, it's absolutely essential that they are kept fresh and displayed beautifully. Federal Industries' deli cases are ideally suited to do exactly that. The open, frameless design allows delis to merchandise their freshly-prepared foods while also creating a welcoming, engaging environment for customers, and the climate-controlled cases prevent foods from discoloring or dehydrating. 

Contact us to learn more about Federal's versatile and customizable engineer-designed deli cases and to schedule your free merchandiser equipment assessment.