Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

East Village's Porchetta Sends Manhattan's 'Best Sandwich' to Troops in Afghanistan

By DNAinfo Staff on March 1, 2010 8:09am  | Updated on March 1, 2010 1:35pm

A porschetta sandwich: fatty, moist slices of pork roast on a ciabatta roll.
A porschetta sandwich: fatty, moist slices of pork roast on a ciabatta roll.
View Full Caption
Flickr/istolethetv

By Suzanne Ma

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

EAST VILLAGE — Marine Sgt. Eric Rankin was a long way from Manhattan when he first bit into one of Sara Jenkins' boneless pork roast sandwiches on a ciabatta roll.

Rankin, who was stationed at an allied forces base in Afghanistan, was so impressed with the Porchetta (pronounced por-ket-ta) sandwich that he e-mailed its East Village-based creator immediately.

"Thank you SOOOOO much for the Porchetta," Rankin wrote. "I’ve never had anything like it and it was delicious. It was so good, as a matter of fact, I didn't just come back for seconds, but also thirds and fourths."

Jenkins shipped 150 pounds of the savory Italian pork roast from her small East Village storefront to 300 Marines serving at Camp Bastion in south-western Afghanistan.

The special delivery to the troops was the culmination of an international coalition of food lovers, and more than a month of coordination.

Sara Jenkins' storefront at 110 E. 7th St. in the East Village.
Sara Jenkins' storefront at 110 E. 7th St. in the East Village.
View Full Caption
Flickr/wallyg

It all began Jan. 7, when Jenkins got an e-mail from Master Sergeant Robert Bergmann of the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron, who had found her simply by googling "best sandwich."

He asked Jenkins if there was any way she could ship her famous pork sandwich to his Marines.

"I had previously shipped out, at Christmas, a Porchetta roast to some people in Kentucky," Jenkins said. "So it certainly was possible. But I sort of realized it was more wishful thinking on their part. They probably didn't have the money to order up these sandwiches."

So she got on the phone, and called her meat purveyor, DeBragga and Spitler, who got the Niman Ranch to donate the pork. The Sullivan St. Bakery was happy to provide ciabatta rolls and the National Pork Board pitched in, too.

They had originally arranged for FedEx to deliver the sandwiches, but when Haiti was struck by February's devastating earthquake, FedEx pulled out.

"It was dead in the water," Jenkins said, until they called the people at DHL, who were happy to oblige.

Jenkins and her staff then cooked sixteen roasts. When the meat cooled, they froze and packed it in Styrofoam boxes lined with frozen gel packs. As it traveled across land and sea, Jenkins worried how the precious cargo would survive the trip.

"I was thinking, 'Oh my God, they're going to get a steaming pile of rotting meat!'" said Jenkins.

Five days and 8,000 miles later, the pork arrived intact on Feb. 17. To Jenkins' relief, the soldiers said the core of the roast was still frozen.

The Marines followed Jenkins' e-mailed instructions on how to prepare the meat: Re-heat slowly, until the roast has an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Then slice the pork, and serve some lean, some fatty and some crispy skin together.

It wasn't long before Jenkins received replies in her inbox.

"I’m stationed in California, but I plan on taking a trip to New York so I’ll try to look you up and bring some friends," wrote Cpl. Jesse Brent. "We gave some to the wounded Marines here as well. I don’t know if they got to try it, but I’m sure for those of them that did, it probably made their day."

Jenkins said she hoped other New York City chefs would try sending food to the troops.

"I think everyone should be encouraged to send a little love and care," she said.