A type of sandwich made with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian or Thousand Island dressing on rye bread, typically grilled.
The sandwich's origin is debated, but it's likely named after a deli or person in early 20th-century America, possibly after the artist Peter Paul Rubens, though the connection is uncertain. It became popular in New York delis in the 1920s-1930s.
The Reuben sandwich is mysteriously named—no one's entirely sure why a classic American deli sandwich is called Rubens, whether it's after the artist, a restaurant owner, or someone's lost to history, making it one of food's fun unsolved mysteries.
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