Bauru

Bauru is a hot Brazilian sandwich made with French bread, roast beef, tomato, pickles and melted mozzarella. It takes its name from the São Paulo state city of the student who made it famous in the 1930s.

History

The sandwich is traditionally linked to 1934 and Ponto Chic, a well-known eatery and student hangout in São Paulo. According to the best-documented account, a law student from the Faculdade de Direito do Largo de São Francisco, nicknamed Bauru because he came from that city in the state of São Paulo, walked into the restaurant and asked the cook to prepare a sandwich to his specifications. Casimiro Pinto Neto is also named as the creator in some accounts, though the attribution is not fully settled.

The sandwich was an immediate success and became the best-selling dish at the restaurant. Many other establishments began selling their own "Bauru" with different fillings, such as ham instead of roast beef, or with sliced bread instead of French bread. To safeguard the traditional version, the city of Bauru later codified the recipe in a municipal law and introduced a validation programme, which is not an official certification.

Culture

Bauru is part of everyday life in Brazil, especially in the southeast, where it is eaten in bars, cafés and places people pass through. Its reputation has drawn praise from writers, musicians, artists and politicians, who have publicly said they enjoy it. Variations are common: the French bauru uses Gruyère and Dijon mustard, the Italian one uses Parma ham and sun-dried tomato, the American one adds lettuce, and the gaúcho version uses picanha roast beef and Emmental. It remains one of the most recognisable preparations in Brazilian cuisine.