Medianoche: The Cubano's Hot Sister

We can only hope you know the joys of the Cuban sandwich, or Cubano. It's a variation on the classic ham and cheese sandwich that's so universally appealing. All griddled together are thin slices of juicy roast pork, salty ham, sour dill pickles, tangy yellow mustard and sharp Swiss cheese, regardless of politics, to form a crispy, melty, panini-like creation.

The telltale difference between the Cubano and the medianoche (besides the fact that one means Cuban dude and one means "midnight," the hour at which this sandwich is typically served) is the bread. While Cubanos are typically fashioned on Cuban bread (a crisp, baguette-like loaf whose secret weapon is lard), the elusive medianoche is constructed on sweet, eggy bread similar to challah. The pillowy texture and rich flavor of the bread rounds out the saltiness of the pig products and nicely complements the cheese's mild nuttiness. Plus, Dexter likes them. How do you argue with that?