One Of Frank Sinatra's Favorite Foods Was A Packed-Lunch Staple

Frank Sinatra's culinary preferences were one thing the legendary singer was never shy about expressing. From his love for everything on the menu at Patsy's in New York (but especially their veal Milanese) to his distinctive preference for a martini on the rocks, the man known for hits like "My Way" knew what 'his way' was when it came to food and drink. Even when he was on the road touring, Sinatra would ask for a platter of assorted deli sandwiches to be placed in his dressing room for snacking and feeding guests. But his absolute favorite snack wasn't a sandwich so much as it was sandwich ingredients, specifically cold cuts.

In an interview with Tasting Table, Chef Theo Schoenegger, who cooked for Sinatra himself and now works as the Executive Chef at a Vegas restaurant themed around the star, said that whatever larger meal Sinatra was having, "He always had to have cold cuts to start with." In particular, Schoenegger says, Sinatra loved prosciutto di Parma, a classic type of Italian cured ham, although his affinity wasn't solely to prosciutto but to cold cuts more generally.

While many people consider cold cuts exclusively as a sandwich staple, they can be served as a solo dish either as an appetizer or a small meal. While a full spread of cold cuts (often served with bread, cheese, and fruit) can be reminiscent of the French tradition of charcuterie boards, Sinatra's cold cuts were a starter. Given his strong affinity for Italian food, from fried artichokes at the beginning of a meal to lemon ricotta torte at the end, he would likely have preferred an Italian-style cold cut appetizer.

You can make one yourself, sometimes called an antipasto platter, by assembling cold cuts like SInatra's beloved prosciutto alongside salami, mortadella, and pepperoni. Add a few Italian cheeses like fresh mozzarella or a wedge of nutty parmesan and garnish with bread, crackers, and Italian-style pickled or marinated vegetables like sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and marinated mushrooms. Antipasto platters are great for sharing, but you can also enjoy one all to yourself, and Sinatra would likely approve either way.

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