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Bob Jacobson: The Tongue Sandwich, Baltimore
In 2020 and early 2021, the Peale participated in the Lexington Market Public History Initiative in an effort to collect stories and memories about the world-famous Lexington Market as the market itself prepared for a redesign and reopening. The initiative’s core partners were Baltimore Heritage, Baltimore Public Markets Corporation, Lexington Market, Inc., Market Center Community Development Corporation, Seawall, and the Peale, and the work was partially enabled by a Pathways Grant from the Maryland Center for History and Culture. This project was financed in part by the Maryland Center for History and Culture’s Thomas V. “Mike” Miller History Fund.
Bob Jacobson(00:00): So I have one story about that relates to food. So, I'm originally from Providence, Rhode Island, and I moved to Baltimore in 1973 to go to the University of Maryland School of Social Work, which is a few blocks from Lexington market. And I went there quite often on lunch breaks. I really fell in love with the place, but the first time I went there in fall of '73... I used to enjoy tongue sandwiches when I was a kid. We had them just once in a while, it's kind of like a less expensive version of corn beef. And I never thought about what tongue was.
Bob Jacobson(00:44): So I went to this deli in Lexington Market and on my first trip there, Oh, actually second trip. When I first arrived here, a friend who I went to college with, who was from Baltimore, gave me a tour of Baltimore, including Lexington market. And I remember we bought some shrimp. This is my first trip alone. So I went to this deli and I saw that they had tongue on the menu. So I said, "Oh, I haven't had this in so long. I'm going to get it."
Bob Jacobson(01:13): So, I ordered a tongue sandwich and the clerk goes to the case and grabs out this immense tongue. It's like, I don't know, a foot long at least. This huge pink thing, it's stiff as a board, and puts it on the slicer. And I'm already thinking, "Oh my God, what? Oh, that's what a tongue is? Oh, no." So I had this sandwich but I can't say I really enjoyed it because the whole time I'm thinking about this big cow that gave up its tongue and that was the last tongue sandwich I had in my life.
Asset ID: 9109
Photo courtesy of Bob Jacobson
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By The PealeIn 2020 and early 2021, the Peale participated in the Lexington Market Public History Initiative in an effort to collect stories and memories about the world-famous Lexington Market as the market itself prepared for a redesign and reopening. The initiative’s core partners were Baltimore Heritage, Baltimore Public Markets Corporation, Lexington Market, Inc., Market Center Community Development Corporation, Seawall, and the Peale, and the work was partially enabled by a Pathways Grant from the Maryland Center for History and Culture. This project was financed in part by the Maryland Center for History and Culture’s Thomas V. “Mike” Miller History Fund.
Bob Jacobson(00:00): So I have one story about that relates to food. So, I'm originally from Providence, Rhode Island, and I moved to Baltimore in 1973 to go to the University of Maryland School of Social Work, which is a few blocks from Lexington market. And I went there quite often on lunch breaks. I really fell in love with the place, but the first time I went there in fall of '73... I used to enjoy tongue sandwiches when I was a kid. We had them just once in a while, it's kind of like a less expensive version of corn beef. And I never thought about what tongue was.
Bob Jacobson(00:44): So I went to this deli in Lexington Market and on my first trip there, Oh, actually second trip. When I first arrived here, a friend who I went to college with, who was from Baltimore, gave me a tour of Baltimore, including Lexington market. And I remember we bought some shrimp. This is my first trip alone. So I went to this deli and I saw that they had tongue on the menu. So I said, "Oh, I haven't had this in so long. I'm going to get it."
Bob Jacobson(01:13): So, I ordered a tongue sandwich and the clerk goes to the case and grabs out this immense tongue. It's like, I don't know, a foot long at least. This huge pink thing, it's stiff as a board, and puts it on the slicer. And I'm already thinking, "Oh my God, what? Oh, that's what a tongue is? Oh, no." So I had this sandwich but I can't say I really enjoyed it because the whole time I'm thinking about this big cow that gave up its tongue and that was the last tongue sandwich I had in my life.
Asset ID: 9109
Photo courtesy of Bob Jacobson