Upper Peninsula sandwich reigns supreme
Celebrate National Sandwich Day: Nov. 3
October 30, 2024
New England has its lobster roll.
Philadelphia its cheesesteak.
San Francisco has its Dungeness crab sandwich on sourdough bread.
Michigan has its ‘official’ Reuben or ham sandwich. Popularized by Detroit auto workers, the sandwich is often served on a poppy seed bun with pickles, mustard, and Swiss cheese.
In the northern part of the State, Yoopers have their own delectable preference too—the Cudighi, pronounced Could-dig-hee, a not-so-ordinary Italian sausage sandwich introduced in the 1930s.
Sweet spices season the sausage to give it a slightly different twist than the Italian sausage with which people are most familiar. In addition to the Italian sausage, red pepper flakes, tomato sauce and mozzarella comprise this regional favorite, served on a hard roll and traditionally topped with mustard and onions.
“Michiganders work hard to keep traditions alive,” said Michigan resident and Enbridge Community Engagement Advisor Lauren Brown.
“We embrace what makes our region unique, and the Cudighi sandwich definitely merits celebration, especially by us Yoopers”
—Lauren Brown, Enbridge’s community engagement advisor in northern Michigan
Local food, local energy
The energy used to make the Cudighi sandwich relies on another Michigan staple—Enbridge Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac.
“Making just the right Cudighi sandwich takes a skilled sandwich maker supported by the energy that comes from Line 5,” said Brown.
“The natural gas liquids and light crude oil Line 5 transports safely each day is essential to the farming equipment that cultivates the grains for the rolls and the fuel that enables the trucks to deliver the meat, spices and toppings to the shops and stores.”
Extending well beyond a treasured Michigan sandwich, product transported through Line 5 meets more than 55 percent of the region’s propane needs. It also is key to manufacturing more than 6,000 items—from medicine and clothing to vehicles and phones.
Building the Great Lakes Tunnel
The role of Line 5 to the region reflects why 70 percent of Michiganders supports Enbridge’s construction of the Great Lakes Tunnel.
Constructed deep under the lakebed of the Straits, the Tunnel will house a replacement section of Line 5. Enbridge also is designing the tunnel to accommodate other utilities, such as cable that will expand broadband service and improve 911 call service in the Upper Peninsula.
“The tunnel will enable the region to continue to receive safely from Line 5 the energy on which it depends while protecting the Straits,” said Brown.
“Whether it is providing essential fuel and heat or helping to transport the ingredients for a Cudighi sandwich, we are proud of Line 5’s role in the region.”
On Nov. 3, take some time to enjoy a Cudighi and celebrate National Sandwich Day.
