I was having lunch with a friend recently. I ordered my usual burger and she ordered a “french dip” sandwich. For those of you who are not familiar with this, a french dip sandwich, also known as a beef dip, is a hot sandwich consisting of thinly sliced roast beef on a “french roll” or baguette. It is most commonly served au jus, that is, with a few ounces of beef juice collected during cooking. The au jus is usually served in a small cup on the side and the sandwich is dipped as it is eaten. I thought that this seems like a lot of trouble when the juice could be just poured over the top. As it turns out that was the way the original sandwich was invented.

In 1918 in Los Angeles, a French immigrant named Philippe Mathieu was preparing a sandwich for a policeman who came into his sandwich shop. When the french roll for the sandwich was accidentally dropped into the pan juices, the policeman said he'd eat it anyway. The policeman liked it so much that he returned the next day with some friends who wanted to try the sandwich that was “dipped” into the meat juices. Actually the french dip is not French at all. The roll is french and the inventor was French, but I'm sure few Parisiens have ever heard of it.

Most people think of the french dip as pertaining only to a beef sandwich on a long white roll that has been dipped into pan juices. However, roast pork, lamb, turkey and ham, are also french-dipped with their pan juices, and at Philippe's customers are asked to choose whether they want them “single dipped” or “double dipped.” This restaurant has been in business since 1908.

You can make a french dip sandwich at home. You can either use your own family recipe for a pot roast, pork roast or any other roast. You can also purchase your deli meat and create a wonderful meal that way as well.

There are many variations on the french dip and one that is typically American is the Texas dip. It is smoked beef brisket on a toasted french bread with barbecue dipping sauce. I'm sure you can come up with your own variations and combinations. I have included two recipes. One that is easy to do and quite delicious, using deli meat. The second uses a slow cooker to cook the meat to just-right tenderness. Whichever you use, you can serve a true french dip to all of your friends and family during the cold winter nights. C'est si bon.

This column has been a collaborative effort between Auburn natives chef Max Hitchcock and his mother, Susan Silverman. They can be reached at Birdscapes@adelphia.net

French Dip Sandwiches, a slow-cooker version

1 (4 pound) boneless beef roast

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 beef bouillon cube

1 bay leaf

3 whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon garlic powder

20 slices french bread

Remove and discard all visible fat from the roast. Place trimmed roast in a slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, bouillon, bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme and garlic powder. Pour mixture over roast, and add enough water to almost cover roast. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 to 12 hours or until meat is very tender.

Remove meat from broth, reserving broth. Shred meat with a fork and distribute on bread for sandwiches. Used reserved broth for dipping.

French Dip Sandwich

Makes 4 sandwiches

2 tablespoons butter

1 shallot, chopped

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 jigger dry sherry, optional

2 cans beef consomme, found on broth and soups aisle or beef broth

1 1/2 pounds deli sliced roast beef

Grill seasoning blend for steak, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning Blend or coarse salt and pepper

4 torpedo sandwich rolls, split

In a large, shallow skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add shallots to butter and saute 2 minutes. Add flour to butter and shallot and cook a minute longer. Whisk in sherry and cook liquid out. Whisk in consomme in a slow stream. Bring sauce to a bubble and allow to simmer over low heat until ready to serve sandwiches.

Pile meat loosely across your cutting board or a large work surface. Season meat with grill seasoning or salt and black pepper. Set out four ramekins or small soup cups for dipping sauce, four dinner plates and four split torpedo rolls. To assemble, using a pair of kitchen tongs, dip meat into loose au jus sauce and pile into rolls. Set ramekins or cups with extra dipping sauce along side the sandwiches.

- From Rachel Ray of the Food Network