Different Words for a Sandwich with Meat Cut from a Vertical Rotisserie

Last night, over a dinner of thinly-sliced lamb in a small, round piece of bread with tomatoes and onions, we wondered what we should call this sandwich. According to Wikipedia, here are our options:

  1. Gyros – this is the Greek term, ‘jeeros’, and the first time I had one at Drag’s Pizza in Rice Lake, WI about 15 years ago, I ordered a ‘yeero’ – no ‘s’. In Belgium, you’ll find french fries in the bottom of it.
  2. Döner – this is the Turkish term, and what I lived on in Germany. There, it’s served in fladenbrot with cabbage.
  3. Schwarma – is the Arabic word for it. I ate some of these while in German as well – I’m sure it depended on emigration. Of the 3, this seems like the easiest to pronounce correctly.

1 comment

  1. Marinated meat (commonly pork or chicken) cooked this way in Mexico or San Diego is called “al pastor”

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