Glenn Lindgren: What makes a true Cuban sandwich is the exact combination of ingredients. It's a very simple recipe: pickles, pork, ham, cheese, and bread. The pork adds the Cuban touch as it is slow roasted with plenty of mojo, a delicious citrus and garlic marinade.

Raúl Musibay: To make the traditional toasted and flattened Cuban sandwich, restaurants use a special press, called a plancha -- think Panini press without the ridges. What makes the Cuban sandwich great is that they are pressed between the two hot plates of the plancha. You end up with a sandwich that is thin, hot, crispy, and oozing delicious melted cheese.

Glenn Lindgren: No plancha at your place? No problem! We've had great success pressing them on a griddle with a bacon press, or heavy cast iron pan. Many home cooks use a brick wrapped in aluminum foil.

Raúl Musibay: Of course there is only one bread that works best, and that's Cuban bread. If you can't get your hands on any, a fresh loaf of French bread can be substituted, with less than ideal results -- but hey, if you're hungry enough... Ideally, you need a loaf that is crusty on the outside and soft in the middle.

Jorge Castillo: Never use a baguette, which is too narrow and too hard to press correctly!

Glenn Lindgren: The best Cuban sandwich places in the country use a variety of Cuban bread , called "pan de agua." This bread is longer and thinner than a typical bakery loaf and slightly under baked so that when it arrives from the bakery the crust is only lightly browned. This allows the sandwich to spend more time on the plancha without getting overly brown. The result is a sandwich that is golden brown and crunchy.

Raúl Musibay: Desperation is the mother of invention, and when you really want a Cuban sandwich, you will use whatever bread you can find!

Glenn Lindgren: When away from Miami, I have used everything from an Italian loaf to a hoagie roll. Another option that works very well is Mexican bolillo bread. It makes a smaller, medianoche sized sandwich. Finally, if you have a Jimmy John's franchise in your area, stop in and buy a loaf or two of their bread to go. The bread is very similar to a pan de agua, and compresses nicely. Jimmy John's sells day-old loaves for 50 cents and most locations will sell you a freshly baked loaf for a dollar. Ask!

Jorge Castillo: The same ingredients used in the Cuban sandwich are also used on a smaller bread made from a sweeter egg dough and called a "medianoche" or "midnight" sandwich. The smaller version was designed to be a midnight snack, and that's how it got its name!

Raúl Musibay: In Tampa, they add Genoa salami to their Cuban sandwiches! That is something you won't find on a Cuban sandwich anywhere else!

Jorge Castillo: Only in Tampa!

Glenn Lindgren: In the early days of Ybor City, where the Cuban sandwich was popularized, the only ethnic group as numerous as the Cubans were the Italians. So it's understandable that there was a little blending of the two cultures, at least when it came to Genoa Salami on a Cuban sandwich.

Jorge Castillo: One thing is certain. Once you've had a Cuban sandwich, you'll crave them forever!