Torta de la barda

Torta de la barda is a traditional sandwich originating from the city of Tampico. The base is a crusty white bread roll called telera, bolillo, pan blanco, birote, or pan francés, depending on the region. The rolls are filled with shredded beef, pork rinds in green salsa, refried beans, pork cheese head, thinly sliced ham, cheese, tomatoes, onions, avocado slices, and Mexican chorizo. The sandwich is stuffed with a large number of ingredients because it was originally sold to marine and train station workers in the early 1930s from small stands that were setlled along the fence (barda) of the Tampico Marine Terminal and near the train station. Nowadays, during Lent, the sandwich is prepared with canned sardines instead of the meat fillings.