The Art of a Sandwich

               Sandwich Day

Hip Hip Hooray! 

On November tre 

It was National Sandwich Day. 

Okay, 

Now they’ll say, 

Enough all-re-day 

Of your lous-say 

Poet-tray 

Guess I should leave the poetry to the fantastic poets on the site. Now, let’s move on to a topic near and dear to my heart (or stomach) … FOOD!

What is a sandwich?

A sandwich is a food item consisting of two or more pieces of bread, or a split roll with meat, cheese, or other filling between them.

For example: Ham snd Swiss on a Kaiser roll; PB&J on white bread or a Corned Beef Ruben on rye are sandwiches. Self explanatory, correct?

Hmmmm. What about pizza. Is pizza a sandwich? 

Essentially, no. It’s one piece of open bread. But for those who fold their pizza (and only the Lord knows why you would fold a slice of pizza) then the argument can be made it would then classify as a sandwich. Personally, I don’t buy that. 

To quote, Mr. T … “I pity the fool”, who folds their pizza! I agree with Mr. T. Sorry all you folders.

Is a Hot Dog a sandwich?

Quite the conundrum as it turned out years ago when it was up for debate. Then the language experts Merriam-Webster landed a verdict: YES, a hot dog IS a sandwich. True to the definition … “two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between”

Types of Sandwiches

In the United States (I’m classifying the U.S. since FanStory is worldwide) we make some pretty delicious sandwiches. The cheesesteak and sloppy joe are American classics. Then there is a muffuletta or Monte Cristo. We love our Po boys, grilled cheese and BBQ pulled pork, too. However, we can't forget some of these other absolutely delicious options:

• BLT -  Bacon, lettuce & Tomato on toasted white bread with mayonnaise.
• Club -  This classic sandwich is comprised of 3 types of meat (ham, turkey, and bacon), lettuce, tomato, and cheddar. These are stacked between 3 slices of toasted bread. It may seem tedious, but it's what makes this sandwich absolutely packed with flavor.
• Dagwood -  includes the following ingredients: three slices of deli bread, Genoa salami, ham, pepperoni, turkey, cheddar cheese, provolone, lettuce, tomato, roasted red bell peppers, banana peppers, red onion, deli mustard, and low calorie mayonnaise. For those of you familiar with the cartoon strip “Blondie”, her husband, Dagwood would make a sandwich, which in the comic strip appeared 12-16 inches tall. 
• French Dip - Slow-cooked chick roast in beef broth and onions until perfectly melt in your mouth tender. It’s set on a crusty roll and dipped in the juices for the perfect sandwich!
• Peanut Butter and Jelly - we all know this one. 
• Pilgrim -  It was a traditional way of using up leftover food from Thanksgiving Day and thus is composed essentially of bread slices or a bap, into which are placed sliced roast turkey, cranberries or cranberry sauce and cheddar cheese.

Before being known as sandwiches, this food combination was known as "bread and meat" or "bread and cheese".  A pretty bland designation, wouldn’t you say? 

To change that fundamental understanding of sandwiches, I would like to share a few of my artisanal sandwiches: 

(1). Morta-tella Stage Show

On Rosemary Focaccia bread - thinly sliced mortadella, Stracciatella, heirloom tomatoes, crushed pistachios and olive oil.

FYI- Stracciatella, a.k.a. Burrata, is shreds of Fresh Mozzarella soaked in sweet cream. 

(2). Heavens to Roast Beef

On Sun-dried Tomato Focaccia bread - thinly sliced roast beef, truffle spread, birista, arugula and heirloom tomato. 

FYI - Birista are thinly sliced onion deep fried to a golden brown and become fragrant and crisp. 

          Truffle spread is a savory and earthy blend of summer truffles with button mushrooms, parsley, and olive oil with a pesto-like consistency.

(3). The Grandfather - 

On a Ciabatta roll; Prosciutini, capicola, sharp provolone cheese served with raddichio, tomato, and pesto mayonnaise and marinated artichoke hearts. 

 Note : I coarsely chop the marinated artichoke hearts and thinly layer it between the meats and cheese.

If you would like to take sandwich making to whole new level, simply include edible gold leaf. A sheet of edible gold could cost as much as $50, depending on the carats. Unlike other expensive ingredients or garnishes—like caviar—edible gold adds nothing to a meal other than, quite literally, dollar signs.

For a more reasonably priced method- How would I spice up my sandwich routine?

Simple. Visit your local deli and try different meats and cheeses for your sandwiches. Skip the iceberg lettuce and mix it up with butterhead, romaine, arugula, or radicchio. You can also add seasonings to your spread. If you like mayo, add some garlic, lime juice, and sriracha for something different. Substitute the mayo for avocado seasoned with a garlic herb mix.

The opportunities are endless. Try something unique. You know your palette. Think out of the box and don’t be afraid.  

Happy sandwich making. Trust me, it’s a lot of fun…