Between two slices of bread

A meal is a wonderful thing. But, sometimes you don’t have time to sit down and enjoy. Or, maybe it’s just a bit cumbersome to have to deal with plates and utensils. Throughout history, people sought easier ways to get food into a body. One of the greatest inventions for this is the Sandwich. While other people had eaten meat or cheese with bread throughout history, it was a particular man, John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich who Gave it a name. Around the middle 1700’s he, allegedly, had a penchant for gambling, playing cribbage specifically. He requested his valet place some sliced roast beef between two slices of bread so he could continue playing without getting his cards greasy. Before long, the concept caught on, and the name sandwich stuck. At least he didn’t name it the Montagu. So, today we celebrate national sandwich day on his birthday.

Throughout the 19th century, with the industrial revolution, the sandwich became a must have with workers in factories, and spread to all classes of people. While the original sandwich was roast beef on bread, people learned to make due with whatever they had. It was simply a great way to eat on the go without sullying one’s clothes or appendages. And, they transported nicely. You could make a sandwich in the morning, carry it to work, and eat it whenever you wanted. Of course, this wasn’t the only portable meal. Pizza in Italy, hand pies in multiple regions, and preserved meats all served the portability factor well. But, the sandwich garnered international attention, and became a way for people to understand portable food better. When you see something like a calzone or burrito, you think: oh, that’s a variation on a sandwich.

Most anything works Between two slices of bread

The Earl of Sandwich had Roast beef between two slices of bread. But, once the concept of the sandwich caught on, it was fair game. In fact, the word sandwich is now a verb that transcends the medium of food. Beams on a bridge can be sandwiched. We sandwich appointments between each other during the day. And, legislators sandwich pork in between essential legislation to try to pass it before anyone figures out its in there. Still the best application of the word sandwich is for food. Thanks to innovations and creativity, we’ve come a long way from a slice of beef between two slices of bread. One of the most momentous inventions happened in 1928 when a jeweler from Iowa, one Otto Frederick Rohwedder, saw his 1912 invention of a machine to pre-slice bread put into commercial use by the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri.

To this day, people compare innovations to that day: the greatest thing since sliced bread. But, it’s not just sliced bread. There are rolls, buns, loaves, wraps, flatbreads, pocket breads, and more that make for a wide varieties of sandwiches. And, of course, the rebellious club sandwich, adding a third slice. So, today, you can make anything into a sandwich. Meats from all animals, seafood of all kinds, whether whole, chopped, sliced, or even pureed make sandwich fillings. Think sliced deli meats, Lobster rolls, Filet of fish sandwiches, Hummus and veggie pita wraps, and more. Hot, cold, or indifferent, encasing food in some form of bread or even other medium is a thing of beauty from peanut butter and jelly to a truffled pheasant and foie gras profriterole. The art of placing ingredients inside something to make it easier to enjoy the combinations is what life is all about.

Today, it doesn’t even have to be bread

Not too long ago, KFC launched a variation on a sandwich which was two pieces of chicken serving as the bread for bacon and sauce inside. While kind of suspect, this illustrates the flexibility of the sandwich. Lettuce wraps are another innovation, placing ingredients inside something other than bread. This is a great boon for people with food allergies such as gluten. And, it’s better than most gluten free breads. Even the concept of two slices is antiquated at this point. Wrapping things as a form of a sandwich saves on cutting, and makes for a fully self contained meal. Sandwich wraps are ubiquitous on menus these days. And, what are they? variations on a burrito. But, they are so much more. And, the type of wrap varies.

John Montagu and his cohorts of the time could never imagine what a sandwich could be today. They weren’t even aware of belegde broodje in the Netherlands: an open faced sandwich of beef on buttered bread which predated the sandwich by as much as a century. Luckily for us, the name sandwich beat out the Dutch name. That innovation was a derivative from the middle ages custom of using stale bread as a plate, then the bread soaked with the juices of the dinner would be served to dogs or peasants. These were all bread based innovations. Today, we get inspiration from cuisines across the globe. How about fried plantains instead of bread, like a Cuban Jibrato? Or, you could try cauliflower slices. Alternatively, you could make a bread from cauliflower and rice flour to avoid the gluten. How about eggplant or portabello mushrooms? Bread or not, sandwiches rule.

What else goes between two slices of bread?

While the possibilities are, seemingly, endless, for this celebration, it’s probably apropos to simplify things and stick closer to the original concept of the sandwich. Today is about reliving the days of John montagu. So, get ready for some dysentery, smallpox, and consumption. Perhaps a bit of e coli? Remember, they didn’t have refrigeration in those days. And, “science” wasn’t even aware of microorganisms in the food system. On second thought, the hell with it. Experiment. Play around. It’s Tuesday. Tacos are a kind of sandwich. Places like Arby’s and others can place sliced roast beef on a bun or between 2 slices of bread. But, at home, and in the rest of the world, the potential of the sandwich is mind boggling. Unlike its inventor, we have a whole world of influence to draw on.

For more traditional ideas, how about tea sandwiches? The is innovation brought the sandwich to an elite crowd. Or, the time tested grilled cheese sandwich. And, of course, we have the almighty cheeseburger.

So, to that end, here is a list of sandwich ideas, some traditional, some not so much. get ready to put things between other things and have a happy sandwich day (kind of like hump day, but tastier). Think of these as recipes without precise amounts since everyone has their own taste. I always think of sandwiches as more of a free form idea.

Some Sandwich ideas:

• Try our recipe here for a medianoche: Cuban sandwich of pulled pork, ham, cheese, pickles and hot peppers.
• Croque Monsieur: Ham and cheese with a bechemal (cream Sauce) baked with cheese on top to create a crispy cheesy crust
• Vietnamese banh mi: Spiced meat with pickled vegetables on Baguette.
• Thai Chicken Lettuce wraps: Saute ground chicken with garlic, ginger, onion, peppers, water chestnuts, honey, sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and peanut butter. Drizzle in Hoisin sauce and wrap in lettuce with chopped peanuts.
• Jibrato. Fry Plantains, Press then to make flat, like a flatbread. Fry again. Saute skirt steak with onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Sandwich between plantains with cheese, chipotle mayo, lettuce, and tomato.
• Vegan Hummus Wrap: Use a pita, naan, or lavash wrap. Fill with hummus, Sauteed peppers and onions, Fried chic peas, Tabouleh (chopped parsley, quinoa to make it gluten free or bulghur wheat, onion, tomato, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper), Lettuce, and tomato.