The first time I watched my husband make a sandwich, I almost fainted. He managed to put half a pound of lunch meat, and a small salad in between two slices of bread, and my eyes popped wide open the next day when he added cheese to it.
We had a rather small budget back then, and I knew, I had to show him how it was done the right way. And why was he using toast as bread?
Everything about his way of making his lunch was just wrong.
Where I come from, there were no sandwiches, just two slices of bread that were held together with butter. We actually called it a “Butterbrot” (Buttered bread) and often it was accompanied by an apple.
When we grew older, we opened our lunch at school and found pieces of lunch meat or Braunschweiger in between the bread. Some days there was even cheese, but that was rather rare.
Sandwiches or the buttered bread have been around since Roman times, of course in different styles and variations, depending on what area in this world they were made and eaten.
John Montagu, fourth Earl of Sandwich and British first Lord of the Admiralty during the American Revolution gave the sandwich it’s official name.
He was a notorious gambler and often refused to leave the gaming tables -even for meals. Once in 1762, he spent 24 straight hours gambling. He ordered sliced meats and cheeses served between pieces of bread.
This method, which allowed him to eat with one hand and gamble with the other, had long been his trademark. With this infamous episode, the famous food of children, workers, and midnight snackers was established forever as THE SANDWICH.
As for my husband, there was no teaching him. He instead showed me how it was done and I said goodbye to my old, beloved buttered bread.
You and my dad must have had similar German backgrounds, as his sandwiches were a lot like yours.
Love bread and butter – although these days I too dont eat sandwiches that often. Well, maybe a grilled cheese here and there made with grain bread. My downfall was always the heel of an Italian bread dipped in grandmas sauce – or was it called gravy?
I would have been amazed if you’d convinced him that bread and butter constituted a sandwich, annd I’m not surprised that you lost that battle. My mother used to make similar European sandwiches but she’d put some sugar in there too. Dentists everywhere were groaning! Lol.
A sugar bread…I remember it so well. Also, there was a mustard bread for the ones like me, who didn’t like the sweet bread.
I thought you might be able to relate, Bridget. My mom never served mustard bread. But the sugar bread was a real treat. 😀
I was going to tell you about Dagwood but Embeecee beat me to it.
I’m not a huge sandwich fan and don’t eat them very often. I remember the AWFUL sandwiches from my school days in my bag lunch – warm luncheon meat between 2 slices of soggy bread. GAG!
To this day, I have to be REALLY hungry to eat a sandwich with deli meat in it … and that sandwich better be freshly made.
Cheese on the other hand is a different matter 🙂
I don’t like the American bread, so I don’t eat sandwiches either and now, since I live gluten free, it’s pretty much out of the picture, because gluten free bread is something that I WILL NOT EAT…PERIOD. 🙂
I haven’t tried gluten free bread, but I had some gluten free pasta last week and was pleasantly surprised by it.
I’m glad I’m not a big bread eater … but I have enough food vices so this isn’t really a win 🙂
Gluten free bread only works toasted..if it works to begin with.
I’ll have to remember that. One Christmas a few years ago, I tried to make a gluten free bread stuffing because one of our guests was celiac.
The stuffing was awful.
… but the gluten free cookies I made were awesome 🙂
On balance, it was all good 😉
I loved this Bridget! Everyone has their own method for making sandwiches it seems- my mother always cut the crusts off, my father cut his diagonally in half, I have not had a sandwich in more than 15 years, sometimes I do miss them!
I haven’t one in 6 weeks, I am working on it. 🙂
I have seen those huge sandwiches many times!!! They always shock me!
Me too. They were invented by my husband..I swear.
My son used like almost a whole container of turkey slices
Heh. I never knew you lived with Dagwood. Now if that reference is too obscure – Google “Blondie – the comic strip” and look for the Dagwood sandwich. I’m told I should NOT eat sandwiches, too many carbs in the bread. Screw that. Single women subsist on the sandwich IMHO. You can use a napkin for a plate and it’s mess-free. Relatively. I love sandwiches…and your husband’s version sounds right up my alley…except about half the ingredients. I simply can’t eat those big ones any more..
We had a deli here who served “Dagwood sandwiches.” It was the hit until they closed the dinner. I suppose it’s alright that we are all different. “Different strokes for different folks.” 🙂
I thoroughly enjoyed this mini history lesson. I rarely eat sandwiches anymore, since I try to limit my bread intake. (I usually do multi-grain but any bread with butter rocks 😉 And let’s not discuss a grilled cheese. Yum!)
Btw, my hubby does monster-sized sandwiches too. He’s elevated his to a cholesterol-laden art form.
I don’t even dare tell people what my favorite sandwich was before I gave up gluten. I loved (LOVED) a tomato sandwich with onion. No B and no L in my BLT. 🙂
There is no right way to make a sandwich, there’s only personal taste.
You haven’t seen my husbands sandwiches. They can’t be right. 🙂
I’ve seen my brother’s sandwiches… they can’t be much worse. ^_^
Minus 200 years for his famous lunch then please delete this comment.
Thanks, typos happen 🙂 1762 not 1962 🙂
Quite happy for you to delete all reference to the typo, as if I’d never commented!
I know so many people who say they don’t enjoy sandwiches! I think they have just not had the pleasure of one of your husband’s masterpieces! 🙂 I do love a good sandwich, and I guess what you’ve highlighted is that we might not all be talking about the same construction! You put a smile on my face AND made me hungry!
I don’t enjoy them either, but it’s the American bread that I don’t like, also, I am not a big meat eater anymore. However, the warm sandwiches were my downfall. The Monte Christo or The Reuben sandwich. Goodness, now I am drooling.
Mmmmm, a nice Reuben sandwich would be my downfall every time. I can’t resist them.