Today’s spotlight is on the sandwich.

A sandwich is a food that consists of two or more slices of bread with a filling of meat, cheese, jam, or other foods placed between them. The filling is usually held together by the person who picks up the sandwich when ready to eat. For example, bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.

Sandwiches can also be defined as any dish where bread serves as a container or wrapper for another food type. For example, hamburgers, quesadillas, and some cookies are sandwiches.

The name “sandwich” was adopted in the 18th century for John Montagu, 4th earl of Sandwich. Although the sandwich is as old as meat and bread, the name was only adopted in the 18th century.

 

A point if reference

A hot dog is not a sandwich because a sandwich is defined as a meat or poultry filling between two slices of bread, a bun, or a biscuit. A hot dog is a cylindrical-shaped protein that sits in a bun. The bun is irrelevant to the nature of the hot dog, so it is not a sandwich.

According to the FDA, a sandwich is a top-and-bottom creation, not a v-shaped loaf. A hot dog is forcemeat in a casing using a bun that’s slit halfway through.

Some say that a hot dog is its own thing and deserves its own category, the same way a burger deserves its own. Sandwiches have their own category as well, and that category does not include hot dogs or burgers.

Also, a taco is not a sandwich.  A sandwich is made of two slices of bread, while a taco is made of a single tortilla.  Tacos are a type of Mexican street food.  They are made by folding a small tortilla around a filling and eating them by hand.  Tacos originated in the pre-Hispanic period when tortillas were used as a scoop for other foods.

 

The three basic components of a sandwich are:

• Bread
• Filling
• Spread or accompaniment.

The bread acts as a container for the filling and provides nutrients. The spread adds flavor and moisture and prevents the bread from soaking up the filling. The filling is the primary flavor of the sandwich.

A sandwich can consist of:

• One slice of bread with filling on top
• Two or more slices of bread with filling between the slices

The bread cannot be rolled together, like a burrito, wrap, or taco.

Grilled cheese is the most popular sandwich in North America, with 80% of people across the continent liking it. It’s a comfort food and has more flavor than a plain cheese sandwich.

Other popular sandwiches in the US include:

Grilled chicken, Turkey, Roast beef, BLT, Tuna, Ham, Club.

 

History

The world’s oldest sandwich may be the Rou jia mo, a Chinese street food that dates back to the Zhou dynasty in 1046 BC. The Rou jia mo is a combination of beef or lamb between two pieces of baijimo, a Chinese flatbread. The word “rou jia mo” translates to “meat sandwich”.

The first recorded sandwich may have been made by Hillel the Elder in the 1st century BC. The famous rabbi mixed apples, nuts, spices, and wine and put it between two matzohs. This became a Passover custom.

The first known use of the word “sandwich” was in a 1762 diary entry by English historian Edward Gibbon. He wrote about men eating “a bit of cold meat, or a Sandwich”. The sandwich is named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who is said to have invented the sandwich in 1762. Montagu was a British statesman and notorious gambler who would order his valet to bring him salt beef between two pieces of toasted bread while playing cards. The story goes that Montagu didn’t want to leave the gaming table to eat, so he asked for the roast beef to be placed between two slices of bread so he could eat with his hands.

The earliest recognizable form of a sandwich may be the Korech or “Hillel sandwich” that is eaten during Jewish Passover. The Haggadah, a guidebook for the Passover seder, notes how rabbi and scholar Hillel the Elder made sandwiches using lamb, bitter herbs, and matzah.

However, some say that China invented the sandwich.  The Rou Jia Mo, or “meat in a bun”, originated in the Shaanxi province during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). This street food is similar to a hamburger, with chopped meat inside a bun.

The first recorded sandwich was made by the famous rabbi, Hillel the Elder, in the first century B.C. .  Hillel lived in Jerusalem during the time of King Herod.  He started the Passover custom of sandwiching a mixture of chopped nuts, apples, spices, and wine between two matzohs.  The Haggadah, a Jewish text read during the annual Passover Seder, recounts how Hillel made sandwiches using Paschal lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened matzoh.

 

Here are some fun facts about sandwiches:

• The first written use of the word “sandwich” appeared in Edward Gibbon’s journal.
• The most popular sandwich in the United States is the ham sandwich, which is made with cheese and either mustard or mayonnaise. The second most popular sandwich is the BLT.
• The world’s largest sandwich weighed 5,440 pounds.
• The longest sandwich was created in Italy in 2004 and was 2,081 feet long.
• The most expensive sandwich ever sold was a grilled toast sandwich that sold for $28,000 in 2004.
• The world’s oldest sandwich is said to be the Rou jia mo, a street snack from the Shaanxi province in China. It dates back to the Zhou dynasty, which ruled ancient China from 1046 BC.
• The average American will have eaten 1,500 PB&Js by the time they graduate high school.
• The average U.S. resident eats nearly 3,000 PB&Js in their lifetime.

 

Some of the world’s best sandwich recipes include:

• The Best Sandwich EVER – This recipe calls for sourdough bread, mayo, honey mustard, dill pickles, roasted red peppers, ham, and pepper jack cheese.
• Ham and cheese sandwich– This traditional French recipe uses Gruyère and bechamel sauce.
• Cuban sandwich – This famous sandwich uses sweet rolls, ham, pork, Swiss cheese, and dill pickles.
• Cheese and corned beef sandwich – This recipe calls for buttering one side of each slice of bread, spreading Thousand Island dressing on the other side, and topping with cheese, corned beef, and sauerkraut.
• Butter and cheese sandwich – This recipe calls for spreading butter on one side of the bread, placing it butter-side-down in a skillet, topping with cheese, and placing another slice of buttered bread on top.

Some say that the bread or the cheese is the most important part of a sandwich. Others say that the extras, like peppers, sauces, spices, and fresh vegetables, make a sandwich great. In the end, the answer is truly a personal preference. Let us know in the comments what you think is the most important part.

 

Here is a sandwich recipe for you to try:

Ingredients:

• 2 slices crusty sourdough bread
• 1 tsp good mayo
• 1 tsp good honey mustard
• 3 crispy good quality dill pickle slices
• 3-4 strands of roasted red peppers in picking liquid
• ¼ lb smoky ham
• 1 slice of good quality pepper jack cheese

 

Instructions:

1. Set out your ingredients and assemble your sandwich. Bread on the outside, mayo, honey mustard, pickles, red peppers, ham and cheese.
2. Serve with chips and a soft drink.
3. Enjoy!

 

Consumption

Sandwiches are a significant part of Americans’ diets, with 49% of Americans eating at least one sandwich the previous day.  The average American eats about 200 sandwiches per year. That’s about 300 million sandwiches consumed each day in the United States. Sandwiches are often high in calories compared to other meals. People eat an extra nearly 100 calories on the days they eat sandwiches.  Sandwiches contribute 7% of daily added sugars, the same percentage as breakfast cereals and bars.

The most common types of sandwiches are:

• Cold cut sandwiches (27%)
• Burgers (17%)
• Poultry sandwiches (12%)

Americans also eat more than 2 billion grilled cheese sandwiches each year.

The United States is the world leader in sandwich consumption and production.

According to a 2022 survey:

• 94% of people eat sandwiches for lunch.
• 64% of people buy lunch to go at least once a week.
• Nearly half of people eat vegetarian or vegan sandwiches.
• Price is the biggest priority for people when choosing to buy sandwiches.
• Over a third of people want sandwiches to be healthy.

According to a survey:

• 70% of people eat sandwiches twice a week.
• 32% of people eat sandwiches three to five times per week.
• 44% of Baby Boomers (ages 52 to 70) eat 3 subs or more a week.
• 35% of Generation Xers (ages 35 to 51) eat 3 subs or more a week.
• 29% of millennials (ages 18 to 34) eat 3 subs or more a week.

 

Sandwich consumption varies by country:

• In the UK, the average person consumed 13 grams of sandwich per week in 2020/21.
• In the US, 47% of adults eat a sandwich on any given day. Men are more likely to eat sandwiches than women.
• In New York City, the sandwich capital of the world, you can find Reubens, bagels, hotdogs, and ramen burgers.

The most popular sandwiches in the world include:

• Club sandwich
• Egg salad sandwich
• Grilled cheese
• Cuban sandwich
• Monte Cristo sandwich
• Tuna sandwich
• Tuna melt
• Philly cheesesteak

Sandwiches became popular with the American working class because they were easy to make and clean to eat.

 

Celebrating the Sandwich

National Sandwich Day is celebrated annually on November 3rd. The day honors John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who is believed to have invented the first sandwich. It is said that Montagu ordered his meat between two slices of bread so he wouldn’t get grease on his cards or need a fork.

The sandwich was once considered a gourmet dish but is now a popular meal for everyone. It can be eaten for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.

On National Sandwich Day, many restaurants and other eateries offer special deals. Some of the largest companies that participate include Subway, McDonald’s, Quiznos, and Firehouse Subs. Let us know what sandwich is your favorite.