A sandwich is a thing of beauty, and it comes in so many different varieties that there’s bound to be something for everyone: from the grilled cheese to the triple decker club to the BLT to the tuna melt.
I thought it might be fun to share our favorites here, and perhaps (?) we can avoid the tedious discussion about what constitutes one, as I prefer to focus on deliciousness over technicalities.
I prefer my bread to be toasted under any circumstances, with mayo or a tiny shmear of cream cheese as the lubricant, unless it comes with something else (e.g. a Reuben). Mustard may occasionally make an appearance — like on a hammich.
My favorite sanguiches, in no particular order:
‘murrcan:
BLT
Club
Grilled cheese
Chicken, bacon, avocado
Reuben on rye
Pastrami on rye
Avocado with pickled radish
German:
Gouda & salami, ideally on a good German roll
Open-faced HBE toast Real pumpernickel with smoked salmon & horseradish
Teewurst on blackbread with chives
Mettstulle with raw onion
French
Baguette with brie or any other fabulous French cheese
Dutch:
Herring roll
Toastie (really just a Dutch version of a grilled cheese or ham/cheese
Danish:
Smørrebrød with North Sea shrimp
Other:
Gyros pita
Falafel
Shwarma
Bocadillo de pollo
Cheese dosa
No doubt I forgot a few, but I’m sure your replies will spark my memory!
Grilled cheese (with Kraft Singles) and crispy bacon
Turkey & swiss with spicy brown mustard and mayo, iceberg or Romaine lettuce
Egg salad on white or marble rye
Fish sandwich (using Gorton’s extra-crunchy filets) with homemade tartar sauce (mayo, Wickles pickle relish, lemon juice, s/p) on a lightly toasted brioche bun with crunchy iceberg lettuce
Cheesesteak on a soft sub, extra cheese to goo it up (dammit, now I want a cheesesteak sub for lunch!)
Grilled chicken, garlic-herb cheese, and apple slices pressed on a grill pan (panino) OR
Grilled chicken, gruyere and mango chutney, also pressed
Meatloaf sandwich - ALWAYS mustard on the sandwich (whereas I like ketchup on the hot meatloaf). And if I’m not using mustard, some sort of spicy condiment - plum ketchup with ginger is one.
Chicken salad with grapes and chopped walnuts - either in a wrap or on a brioche roll
It is hard to beat a really, REALLY GOOD French Dip. Created in Los Angeles. There is some disagreement whether the originator was Cole’s or Phillipe’s, but I believe it was definitively settled in favor of Phillipe’s. (But Cole’s is superior imho). A pile of thinly sliced rare beef, on a grilled/toasted crusty roll with some substance. A schmear of creamy horseradish, cheese and grilled onions are optional. Must be served w a cup of au jus.
There is the Chicago variation, the Italian Beef.
My personal favorite: rare roast beef, havarti cheese, some shredded lettuce, super garlicky aioli on thick cut toasted challa. Salt and tons ground black pepper
If tacos count as sandwiches, we have to consider hotdogs. Is this really hornets’ nest we want to kick?
I’d take that French Dip without the dip, as I don’t care for soggy sammiches — no SOS for me.
As long as the discussion doesn’t devolve into a screaming match as requested in my OP, but I think (hope?) I was pretty clear about focusing on content vs. definition.
Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)
8
I’m a man of simple tastes.
Cheese & onion. Ham & mustard. That sort of thing.
There’s no finer breakfast than the bacon sandwich. Back bacon, of course, not streaky. Ketchup not brown sauce - and no sauce at all if it’s smoked bacon.
An occasional fancier one. Such as today’s lunch - fish finger sandwich. White sliced bread - one “buttered” with mayo, the other with tartare sauce. Lettuce for crunch. Three fish fingers per sandwich. Ketchup can be a refinement - or it may be a refinement too far.
If I move to foreign sandwiches, then an American Reuben (although I usually find American sandwiches to be overstuffed and out of balance with the bread) or a French “jambon beurre”.
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Presunto
(--> Back in Athens - Goat's/Sheep's Yoghurt every day ... [Fleeced Taxpayer :@)) :@)) ])
9
I like too many but first thing that comes to mind is Banh Mi.
Portuguese (and where I ate them):
Sanduiche de pernil (Porto)
Sandes de presunto (Porto)
Bifana (Porto/Lisbon/anywhere in PT)
Bolo de caco (Madeira)
Pretty much any type of “prego”
Sometimes the simplest version is most enjoyable…
Crusty rolls filled with scrambled eggs.
Found this popular churros place purely by chance (on Gran Canania). It’s a churros specialist that also serves light meals, coffee, beer/booze, hot chocolate etc. Packed with locals in the morning. First time there we had just the churros with hot chocolate. Ordered only 5 to “test”. They all disappeared in 1 minute. Looking round noticing most people ordered a plate of at least 5, or 10 each. Some of them also ate these bread rolls with scrambled eggs. The next day we ordered the rolls alongside a big plate of churros and several black coffee. Went back every morning for a week. Great churros. No cinnamon, no sugar!
Bread rolls with roast pork
Very popular on Gran Canaria. You see a big chunk of roast pork on the counter at many places, often with signs outside like “king of roast pork”/“best roast pork” etc. They start slicing when you order the “sandwiches” (crusty bread rolls). In a restaurant you can also order the sliced pork without the rolls as part of the meal.
Crusty rolls (long ones, as opposed to round/oval ones you get in Portugal) filled with jamón ibérico/serrano. (Anywhere in ES)
I’m a BLT fan since it’s hard to screw up, although it happens…but when it has decent bread and a good tomato, hard to beat. Also a fan of the club or California club (avocado) with good sourdough.
Use to get Phillipe’s French dip before Dodgers games.
I know jambon beurre is super-popular, but I can’t deal with the amount of butter that’s usually on it. German delis also have a tendency to go overboard with buttering their rolls and sandwiches, in that you’ll bite into half an inch to an inch of it.
-Cubano;
-Italian Combo (hard Italian bread - needs to cut the roof of my mouth - with roast red peppers, mustard olive oil and vinegar);
-Pastrami on Rye (mustard and nothing else);
-Banh Mi (don’t skimp on the pate, and extra jalapeños please)
-BLT (only when tomatoes are in season, on toasted country loaf or good sourdough with mayo, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon. If the tomatoes are really good I skip the bacon and lettuce);
-Cheesesteak (with cherry peppers and onions);
-Fish sandwich (fried only, grilled turns to mush);
-Po Boy (shrimp, oyster, catfish, roast beef/shrimp combo).
Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)
15
Now, there’s also the chip sandwich, or chip butty if you prefer. The former might usually refer to an American chip, or crisp as I’d call it. Can be good, particularly with cheese - but not actually a real favourite. The latter refers to a British chip - the sort you get from the chip shop with your fish and mushy peas. Some chippies are takeaway only, others have a cafe attached. Now, my problem is that, in the cafes, bread is usually included with your meal. A couple of slices of cheap white sliced. I’m a big fan of the chip butty - but not if they butter the bread as they all too often do. Means that, when you put the hot chips on the bread, the butter melts and you end up eating something soggy.
I’m beginning to feel like such a fun spoiler today, but I also don’t care for fries/crisps/chips on my sandwiches — that includes gyros or souvlaki pita. PGH is famous for adding fries to top salad. Also unnecessary and a hard no for me.
Two of my faves. The wetter, the better. Extra horseradish or giardiniera, please.
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Presunto
(--> Back in Athens - Goat's/Sheep's Yoghurt every day ... [Fleeced Taxpayer :@)) :@)) ])
18
Sandes de Leitão - Roast suckling pig (Lisbon).
Some Portuguese who were eating at the same time drank a bottle of sparkling wine with theirs. We couldn’t drink the whole bottle before the movies and they wouldn’t allow own food and drink inside so we ate ours with Super Bock before the movies.
Krabbenbrötchen (north DE). I make it at home, too.
Well I’m on the other coast, but luckily French dip is not a regional thing. There’s a local pub-type spot that makes theirs with prime rib (available only on Friday and Saturday evenings). Served with smoky provolone and caramelized onions on a crunchy baguette-type roll. I’m not a fan of overly wet sandwiches, but I do dunk it in the jus.
I’m a big fan of Italian hoagies (oil–no vinegar or, god forbid, mayo) and cheesesteaks (white American or provolone with fried onions).
I could list a bunch more sandwiches I love, but I’m not a big fan of typing that much
