My vote: Bagel, lox and cream cheese with a little red onion and/or dill, and scrambled eggs on the side
I would add to your list "The Gobbler" from the Millburn Deli in Millburn, NJ. Basically Thanksgiving Dinner on rye bread. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce with mayo and lettuce on rye. Every time you order one the countermen shout out "Gobbler!" and honk a horn. Eat it with their home-made iced tea. Delicious.
Agreed, and another NJ staple Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese
Excellent article! Very thorough, and I was especially happy to see mention of the Chivito from Uruguay! A couple of things left out, though: the barros jarpa and barros luco of Chile.
No Fluffernutters, no Maine Italians, no Boston roast beef? It must be sad to experience everything north of Connecticut as a tourist. No, clam rolls don't count.
2
Look at you lovely americans, trying to appropriate the torta. Come on!
1
No peanut butter and bacon on white toast?? The sandwich of my childhood.
1
No liverwurst on rye with red onion and German mustard?
How about a sardines?
Swap out sausage for egg and you peppers and eggs--a perfect sandwich for a Lenten Friday or any other no meat day.
What happened to the meatball sub?
How about a sardines?
Swap out sausage for egg and you peppers and eggs--a perfect sandwich for a Lenten Friday or any other no meat day.
What happened to the meatball sub?
3
If you build your sandwich with processed cold cuts, you'll be getting too much sLt, no matter what else you add. Even so-called lower sodium varieties have too much salt:
http://nosaltnofatnosugar.com/2015/04/15/pure-and-simple-lunchmeat-not-s...
http://nosaltnofatnosugar.com/2015/04/15/pure-and-simple-lunchmeat-not-s...
Does no one eat roast beef on rye? Or is that just a Chicago "thing?" Any other bread for a roast beef sandwich is just...wrong. And then there are gyro sandwiches--even if they're on pita bread, what else could you possibly call them but sandwiches?
And then there is the true Chicago sub. Perhaps you New Yorkers ought to make a pilgrimage to the Second City for a REAL Italian sub:
"In its authentic Chicago rendition, the Italian sub is about 9 inches long and filled with dry-cured Italian meats like salami, capicola, soppresetta, or proscuitto; mortadella is often added to contribute a bologna-like creaminess. It's topped with provolone to help give it some salty bite; a little oil and vinegar for some tang; and giardiniera, that Italian pickled vegetable concoction that's found it's true home here, for a nice kick. It's blessedly simple and straightforward, a shockingly cheap workman's lunch wrapped in paper and slid across the counter to take on the road. And yet it is a culinary achievement, a mouthful of contrasting flavors and textures. When done right, it's about as close to sandwich perfection as one can get."
http://thepauperedchef.com/2010/03/the-best-italian-sub-in-chicago-a-tou...
And then there is the true Chicago sub. Perhaps you New Yorkers ought to make a pilgrimage to the Second City for a REAL Italian sub:
"In its authentic Chicago rendition, the Italian sub is about 9 inches long and filled with dry-cured Italian meats like salami, capicola, soppresetta, or proscuitto; mortadella is often added to contribute a bologna-like creaminess. It's topped with provolone to help give it some salty bite; a little oil and vinegar for some tang; and giardiniera, that Italian pickled vegetable concoction that's found it's true home here, for a nice kick. It's blessedly simple and straightforward, a shockingly cheap workman's lunch wrapped in paper and slid across the counter to take on the road. And yet it is a culinary achievement, a mouthful of contrasting flavors and textures. When done right, it's about as close to sandwich perfection as one can get."
http://thepauperedchef.com/2010/03/the-best-italian-sub-in-chicago-a-tou...
1
Growing up in New Orleans I had no idea no one else ordered a sandwich "dressed" until I left for college in the northeast. You can imagine the look I got from the waiter.
Another po-boy tip is that if "debris" is an optional topping, ask for it.
Another po-boy tip is that if "debris" is an optional topping, ask for it.
2
I guess the Frita counts as a burger.
Meatloaf sandwiches are correctly made from home made meatloaf and placed on a hoagie. Anything else is inappropriate for consumption.
Meatloaf sandwiches are correctly made from home made meatloaf and placed on a hoagie. Anything else is inappropriate for consumption.
Great article. I never knew what the corn in corned beef meant, same with pastrami. The Mother in Law! A real education.
Very glad you included my favorite, the avocado/sprout/tomato---we make it all the time still. Simple, easy, delicious, cheap. Works in a pita too for less mess while eating but it's best on nutted grain bread.
Very glad you included my favorite, the avocado/sprout/tomato---we make it all the time still. Simple, easy, delicious, cheap. Works in a pita too for less mess while eating but it's best on nutted grain bread.
Why on earth is the Italian Beef Combo not mentioned here. It is the world's BEST sandwich. And if you don't think so, you have not had a good one. That being said, I would love to find out what NYC has to say on this.
For those who are in the dark on the Italian Beef Combo, it's an Italian Beef with a grilled Italian spicy sausage, thus the word Combo. And it IS living. I think to make this sandwich it would take you all day as long as you did not have to make the roll.
For those who are in the dark on the Italian Beef Combo, it's an Italian Beef with a grilled Italian spicy sausage, thus the word Combo. And it IS living. I think to make this sandwich it would take you all day as long as you did not have to make the roll.
In 1970's Boston; gas stations, neighborhood variety stores and sub shops (or sub & pizza) were the predominant entry level enterprises for newly immigrated families. From the '50's, most sub shops were Italian owned but by the time the '70's arrived, many of families operating them had prospered and the new, younger generation pushed an expansion into broader based restaurants. Co-incidentally, there was a sudden influx of Greek immigrant families and they took over many of the small sub and pizza joints. While the basic fare remained, small changes appeared; like shredded lettuce on an Italian sub...never before seen. Pizza changed as well as the Greeks liked a sweeter, less acidic tomato sauce and often omitted oregano. You always knew the moment you entered a sub shop if it was Greek owned by the invariable tray of Mama's sweet and sticky Baklava atop the counter.
I still crave the now difficult to find classic Italian sub: a split 12" chewy sub roll, (dough made with water, not milk; oil, not butter) 3 or 4 slices of thin provolone cheese wedged along the length, then a mix of cold cuts: mortadella, salami, sorpressata, maybe capicola. On top of that, chopped tomato, pickle, onion and a spoonful of hot pepper sauce, a generous swipe of olive oil and a shake of oregano.
Shredded lettuce? No way!!
I still crave the now difficult to find classic Italian sub: a split 12" chewy sub roll, (dough made with water, not milk; oil, not butter) 3 or 4 slices of thin provolone cheese wedged along the length, then a mix of cold cuts: mortadella, salami, sorpressata, maybe capicola. On top of that, chopped tomato, pickle, onion and a spoonful of hot pepper sauce, a generous swipe of olive oil and a shake of oregano.
Shredded lettuce? No way!!
Nothing can beat a peanut butter sandwich. Hold the jelly!
1
My Southern roots would include mayonnaise and sliced banana on white
bread
bread
As a midwesterner with Chicago roots, I have every right to object to New York taking the sandwich honors, but I won't. I have had ag clients from Colorado to Ohio and every one of them ship their best meat, orchard products, and condiments to New York City, which in fact has the finest truck garden products in greater variety than anywhere. A sandwich is a tribute to bread as well, and New York's ovens are spectacular. So put it all together, and thats New York's sandwich cult way ahead (even hot dogs). But barbecue? AbsolutelyKansas City. Pirogis? Chicago.
i grew up in North Jersey, lived 8 years in Brooklyn, 4 in Pittsburgh, 4 in Chicago, 22 in Denver, and the last 3 in Santa Cruz, CA. New York cannot play in the same league as the Bay Area for bread or vegetables.
2
The reason is simple when home for one or two sandwiches we need to buy a whole lot of ingredients which is not cost effective and then so much goes to waste.
But sadly in Midwest..all I see is several doughnut shops, fried chickens, fast foods..and how I long for a nice sandwich place .
Sigh...
But sadly in Midwest..all I see is several doughnut shops, fried chickens, fast foods..and how I long for a nice sandwich place .
Sigh...
3
Enjoyed this article so much. Love the adventure implied in discovering all of these delicious regional creations. Being a Buffalonian, I was especially pleased at the place of honor for the Beef On Weck, still one of my favorites.
The lead sentence in this special section is, "Why is a sandwich you order at a restaurant so invariably and intensely better than a sandwich you make at home? New York chefs offer secrets for creating midday marvels." The answer to this question is pretty simple: (1) buying all the ingredients these chefs use would make my one sandwich cost $30; (2) most of us have only an hour for lunch, and can't devote the time to prepare all the ingredients the night before (because we also took work home from the office); and (3) even if we wanted to spend the time and money duplicating these wonderful sandwiches, where in much of the country between the coasts can you find bread, meats, fresh fish, etc that are the critical ingredients?
3
Yes, New Jersey, home of the Sloppy Joe that got a well-deserved shout-out today.
I really enjoyed this feature, and am thrilled that sandwiches from around the world are represented...I'll never forget discovering Pan Bagnat in the Marseille train station twenty-six years ago. And my heart is still racing at the thought of a sandwich I had last month, the best pulled pork sandwich imaginable: Taiwanese "Gua Bao" at the place that offers what is widely acknowledged to be Taipei's best version:
http://beefnoguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/lan-jia-gua-bao-pork-belly-burger....
I really enjoyed this feature, and am thrilled that sandwiches from around the world are represented...I'll never forget discovering Pan Bagnat in the Marseille train station twenty-six years ago. And my heart is still racing at the thought of a sandwich I had last month, the best pulled pork sandwich imaginable: Taiwanese "Gua Bao" at the place that offers what is widely acknowledged to be Taipei's best version:
http://beefnoguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/lan-jia-gua-bao-pork-belly-burger....
You missed the boat on your description of the Fluffernutter-a favored lunch of my New England childhood. The reason it's called a Fluffernutter is that the that standard (required?) ingredient is the iconic Marshmallow Fluff.
2
I'm happy to report that I've had some of the examples listed with this article. I live in Westchester, so I often ask for a wedge at the deli. I went to college in Binghamton, where the spiedie is king, and I have relatives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, home of cudgihi. Good eats all around!
1
Please don't forget about the pride of the parrilla - the Argentinian steak sandwich and the choripan!
Absolutely, only Americans (maybe Canadians...don't have much experience in the Great White North) are hands-down sandwich masters. What passes here for a sandwich in any European country is a sad joke. One measly slice of cheese, one slice of meat and MAYBE a condiment...all too often they are dry....on too much bread/baguette.
One of the best sandwiches I would get was at the Garden of Eden shop on W 23 St in Chelsea. For $6 it was HUGE, even enough for two sandwiches and I am a hearty eater!
Whether a resto makes a better sandwich than I can at home is up for debate!!!!
One of the best sandwiches I would get was at the Garden of Eden shop on W 23 St in Chelsea. For $6 it was HUGE, even enough for two sandwiches and I am a hearty eater!
Whether a resto makes a better sandwich than I can at home is up for debate!!!!
2
I greatly admire the inventiveness of the makers of all the sandwiches illustrated and described in this article. However, I cannot help but notice that the more ingredients one stuffs between two slices of bread, the better it is supposed to look. Here i strongly disagree, the structure of many of the sandwiches is disorganized, goopey, and makes them look unappetizing. Simplicity, only simplicity, and nothing but simplicity is the word of sandwich making day.
Mozell Brown's Smithfiled Ham rolls at the Smithfield Inn in Smithfield Virginia. Thinly sliced ham on buttered yeast rolls; both the ham and rolls products of ancient closely guarded recipes. Reason enough for a journey to the Old Dominion.
2
My daddy from Tennessee just loved peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches. Not sure if it's a local favorite or that he was just strange but that has to be the nastiest sandwich I ever came across.
Add some bananas and bacon and you have yourself an Elvis Presley supreme sandwich!
As an American living in England, I can tell you that, without a doubt, every single solitary sandwich in this article would be, by itself, the best sandwich I have ever eaten in this food wasteland. I'm stuck with 'the baguette', basically a thoughtless, pointless exercise. It's food. A piece (yes! one piece! this is England!) of English bacon, some sad approximation of melted brie. AND THAT IS IT! Have at it folks! What an awful country if you like food. Luckily, my wife is the best cook from here to London.
5
One that may have been missed (or at least, I couldn't find it). The jibarito! I'll be crass and cite Wikipedia here, as I am on a quick lunch break and now wish to go eat one. A Chicago Puerto-Rican-cuisine staple.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibarito
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibarito
2
What about the pita pocket with alfalfa sprouts, pepper jack cheese and mayo? This was the iconic health food store sandwich to me after my family pulled off of Route 17 in rural New York one late afternoon sometime in the mid-1970's, could only find a health-food store open, and they only had these pre-made sandwiches wrapped in cellophane for sale. I steadfastly refused to take a bite of such an unfamiliar food - pita? sprouts? what is this stuff? And no meat? - how weird to this 8 year old?! I cried and pouted for an hour until my hunger forced me to give in, and I was given the last 1/2 sandwich, devoured it, and then cried and pouted that there wasn't any more. It became a family favorite as we replicated it at home - making it better with slices of fresh garden tomato.
In the same vein, is there room here for the pita pocket with tuna (same recipe as classic tuna salad), with curry powder, shredded carrots and roasted peanuts mixed in)? Again, this a friend's mom made us in the mid-1970's. I suspiciously but politely ate it, then begged my mother to make it, and it became another family staple (add sliced garden tomatoes if you got them!).
In the same vein, is there room here for the pita pocket with tuna (same recipe as classic tuna salad), with curry powder, shredded carrots and roasted peanuts mixed in)? Again, this a friend's mom made us in the mid-1970's. I suspiciously but politely ate it, then begged my mother to make it, and it became another family staple (add sliced garden tomatoes if you got them!).
3
Ah, pita and sprouts... takes me back to the days when our cheese, bread and other staples came from a food "co-op," cereal was a very plain (unsweetened) granola, and any bread that wasn't pita was dense, dark, chewy and filled with nuts and seeds.
1
New Orleans (of course) is most certainly the only American place with two sandwiches all her own: the po-boy and the muffuletta.
1
The Jersey Sloppy Joe....As a former Essex County boy, I can attest to the quizzical looks by all outsiders when describing this unique, and far superior, iteration of the 'sloppy joe'. No good shiva call would be complete without them. Now I miss my parents...thanks NYT.
6
Italian combo? Ham, salami, swiss, lettuce, tomato, oil and vinegar on a roll or hero.
1
Well, I'm never making fun of Japanese fried noodle or potato salad sandwiches again!! America seems to have more than its share of quirky regional originals... chow mein and gravy?? The "Mother-in-law" !?
My go-to sandwiches are still, inevitably, the BLT on thick-sliced toasted bread (a sandwich difficult to make well in Japan, where the bacon is closer to ham and refuses to crisp up properly); and, regardless of season, turkey breast on sliced bread (I like a rich multi-grain, but again, not usually available in the supermarket), with plenty of Best Foods mayonnaise, cranberry sauce, and lettuce, all generously seasoned with black pepper and a little coarse salt. If I can't find turkey (another item not widely popular here), a thin-sliced, medium-rare chicken breast is a decent substitute.
My go-to sandwiches are still, inevitably, the BLT on thick-sliced toasted bread (a sandwich difficult to make well in Japan, where the bacon is closer to ham and refuses to crisp up properly); and, regardless of season, turkey breast on sliced bread (I like a rich multi-grain, but again, not usually available in the supermarket), with plenty of Best Foods mayonnaise, cranberry sauce, and lettuce, all generously seasoned with black pepper and a little coarse salt. If I can't find turkey (another item not widely popular here), a thin-sliced, medium-rare chicken breast is a decent substitute.
2
But where's the pita? Even if I accept your objection to wraps, and I'm not sure that I do, I can't see the basis for excluding the pita!
6
This is going to sound terrible but it's a guilty pleasure: Spam sandwich. Yum.
1
The big difference I've noticed in subs (aka heroes) since moving away from NJ is that in NJ we used LOTS of lettuce, tomato, and onion. More than when I'd have them out west (CO) , or even in the western NY area.
2
Fantastic article. But from a strictly semantic perspective, can an arepa really be considered a sandwich if shawarma is not? Is an arepa not effectively a pita made of corn? Not to detract from the deliciousness of either of the aforementioned, of course.
My son went to college in Philly and I started to make my own cheesesteaks after watching them made at places around Broad Street. Good Italian roll, hollowed out a bit, prime or choice grade beef sliced thin and browned with sliced yellow onions, a little Tallarico steak sandwich sauce, and good American cheese slices. Assemble and melt cheese under the broiler until its bubbly and the edges of the roll toasts. No cheesewhiz.
1
Named after the earl of sandwich, in Kent UK who asked for his meat to be served between 2 slices of bread as he was to occupied at the card table!
1
This is a wonderful article that is missing a sixth category: the pastry sandwich! The omission of this family is a shame in light of Ligaya Mishan's recent article on the ice cream sandwich--not to mention Merriam Webster's second definition of a sandwich (two or more cookies, crackers, or slices of cake with something between them).
Why an entire family? How else is there to capture the ice cream sandwich, the s'more, the macaron, and the many trademarked cookie-and-creme sandwiches?
Why an entire family? How else is there to capture the ice cream sandwich, the s'more, the macaron, and the many trademarked cookie-and-creme sandwiches?
2
The very fact someone finally presented the Town Hall Sloppy Joe as one of the great American sandwiches made my day. When I was a kid my brothers and me always looked forward to a Sunday trip from our home in Elizabeth to South Orange with our parents to pick up three original "Joe's," ham, Swiss and tongue. While the original Town Hall moved from its location years ago, the "Joe" remains a North Jersey classic. Back in the 1980's a guy who worked at Town Hall and moved to the shore opened a place in then South Belmar (now Lake Cuomo) and tried selling a Town Hall style Sloppy Joe. He flopped. Those of us who still need this fix two/three times a year still drive up the GSP with a cooler in the back seat to place these treasures inside for the ride back to the shore. Nothing like the original! Sam, thanks for giving this sandwich its just due.
4
With just three exceptions I'll take one of each. I go through a loaf of bread a week just for myself despite the many tongue lashings from my doctor. Included are some rolls I add because some fillings demand a roll. I worked in an Italian restaurant from age 13-18 (family owned and in Miami) and have literally made thousands of subs. There's lots of food available to eat but you get bored looking at and eating the same things day after day. My Aunt and I would make off menu stuff for ourselves using the pizza dough and a trip to the Safeway. The Opa Locka bakery that supplied us with bread made the best sub rolls and I've never found anything like them anywhere. A nice crusty one we used for hot sandwiches like meatballs or sausages and a soft roll for subs. I've lived in the South for 51 years now and still have to tell the guy making my sandwich "NO MAYONNAISE!" The custom here seems to be that every sandwich gets mayonnaise. One thing about the tomato sandwiches. The bread must be fresh from an unopened package. The same with Peanut Butter and Jelly. And only white bread.
1
The best sandwich I ever ate was while on a bike trip in Vermont. We stopped at a gas station and ordered the "Vermonter" - turkey, apple slices, local cheese, choice of condiment, on a hard sub roll. I still dream about it!
This article makes me want to eat every one of these. Ah, where the heck is the Chow Mein on a Bun?
1
This morning at 6:15 viewing this article was quite upsetting. It made my mouth water.
3
A reuben on 'toast'? Heresy. A reuben is always put together and grilled, not piled on toast. Even the Times says so: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/magazine/my-grandfather-invented-the-r...
9
for a NJ ex-pat living on the west coast this is a tour though my childhood. thanks, but now Im hungry...
10
What a great article Mr. Wells, a real pleasure to read.
Crab Cake sandwiches despite Mr. Gorlick's opinion, arrested much loved in Maryland. Often a nice Crab Cake lightly fried to a golden brown is served on saltines rather than bread. A roll or bread just gets in the way of the delicious taste of the Blue Crab's delicate meat.
I was in Ocean City, Maryland last summer and my Crab Cake sandwich came on a kaiser roll topped with lettuce, tomato, avocado, bacon and cheese. I thought I was at Gladstones in Malibu, I sent it back.
Crab Cake sandwiches despite Mr. Gorlick's opinion, arrested much loved in Maryland. Often a nice Crab Cake lightly fried to a golden brown is served on saltines rather than bread. A roll or bread just gets in the way of the delicious taste of the Blue Crab's delicate meat.
I was in Ocean City, Maryland last summer and my Crab Cake sandwich came on a kaiser roll topped with lettuce, tomato, avocado, bacon and cheese. I thought I was at Gladstones in Malibu, I sent it back.
1
Oh holy yum! I wish there were photos of all of the sandwiches. That was a delicious feast for the eyes and yet I want to see more.
I have to disagree with Town Hall Deli as the New Jersey Sloppy Joe representative. The Millburn Deli is the best, mostly because it's my hometown deli. But they have many meat and meatless (egg salad, tuna) options, will make a double, and best of all, will butter the insides of the rye so the russian dressing and/or cole slaw will keep the bread from getting soggy. The drawback? You've gotten your calories for the week after one sandwich.
6
This debate has been going on for years and like Gino's or Pat's in Philly, you are either one or the other. I'll never turn down a Sloppy Joe from the Milburn Deli and there's a deli in New Providence that makes a good Milburn-style Sloppy Joe too, but for me, the best will always be the original Town Hall Sloppy Joe. For the record, Town Hall has always lightly buttered the Pullman rye slices before applying the Russian dressing.
1
Kudos to whomever made the choice to feature the NJ Sloppy Joe and relegate it's less interesting cousin to an also-ran.
2
Boston a fire back. Yes you will get another Christmas Tree but I suggest Bedford basin, Nova Scotian lobster is better than yours. Add as much mayonnaise and pepper as you want to your presentation:)
Colombians also stuff the arepa with cheese- the most popular being the "arepa con queso" simply a white cheese, pretty bland and a cross of ricotta salata and mozzarella. But not the gunky mozzarella you find it filled with at street fairs and the arepa is white corn and far more denser. Another popular filling you can find on the beaches of Cartagena, Colombia are fried eggs - not to my taste, but just to complete this wonderful article's section on Arepas-
1
West Coast crab melts--I call them crabwiches. Ideally, toasted and lightly buttered English muffins, spread with a mixture of fresh Dungeness crab meat, lemon juice, Best Foods (Hellman's) mayo, maybe a little minced scallion, S&P, pinch of cayenne. Finish by topping all with finely shredded cheddar or gruyere and a dusting of paprika, then pass under a broiler until melted. I also add sea salt flakes the minute it comes out of the broiler. Best with a glass of cold rose or sauvignon blanc, or even a cold local beer. Cannot be beat.
8
Great article, but no submarine sandwich to rival the hoagie?
1
This excellent piece left me homesick for several sandwiches… the beef on weck of my Buffalo childhood, the mysterious St. Paul sandwiches in St. Louis that I never braved, and the delicious Dutch crunch bread of Northern CA. Will have to drown my sorrows in a nice Allentown Yocco's cheesesteak to recover!
4
As an Iowan, I was proud to see two sandwiches of ours on the list. When I lived in New Jersey I couldn't believe they didn't have pork tenderloins. My grandma had the secret to Maid-Rites (loose meat) - brown the hamburger and grind it into the smallest pieces possible, then simmer the beef in salty chicken broth.
1
Excellent survey but no mention of pork roll option on the egg sandwich is a big miss for a certain NJ region. Can't wait to start tasting some of these creations.
1
Taylor's Pork Roll is sold here in some supermarkets in little packages. When I lived in New York and New Jersey it was sliced fresh in delicatessens. A fried Taylor ham and egg sandwich makes for a great breakfast.
I'm more than pleased to see Beef on Weck being recognized as one of the premier sandwiches in the US. I do have to take issue with the notion that that the kümmel weck rolls are soft and fluffy. On the contrary, kümmel weck rolls should be somewhat crusty and chewy, maybe a day or so old. A splash of meat juices on the roll is expected, but "au jus" on the side for dipping is a departure from what I grew up with in Buffalo: beef on weck (with horseradish), a side order of fries, and a schupper of beer.
4
There is no such thing as "the American Sandwich". Sandwiches, American or otherwise, are creations of individuals, not necessarily meant to be foisted upon the public as "American this" or "French that" or "Polish something else" Stop trying to codify and pigeonhole creativity, taste and individuality.
1
Sorry but I disagree -- wraps ARE sandwiches, now more than ever. They hold ingredients more securely than other breads or rolls, and are perceived (perhaps incorrectly) as lower in calories due to being "flat".
So that definitely includes gyros as sandwiches. I can't imagine what you think they ARE if not sandwiches. So are felafel! they are most definitely a sandwich -- made of fried chickpea patties and toppings just like many sandwiches listed here (lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, sauce, etc).
I think honestly that tacos are a kind of sandwich as well -- anything in a tortilla would be, why not? So while this list has my mouth watering, I think it is missing a chapter or two.
So that definitely includes gyros as sandwiches. I can't imagine what you think they ARE if not sandwiches. So are felafel! they are most definitely a sandwich -- made of fried chickpea patties and toppings just like many sandwiches listed here (lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, sauce, etc).
I think honestly that tacos are a kind of sandwich as well -- anything in a tortilla would be, why not? So while this list has my mouth watering, I think it is missing a chapter or two.
I am starving afte reading this!
3
Yes, the Beef on Weck is where it ought to be first as it is the king of sandwiches. (I will ignore your silly alphabetical order thingy.)
4
Great article but you got the Brats recipe wrong: In Wisconsin we dress them with sauerkraut, not onions.
1
I guess I'm more open-minded; I add both. There's nothing wrong with horseradish, either, instead of or in addition to the mustard. I've had brats with ketchup, and that works too. As for the bread, Italian buns, sesame seed, or poppy seed all work just fine.
As a kid in Westchester County NY, it never occurred to me that "wedge" wasn't a commonplace term, until I ordered one at a deli in Georgia as a teenager. The person at the counter looked at me like I was an alien speaking another language. I guess to her I was.
7
I've lived in Westchester almost my entire life. Ask for a wedge anyplace else, and you will certainly get a strange look!
1
Dear NYT - get your excellent design/graphics department to work this up as a poster. I'd buy it.
13
Man, I used to love the beef patty on coco bread at christie's on flatbush. then, they moved across the street and a few blocks towards GAP. Now, they're gone, like the Park Slope I lived in for 25 years.
Now, I like the banh mi at a little place south of Kingsbridge Road, under the Jerome Avenue el, and the cemitas at Estrellita Poblano on 231st St. up the hill from broadway. of course, there's also the mixed italian hero at casa di mozzarella, on 187th st. Yummo.
Now, I like the banh mi at a little place south of Kingsbridge Road, under the Jerome Avenue el, and the cemitas at Estrellita Poblano on 231st St. up the hill from broadway. of course, there's also the mixed italian hero at casa di mozzarella, on 187th st. Yummo.
2
So glad to be reading this on a full stomach...
3
When I lived in Maryland, years ago, a friend and I designed the best soft shell crab sandwich. Saute the crab in butter until just cooked, then serve it on toasted caraway rye with mayo, water cress, and a little lemon juice. Serve with a cold National Premium beer on a hot day. Nothin' better.
5
It's hard to add much, but Maryland seems to sell crab or shrimp rolls everywhere. The crab or shrimp salad predictably includes celery, mayo and Old Bay. On the West Coast, the crab or shrimp melts can be quite good too.
2
This is a very interesting review on sandwiches. I believe s special mention to those made with bagels could be included.
1
Perhaps the title should just be "A Field Guide to the Sandwich"?
If I have to choose between a Reuben and a PB&J, I'll take the latter. But I'll take a corned beef on rye with mustard over any other.
5
Brisket? Did I miss it? Moist-cut preferred.
Maybe it's too good to waste on a sandwich.
No, scrumptious with or w/o the bread.
Maybe it's too good to waste on a sandwich.
No, scrumptious with or w/o the bread.
4
When encountering the American sandwich for the first time:
1) be prepared for the fact that it will look nothing like a sandwich (yes I know it said sandwich on the menu, but just relax and learn to appreciate the culinary artistry involved in shoving a 3 course meal into a roll)
2) you're not supposed to like the bread, in fact it's probably not worth eating (because of this you will see many sandwiches offered as wraps, which is like eating a sandwich in the paper it came wrapped up in)
2) expect the processed cheese product to taste exactly how it sounds (every American sandwich has something resembling cheese in it to make sure you get enough calories, don't fret over the different kinds, they all taste equally bad)
3) know that it will contain far too much filling to be able to eat politely (forget cucumbers, smoked salmon or even cream cheese, chances are you will get everything you ever had in a sandwich all mixed up and piled into one which, if you can open your mouth wide enough to bite, will then almost certainly squeeze out of the other end and into your lap)
4) remember that this is your main meal of the day (I know that 1,500 caloire behemoth is intended as a light snack, but remember, this is America!)
1) be prepared for the fact that it will look nothing like a sandwich (yes I know it said sandwich on the menu, but just relax and learn to appreciate the culinary artistry involved in shoving a 3 course meal into a roll)
2) you're not supposed to like the bread, in fact it's probably not worth eating (because of this you will see many sandwiches offered as wraps, which is like eating a sandwich in the paper it came wrapped up in)
2) expect the processed cheese product to taste exactly how it sounds (every American sandwich has something resembling cheese in it to make sure you get enough calories, don't fret over the different kinds, they all taste equally bad)
3) know that it will contain far too much filling to be able to eat politely (forget cucumbers, smoked salmon or even cream cheese, chances are you will get everything you ever had in a sandwich all mixed up and piled into one which, if you can open your mouth wide enough to bite, will then almost certainly squeeze out of the other end and into your lap)
4) remember that this is your main meal of the day (I know that 1,500 caloire behemoth is intended as a light snack, but remember, this is America!)
Amusing but dead wrong on 1, 2, 2 and 3. There is, however, a small truth to 4 unless eaten by someone who actually holds a job requiring some exertion.
3
Brats are just fat hot dogs. They don't belong on the list. Italian sausages are just coarse ground hot dogs. They don't belong on the list.
Wasabread is a bread. It belongs on the list, Not all sandwiches made with crispbreads like Wasabread are are open faced. They belong on the list. As the former copywriter for the Wasabread account , and creator of dozens of sandwich recipes for crispbreads, I suggest you call " the lean, tan and healthy crispbread from Sweden" a bread, just as most everyone in Sweden does. And for the record, fried baloney is called a grilli and it is considered a hot dog.
Wasabread is a bread. It belongs on the list, Not all sandwiches made with crispbreads like Wasabread are are open faced. They belong on the list. As the former copywriter for the Wasabread account , and creator of dozens of sandwich recipes for crispbreads, I suggest you call " the lean, tan and healthy crispbread from Sweden" a bread, just as most everyone in Sweden does. And for the record, fried baloney is called a grilli and it is considered a hot dog.
1
my all-time favorite is the ubiquitous PB&J. my 2nd favorite is of my own design: cheese, sliced pickles, dark mustard & potato chips (a cold cheese crunch sandwich).
2
A marvelous scholarly work, especially for someone who considers his favorite food as anything between 2 slices of bread!
10
BRAVO NYT Food Section! This compendium of everything wonderful between slices of bread leaves me drooling. Great job.
19
Loved the descriptions as well as the gorgeous photos- now I have new ideas for this month's lunches to pack for my husband-
Thank You~
Thank You~
2
When I was a kid, back in the 1950s, Howard Johnson's clam rolls had whole (belly) clams. Once they changed to clam strips, I never ate them again. You might as well eat a breaded rubber band.
2
Boy am I hungry! I've had sandwiches from Maine to Caklifornia and beyond, but the Boston eggplant parmesan hero is one that I've never been able to duplicate or find duplicated elsewhere.