Sandwiches – art vs science
February 2nd, 2012
Originally created to satisfy the hunger of a gambling-addicted aristocrat, the humble sandwich has become the staple foodstuff of busy people everywhere.
From the cucumber sandwiches on the Queen’s table to the bánh mì of south-east Asia, to the po’boy of the southern USA, every region around the world has its own variation on the classic sandwich.
Here at Appliances Online, we’re partial to the odd sanger, sarnie or sammo. Fellow blogger, Richie, is notorious for his fondness for a tuna chunk sandwich in the middle of the day. Personally, I tend to stick with a basic ham and cheese on wholemeal or multigrain bread for everyday consumption, though I’ve a weakness for the occasional well-made BLT. I had a really good store-bought sandwich the other day – ham, camembert cheese, baby spinach, mushrooms and mustard. Delicious.
But is sandwich making an art or a science?
Breads, fillings, condiments… a sandwich can be as elaborate as your imagination allows, and creating a masterpiece can be a truly artistic endeavour. You only need to look at the range of weird and wacky sandwich cross-sections on the blog Scanwiches to see sandwich preparation taken to an art form. The only drawback of creating such elaborate foodstuffs is that you can’t have your sandwich and eat it too…
It can also be argued that crafting a great sandwich is as involved as a chemist preparing an experimental formula, or an engineer plotting out a new set of blueprints. The blog Simply Sandwiches works with this idea in mind, rating each sandwich it reviews on a graph (or ‘Wich Plot) by Strategy and Execution. But does reducing a sandwich to a mere equation take some of the passion out of creating it?
Whatever camp you fall into, one thing is certain: Creating a great sandwich can be every bit as involved as creating a great meal. Both require good ingredients and precise preparation, which can be made easier with the help of handy appliances. A sandwich press or contact grill from Appliances Online can help you turn a typical, everyday snack into a work of art, or deliver the precise toasting you need to satisfy your sandwich’s design requirements.
What are your favourite sandwiches? How do you like to make them? And is the art or the science of their preparation more important to you?
It is a toss up between Ham Cucumber Tomato & Lettuce OR Chicken Mayonnaise Egg & Lettuce. There is an art to it. The art is in putting the ingredients on in the right order so they compliment each other. I prefer wholemeal bread rolls. The Mayo has to be “Kraft” Free” 99% fat free Mayonnaise, it has more tang than the other kind. Spread the roll with the Mayo, a thin spread on both halves not thick or it Overwhelms the meat. Ham first then Black Pepper on that under the Tomato, Cucumber on next with a fine sprinkle of salt then the lettuce.
A bit more Mayo on the bottom half for the chicken one if you start with sliced egg OR mash the egg with a bit of Mayo & white pepper on the egg. the lettuce goes in the middle of this one Cos is Nice or good old fashioned Iceberg, then the chicken, cold BBQ’d chicken breast with some more white pepper then the top. Experienced Gourmet Sanwich-istas can experiment with a nice baby lettuce mix or add some Rocket for a bit of spice & if you like some zing then mix some sweet chilli sauce or some mustard with the Mayonnaise.
The Ultimate Is The Chicken Arr Wow, a wholemeal giant wrap spread with Sweet Chilli Mayonnaise (fat free of course) Then sliced Grilled Crumbed Chicken Breast Fillet sprinkled with Lemon Pepper (I use my turbo oven)& as much salad as you can jam in, Mixed Baby Mesclun Lettuce, Tomato, Cucumber, Carrot, Capsicum, Celery, all & anything you like, no other seasoning needed makes a great Fast Summer Meal when your too tired or hot to fuss over cooking. Bonn Apatite.