Described as Britain’s biggest contribution to gastronomy, the sandwich is now pne of the most popular food items around the world with a huge number of varieties.
It was a recipe conceived by John Montagu, fourth Earl of Sandwich (1718-92) hailing from Kent. He was a successful politician who occupied many important offices of state. The story associated with his originating the legendary sandwich is that as a habitual gambler who abhorred leaving the table for a meal during his long hours of play he would ask his servants to bring him a piece of salt beef between two slices of toasted bread.
Soon his boon companions took to this novel way of eating and would order ‘same as sandwich’ giving the snack his name. It is often said that prior to Earl Sandwich’s invention the Arabs had already started stuffing meat inside pita bread as a convenient snack particularly during long working hours.
The idea however branched out far and wide with people getting fond of this form of fast food. From its humble beginnings, sandwich over the years has mushroomed into countless varieties of fillings and breads. Everything from salami on rye to filet mignon on ciabatta can claim the name “sandwich,” and are available for consumption during all hours of the day and night.
Since it is not very rich in content it is considered easily digestible and puts less pressure on stomach. The bread content provides much needed roughage very conducive in keeping digestive system in order. The different forms of sandwich have gained currency world over with many tasty variations added to it. Some of them are:
The Reuben
In 1926, grocer Reuben Kulakofsky of Ontario tried corned beef sauerkraut sandwich to provide as quick food to his fellow poker players. The dish was quickly picked up by restaurants as it was not only tasty but also very filling.
The origin of this invention is disputed by Reuben’s Restaurant and Delicatessen in New York City who fervently claim that it was their invention.
The Chicken Sandwich
This immensely popular version of sandwich was created by Atlanta restaurant owner Truett Cathy in 1946. He put pieces of boneless chicken in a bun and named it the “Chick-fil-A.”
But the growth of its popularity made its inventors to change their slogan “We didn’t invent the chicken; just the chicken sandwich.”
Chicken sandwich became the rage of time as popularity of white meat gained ground that saw corresponding increase in usage of poultry.
Club Sandwich
A typical colonial snack this multilayered dish is hugely consumed in Pakistan. Its multiple layers contain a selection of grilled chicken, cheese, egg and salad immersed in tasty mayonnaise that is often served with French fries.
Bun Kabab
The indigenous Pakistani version of sandwich is the traditional bun kabab that is held in great esteem and has not lost its lustre despite aggressive onslaught of hamburgers and sandwiches. Its contents include beef patty with spicy chutney garnished with onion and tomatoes stuffed between a soft bun. Its vegetarian version contains potato with same combination of spices as in the meat version.
