Simple yet satisfying, the humble sandwich is named after John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. An enthusiastic gambler who did not want to stop for proper meals, he reportedly sustained himself at the gaming table with slices of bread and meat. Today, the quick and easy snack is a staple in schoolchildren’s lunch boxes and at afternoon teas. Instead of the typical turkey and cheese on wheat at meetings, planners can expand the sandwich selection with these creative ideas.
Big Cheese
A Philly cheesesteak is a long, crusty roll filled with thinly sliced, sauteed rib-eye beef and smothered with melted cheese. Additional toppings can include fried onions, sauteed mushrooms, ketchup and hot or sweet peppers. For an authentic version of the popular sandwich, Visit Philly recommends Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks. The two shops, located across the street from each other, have a four-decade-old rivalry.
Bahn Mi for Me
The bahn mì begins with a crisp baguette. Traditional French ingredients such as pate and mayonnaise are combined with native Vietnamese ingredients including cilantro, cucumber, jalapeno, pickled carrots and daikon to create a fresh, flavorful and usually inexpensive sandwich. Grilled pork, barbecue chicken and even vegetarian bahn mi are easy to find in San Jose, California, which boasts the largest Vietnamese American population in the United States.
Getta Muffuletta
A muffuletta (pictured) is a soft, round sesame bread stuffed with cured meats and cheeses, topped with a spicy olive salad and left to marinate at room temperature until the flavors meld. It is claimed that the hearty Sicilian-style sandwich was invented in 1906 at Central Grocery Co. in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Fans still line up every day at the store to purchase them.
Viva el Cubano
It is believed that this tasty sandwich, which features roasted pork loin, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, mayo and bread, originated as a lunch food for workers in the cigar factories and sugar mills of Cuba. For a delicious Cubano in America, troll the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami. Versailles has been serving up traditional Cubanos since 1971
and estimates that sells at least 200 per day.
