sand(wich)s of time...

 in which I ramble about sandwiches with no apparent purpose, although the original purpose was just that I was thinking about sandwiches and thought I'd journal about it a little for posterity.  Then waxed bragadocious and then even acted like I know more than you.  Also it's the middle of the night.

I love sandwiches.  When Spencer and I first began dating, he asked me what my favorite food was, and almost broke up with me when I answered "sandwiches".  He didn't understand.  And I didn't understand what there is to not understand.  And in time we ate eachother's versions of sandwiches and we understood.

An interesting bit of trivia: in spite of the fact that I can pretty much spell anything, and loooove sandwiches, I spell it wrong 99% of the time.  (sandwhich)  Now you know.

I've often been told I make the best sandwiches.  I hate to brag, but, uh, yeah...I'm kind of a big deal.

Along with my dream of being a rockstar, I've always dreamed of opening a cute little sandwich shop.  Seriously.  Ask anybody who's known me for a long time.  They will probably know this.

For years I refused to eat Subway Sandwiches because those so-called "artists" built the dang thing backwards (who puts mayonnaise on the MEAT!?!)  and didn't have spinach. 

Sometimes I reeeeeeeeally miss Utah, because the smoked-turkey-salad-on-home-made-wheat-with-cranberry-sauce-avocado-and-sprouts from Hickory Kist was heavenly...I can still taste it.

And sometimes I miss San Francisco because at Boudin's Bakery the most lovely of sour dough sandwiches could be procured...oh! just the thought!

In Chicago I mostly made my sandwiches at home (being super poor and often pregnant/postnatal).  So my Chicago food-pinings are mostly for cake-shakes and plantain nachos.  Moving on...

Anyway, are you wondering why  my sandwiches are so much better than a boring (pardon the language), run-a-the-mill wonder-bread-balogna thing you are picturing?

I think I just have the special touch.  But here are some tips for you without that touch:

Don't use cake in bread's clothing.  White bread isn't bread.  Use something with substance.  REAL, 100% WHOLE WHEAT.  Or Rye, or something real like that.  No cakes.

Lubricate that.  No dry bread.  How's your sandwich going to stick together without it?  You may as well build a bicycle without screws, nuts, bolts or whatever you use to keep it together.... hmmm, that analogy was really good in my head, before it had words.  But I mean it.  If you are scared of making it fattening--man up.  You only have one life to live.  Quit eating junk food and eat sandwiches that make you happy.  And then junk food, if you so desire.

This sad sandwich just found out that he's not really wheat after all...

Meat goes on one slice of bread, cheese on the other.  No vegetables should be touching the bread.  You do want it saucy, you DON'T want it soggy.

Go big or go lame.  If it's a peanut butter sandwich, put peanut butter on both slices, then plenty of honey or jam.  If it's a lunch meat sandwich, pile the ingredients on.  pleeease don't put on a slice of pressed processed turkey, a slice of cheese, and call it a sandwich.  Put some crunchy stuff on, some sweet stuff, some savory stuff, some juicy stuff, and put a lot on.

And as a final tip, here are some ingredients besides your typical meat/cheese/tomato/pickle to consider:

-spinach spinach spinach
-arugula
-kale (btw, I was a kale-lover way before it was cool.  just sayin'.)
-leftovers (potatoes, hashbrowns, fajita filling, side dishes of all kinds....)
-marinara sauce
-poppy seed dressing
-cottage cheese
-pine nuts
-shredded brussel sprouts
-wheat germ
-cranberry sauce (like the best sandwich topping ever)
-fried egg (really good on a bagel sandwich)


So there are some ideas you may not have come up with on your own.  Now, go make yourself a new kind of sandwich.  You can thank me later.