Would the Earl have appreciated a veggie version?
Photo: bookgrl / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Rumor has is that the sandwich was so named for John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich who had a penchant for gambling. So enamored of card games was he that he left little time for much-needed sustenance. "Oh, just bring some meat between two slices of bread," he called to his servant. And so was born the ultimate quick dish.
It's no surprise that the sandwich took off in the States. It's the all-American meal: speedy, car-friendly, and, more often than not, stuffed with meat and cheese. But compared to compost-like Power Bars or liters of puréed blueberries mixed with wheat grass and powdery vitamin "boosts," the sammy is a filling, well-rounded, portable meal.
Now the meat-between-two-slices-of-bread thing has become the subject of Saveur articles and white tablecloth restaurants. Sandwiches have gotten serious—and civilized. So, as an ode to the Earl and the much-loved food he inspired, here are a handful of Moveable Feast's favorite sandwich joints in the United States:
Mastrelli's Delicatessen: San Francisco, CA
I don't visit the Bay Area without a stop to this deli in the Ferry Building. Get the Luciano Special: The focaccia bread pressed hot crunches ever so satisfyingly to reveal thinly sliced prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, and fresh lettuce and onions. (Take some San Marzano tomatoes and oil-packed tuna to go from the floor-to-ceiling stacked Italian goods.)
Ferry Building Marketplace, 1 Ferry Plaza
Lambert's: Austin, TX
Lambert's has much more than sandwiches, but this list deserves a barbecue option, and Hill Country does barbecue best. My favorite sandwich off the lunch menu: Sliced beef brisket and jalapeno hotlink with spicy greens, caramelized onion jam, dijon mustard, and honey wheat toast. You'll need coffee after this one, and Lambert's buys beans from Little City, the best roasters town.
401 West 2nd St.
Darwins, Ltd.: Cambridge, MA
"Darwin's looks as if it's a movie set left over from With Honors. But it also has—and I am not exaggerating—the best sandwiches in the world," says Mollie. "I know ex-Bostonians living in every far corner of the globe who would happily trade a perfect banh mi or croque monsieur for a single overstuffed Darwin's creation."
1629 Cambridge St.
Domilise's Po-Boy & Bar: New Orleans, LA
Mollie says this is the place for oyster po' boys; they've been turning them out since the 1920s. Crusty French bread, crispy oysters that pop in your mouth like grapes, and I recommend a cold beer.
5240 Annunciation St.
Murray's Cheese: New York, NY
This West Village cheese shop opened a sandwich counter about six months ago. Taleggio goes into the 'Little Stinker,' made with ham, fig and onion jam, and rye bread, and the classic breakfast melt is a gooey, salty mess of Fontina Fontal, bacon, and a fried egg all wedged inside a toasted Bay's English muffin.
254 Bleecker St.
Have favorites to add to the list? Let us know in comments.
I don't visit the Bay Area without a stop to this deli in the Ferry Building. Get the Luciano Special: The focaccia bread pressed hot crunches ever so satisfyingly to reveal thinly sliced prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, and fresh lettuce and onions. (Take some San Marzano tomatoes and oil-packed tuna to go from the floor-to-ceiling stacked Italian goods.)
Ferry Building Marketplace, 1 Ferry Plaza
Lambert's: Austin, TX
Lambert's has much more than sandwiches, but this list deserves a barbecue option, and Hill Country does barbecue best. My favorite sandwich off the lunch menu: Sliced beef brisket and jalapeno hotlink with spicy greens, caramelized onion jam, dijon mustard, and honey wheat toast. You'll need coffee after this one, and Lambert's buys beans from Little City, the best roasters town.
401 West 2nd St.
Darwins, Ltd.: Cambridge, MA
"Darwin's looks as if it's a movie set left over from With Honors. But it also has—and I am not exaggerating—the best sandwiches in the world," says Mollie. "I know ex-Bostonians living in every far corner of the globe who would happily trade a perfect banh mi or croque monsieur for a single overstuffed Darwin's creation."
1629 Cambridge St.
Domilise's Po-Boy & Bar: New Orleans, LA
Mollie says this is the place for oyster po' boys; they've been turning them out since the 1920s. Crusty French bread, crispy oysters that pop in your mouth like grapes, and I recommend a cold beer.
5240 Annunciation St.
Murray's Cheese: New York, NY
This West Village cheese shop opened a sandwich counter about six months ago. Taleggio goes into the 'Little Stinker,' made with ham, fig and onion jam, and rye bread, and the classic breakfast melt is a gooey, salty mess of Fontina Fontal, bacon, and a fried egg all wedged inside a toasted Bay's English muffin.
254 Bleecker St.
Have favorites to add to the list? Let us know in comments.
While I adore Murray's, I need to give a big New York shout out to my neighborhood favorite... Baoguette: www.baoguettecafe.com. It's a close tie between the traditional Baoguette and the cat fish sandwich... Brilliantly delish.