42. anatomy of a sandwich

I found my perfect combination

I’m not a huge sandwich person because I very rarely find one that truly wow’s me. I’m talking something that hits all the flavour profiles, that isn’t too dry or too soggy, one that doesn’t have me pulling lettuce strands out of my teeth or sauce dripping down my chin. I want just a good ol’ fashion sandwich and I stunned myself by making an excellent one last week. I’m no sandwich professional, but if this sandwich was a person, they’d say she’s fit.

In the midst of meal planning last week, I felt a sudden craving for a turkey sandwich. I made two for B and I to take to work the next day. Unless made fresh, I don’t think sandwiches travel well. Make them with too much mayo or butter, the bread absorbs it and it becomes soggy. Too much lettuce or tomato and again, it soaks the bread with its juices. Too much bacon and it’s overly salty and again, soggy with the fat. Building the perfect sandwich requires more thinking that might expect.

The anatomy of sandwich is made up of three essential parts: the bread, the filling, and the spread or accompaniment. Each part contributes to making a sandwich greater than the sum of its parts.

It starts with good bread.

I’m a huge believer in hard bread — your ciabatta, sourdoughs, baguettes and seeded bloomers. Something that has a firm structure to it, a sharp crust to contain all that is holds. Normal loaves of bread are great for toast and a lather of butter — but they squish easily. A bit wimpy.

Fill her up

Deli meats, sliced turkey, tuna and sweetcorn, chicken salad — you have truly endless options. For what I made, I chose thinly sliced turkey and some smoked streaky bacon. For vegetables, and YES I am one of those people who include vegetables like a bit of leafy salad and tomatoes in my sandwich, sue me, but think about a bit of colour — thinly cut tomatoes, cucumber, sliced radish, pickled onion, all of it adds a bit more of a “oomph” to your sandwich — it’s what makes it special. I genuinely can’t find the joy of a salted beef pastrami sandwich — the entire thing is pink with one flavour: meat.

Spreads and accompaniments elevate the ingredients to greatness.

The BLT becomes a sandwich superstar thanks to mayonnaise. Picking the right mustard for a sandwich is a little trickier. Dijon or honey mustard goes great with ham or turkey. Whatever condiment you choose, I prefer not to be overly generous with it unless you’re eating it immediately. Sogginess is not what we’re going for.

Building her together

So you’ve got your elements, how do we build it? It’s not just whacking it all together, no sir, we must build with consideration. Epicurious claims that denser textures like meat and cheese work better at the bottom of the sandwich. Vegetables and crunchy elements work better towards the top. Lettuce can be used throughout to create extra friction, which will prevent the sandwich filling slippage.

Here’s the order I do and I find it works for me: bottom bread, mayonnaise, leafy or microgreens, tomato, turkey, a dollop of chilli jam for a sweet and spice kick, bacon, mayonnaise, top bread. Gently press together to seal it all in.

Ultimately, crafting a truly successful sandwich hinges on the unique combination of both bread and filling. Each element plays a vital role in creating a delightful blend of flavors, textures, and appearances. The bread serves as the foundation, holding everything together, while the filling adds the colours and tastes that make it truly special.

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