Two slices of bread with ideas between them
History books say that the idea of putting meat between slices of bread was invented by an inveterate gambler sometime in the 1770s. John Montagu, Earl of Sandwich (and yes, there is a town in England called Sandwich) was a talented civil servant, patron of music and sports, and also a member of the notoriously debauched Hell-Fire Club. However, I don’t believe for an instant he invented the meal that bears his name. People have been eating bread for millennia, and putting food on top of it is well documented – thick slices of bread called trenchers were used as edible plates in Shakespeare’s time, and it’s ridiculous to think that nobody thought to put another trencher on top of the first one and pick up the whole thing. It may take some archaeologist finding a Roman mosaic showing someone eating salami and provolone between slices of panis quadratis to prove it, but I am waiting for that day. It’s not only an obvious idea, it’s a good one, because the texture and wheaty flavor of a crusty roll complements meats and vegetables, while absorbing some of the moisture of sauces and condiments. Plenty of places have sandwiches of their own that are iconic – Chicagoans cherish Italian…
Read this story on easyreadernews.com