Here Come the Sandwiches: Unpacking the History and Definition of a Culinary Staple

Here come the sandwiches. The humble sandwich may be a simple culinary construct. Once you really get into the meat of the situation, you'll find it's not so cut and dry, not dry. The history of sandwiches is a multi-decker enigma that begins and ends with the same deceptively simple question.

So today we'll be stacking bread, meat, and facts while we attempt to answer the age-old question. What is a sandwich? Before we get started, make sure to subscribe to Weird History Food and let us know in the comments what other slice of food history you'd like to hear about. Now then, are you down with BLT? Yeah. You know me.

What exactly constitutes a sandwich is a hotly contested question. So let's start. Like a best man bombing his reception speech and resorting to the dictionary. According to Merriam-Webster, a sandwich when used as a noun has two different definitions. The first definition is two or more slices of bread or a split roll. Having a filling between.

The second is in. We are not making this up. Quote, something resembling a sandwich. Guess Miriam and Webster were both off that day. Obviously,, your PB and J's or ham and cheeses fall into the category of classic sandwiches. But what about burritos, tacos, or even hot dogs? Ask any two random people off the street and you'll receive two very different answers. Not a sandwich.

Even the state of New York has officially weighed in on the matter, which we'll get to a little later. Wow. It's like New York is a character in this video. The point is, that sandwiches have been the topic of debate for ages, maybe even since the dawn of their invention. Though we don't know that last one for sure, since we don't know when the first sandwich was assembled. What we do know, however, is who the first sandwich was named after. In 18th century England, there lived a British aristocrat named John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. Though he had several stately positions over his lifetime. Montagu was most known for his rakish ways and predilections for gambling. Allegedly while in the middle of a particularly laborious gambling session. Montagu was unwilling to stop and eat. I shall have to stop playing cards to eat.

Hey, we get it. We've all been to Vegas. He demanded salted beef be brought to his table between two slices of bread so we could eat his meal without ever having to stop what he was doing. This bold flex left such a mark on those around him that they dubbed this composition of bread and meat a sandwich.

To be fair, seeing someone bash a super grinder together for the first time would be unforgettable. Modern historians have some doubts about the validity of the Earl of Sandwich story. However, it's more likely that he was seen publicly eating his famous sandwiches in London High Society while serving as a member of the House of Lords.

The Mysterious Origins and Global Spread of the Sandwich

To add another layer of confusion, the first known use of the word seemingly had nothing to do with the Earl of Sandwich at all. In 1762, English historian Edward Gibbon wrote in his diary about seeing men eat a bit of cold meat or a sandwich but made no mention of Montagu despite him being active around this time.

So which came first, the Sandwich or the Earl? In any case, before Londoners had a name for them, people were chowing down on similarly sliced dishes. Mentions of bread and meat or bread and cheese can be found in 16th and early 17th century places like George Peele's, The Old Wives Tale, and William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor.

During the Middle Ages, beggars and dogs were often fed meat in trenches which were essentially flat, stale loaves of bread. Going back in time still, Rabbi Hillel, the elder who lived during the first century BCE, combined the lamb and bitter herbs between matzah to create a biblically supported sandwich.

Meanwhile, Mediterranean cultures, ancient Greeks, and Romans were all known for their flatbreads and fillings. It's even been suggested that the Earl of Sandwich got his taste for his favorite snack while traveling through the Ottoman Empire. So while we may never know who invented the sandwich, we do know we'll always be grateful to them. And that's why we'd like to give you some time to silently reflect upon your favorite sandwich.

Ours is the Monte Cristo from Bennigan's. Once sandwiches had a name. Word of them spread like mayo, and they became known the world over as quick and easy meals. You could eat on the go. Sandwich street vendors and dedicated sandwich bars popped up in places like England, Spain, and Holland throughout the 19th century.

They became so pervasive that the term sandwich took on a secondary meaning to describe the act of bookending something between two other things, which must be what Merriam-Webster meant by “something resembling a sandwich.” Sorry, we ever doubted you. By the early 20th century, once bread found its way onto virtually every American dinner table, the sandwich was cemented as a staple across class and cultural barriers.

From Aristocratic Treats to Everyday Eats: The Evolution of Sandwiches in America

No longer just for the aristocratic upper crust. Thank you. This brave new frontier brought forth an onslaught of new types of sandwiches outside the realm of simple salted meats, both regional and more widespread sandwiches were finding their way into the hearts, minds, and mouths of discerning American foodies.

The toasted club sandwich, featuring two layers of bread, mayonnaise, bacon, tomato,, and chicken or turkey, became an expected menu, offering at gentlemen's clubs. The introduction of canned tuna turned tuna salad sandwiches from wartime rations into fashionable lunchtime indulgences and the first known recipe for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was unveiled in the Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science, and Domestic Economics in 1901. If only that magazine had a few more words in its title.

Let's suppose that sometime when you're out shopping, you'll bring home a jar of Skippy peanut butter. The popular pairing of PB and J would become even more prolific once mass-manufactured peanut butter hit store shelves in the early 1920s. American companies pushed the product on children, making peanut butter and jelly, the go-to meal for school lunches.

By the end of the 1920s, po'boys had sprung out of New Orleans after two restauranteurs gave them out for free. two striking streetcar drivers. The drivers, colloquially known as poor boys, liked the combination of fried potatoes, gravy, and roast beef on a French roll so much that it stuck around for 100 years.

Oh my God. Today, hundreds of millions of sandwiches are prepared and sold in the United States every single month. That is in large part thanks to the fast food boom that began in the mid-20th century. Grinders, Heroes, Hoagies, Subs, or whatever you call them in your regional dialect originated in the 1960s, and fast-food burger joints have been around even longer than that.

But wait. Do burgers count as sandwiches? Fluffernutter? Is that right? Thanks to the flexible definition of the word, the sandwich category has only broadened over the years. In particular, the rules around what types of bread you can use to make a sandwich have loosened up significantly.

We previously mentioned po'boys, which were served on split French rolls instead of traditional sliced bread. Submarine sandwiches followed a similar pattern with artisans stuffing, meats, cheeses, and veggies into long cylindrical bread rolls.

Other sandwiches use bagels as their bread of choice. While some people prefer English muffins. Then there's the panini, which is a grilled sandwich that typically uses a baguette, ciabatta, focaccia, or machete. Stranger still is the open-face sandwich, which ignores the concept of having two pieces of bread in favor of a single slice topped with whatever your sandwich-loving heart desires.

The Expansive World of Sandwiches: Defining the Indefinable

If all of these count as sandwiches, why not add hamburgers to the list too? They're just fillings between two slices of bread, aren't they? And while we're at it, what about all those other sandwich-adjacent foods we mentioned at the beginning of this video? Merriam-Webster's definition of “two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling between” seems to be a pretty straightforward answer on its face.

Or should we say open-face? But as we've established, that definition only tells half the story. Because of the versatility of sandwiches, the range of fillings, and the wide variety of bread options, it's easy to argue for many, many things to be classified as a sandwich.

Burritos are typically meat, cheese, and beans wrapped in a tortilla, which is a type of flatbread. Are they sandwiches? If so, tacos must also be considered sandwiches, since they tend to boast the same ingredients on a smaller scale. Following that same pattern hot dogs certainly can't be left out of the equation.

After all, a hotdog bun is nothing more than a split roll, which we then pack with fillings like a tiny trencher at ye delis of old. Depending on who you are, this might sound like perfect logic or complete madness. And what's really maddening is the fact that there is no definitive answer unless you live in New York. Told you we’d be coming back here.

New York delis, bodegas, and restaurants are arguably the foremost authority on American sandwiches. However the state itself has the final say on the objective definition of a sandwich. And according to these Big Apple legislators, everything we've talked about today from PB and J’s to burritos is classified as a sandwich. Why? Because of taxes. In New York, groceries are not taxable. These items include things like canned goods, meats, prepackaged fruits, and vegetables.

Other considerations include where the food is prepared, cooked, and eaten, so anything prepared in-store is usually taxable. Under this law. sandwiches are not considered groceries and can therefore be taxed. But since the term sandwich is so loose, the state had to come down hard and fast to make the most of its sandwich tax law. As a consequence, all foods that even remotely resemble a sandwich are considered part of the club. And don't ask what the club is called. You already know.

SectionContent
IntroductionThe humble sandwich is a simple culinary construct with a complex history. Today, we'll explore the definition and history of sandwiches.
Definition of a SandwichAccording to Merriam-Webster, a sandwich has two definitions: 1) Two or more slices of bread or a split roll with a filling between, and 2) Something resembling a sandwich.
Classic vs. Controversial SandwichesClassic sandwiches include PB&J and ham and cheese. The inclusion of burritos, tacos, and hot dogs as sandwiches is debated. Even New York State has weighed in officially.
Origin of the Name "Sandwich"The sandwich is named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who in the 18th century requested beef between bread to eat while gambling.
Historical Mentions of Bread and MeatMentions of bread and meat combinations date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Examples include works by George Peele and William Shakespeare. In the Middle Ages, bread and meat combinations were also common.
Early Examples of SandwichesEarly examples include Rabbi Hillel's lamb and bitter herbs between matzah in the first century BCE, and flatbreads with fillings in Mediterranean cultures.
Spread and Popularity of SandwichesOnce named, sandwiches became popular worldwide as quick meals. Street vendors and sandwich bars emerged in the 19th century in places like England, Spain, and Holland.
American Sandwich EvolutionBy the early 20th century, sandwiches were a staple in America. The PB&J sandwich was popularized, and regional varieties like po'boys emerged.
Sandwich VarietiesThe sandwich category has broadened over time to include po'boys, subs, bagels, English muffins, paninis, and even open-face sandwiches.
Debate on Burgers and Sandwich-Adjacent FoodsThe inclusion of hamburgers, burritos, tacos, and hot dogs as sandwiches is debated due to their fillings and bread types.
New York's DefinitionNew York state classifies all sandwich-like foods as sandwiches for tax purposes. This includes everything from PB&J to burritos.
ConclusionThe definition of a sandwich is versatile and often debated. However, New York's tax laws provide a broad classification.

FAQS: The History and Definition of Sandwiches

Q1: What is a sandwich?

  • A1: According to Merriam-Webster, a sandwich has two primary definitions:
  1. Two or more slices of bread or a split roll with a filling in between.
  2. Something that resembles a sandwich.

Q2: Who invented the sandwich?

  • A2: The sandwich is commonly attributed to John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, an 18th-century British aristocrat. He allegedly asked for meat between two slices of bread so he could eat without interrupting his gambling sessions. However, there are mentions of bread and meat combinations that predate the Earl's claim.

Q3: What types of foods are considered sandwiches?

  • A3: Classic sandwiches include PB&J, ham and cheese, and BLTs. However, the definition can extend to burritos, tacos, and even hot dogs depending on one's interpretation.

Q4: Are burritos, tacos, and hot dogs considered sandwiches?

  • A4: This is a contentious topic. While some argue that burritos, tacos, and hot dogs fall under the sandwich category due to their structure (filling between bread), others disagree. New York State classifies these foods as sandwiches for tax purposes.

Q5: What is the historical significance of the sandwich?

  • A5: Sandwiches have been consumed in various forms for centuries. Early examples include meat on trenchers (stale bread) during the Middle Ages and Rabbi Hillel's combination of lamb and herbs between matzah. The sandwich as we know it became popular in the 18th century and spread worldwide.

Q6: How did sandwiches become popular in America?

  • A6: Sandwiches became widespread in America by the early 20th century. Bread became a staple in American households, and sandwiches like the toasted club, tuna salad, and PB&J became common. The fast food boom in the mid-20th century further popularized sandwiches like grinders, hoagies, and subs.

Q7: What is an open-face sandwich?

  • A7: An open-face sandwich consists of a single slice of bread topped with various fillings, without another slice of bread on top.

Q8: Why does New York State consider so many foods as sandwiches?

  • A8: For tax purposes. In New York, groceries are not taxable, but prepared foods are. To maximize tax revenue, New York broadly defines sandwiches to include items like burritos and hot dogs.

Q9: What are some regional sandwich variations in the United States?

  • A9: Regional variations include the New Orleans po'boy, the toasted club sandwich, and various submarine sandwiches. Each region has its unique twist on the sandwich, reflecting local tastes and ingredients.

Q10: Why are sandwiches considered versatile?

  • A10: Sandwiches are versatile because they can be made with a wide variety of breads and fillings, catering to different tastes and dietary needs. This flexibility allows for endless creativity and adaptation.

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