The Globetrotting Sandwich

Unusual Sandwiches for The National Sandwich Day

The sandwich is one of the most versatile foods known to mankind. So we celebrate this ethereal food on this National Sandwich Day. Sandwiches have been around for years, and can be traced back to well before the middle ages. In fact, it has been around for so long that sandwiches have adapted greatly over the centuries, and each country has developed their own style of sandwich, making it a delectable global success.

There are many components that can make a sandwich either a delicious treat or a dismal snack, but the right combination of bread, fillings and additional ingredients really can make or break a sandwich. Different varieties of bread can totally change the taste and presentations of sandwiches. Varieties may include white, wholemeal, rye, ciabatta, and pita.

A sandwich sometimes doesn’t even have to be a filling between two slices of bread – take a look at the open-face sandwich recipes on Recipe Bridge. There are some great recipes for any vegetarians or for anyone who likes a lovely fresh tasting snack with an abundance of flavours (the black pepper and the Tabasco also give it that extra ‘zing’ factor!).

The sandwich varieties around the world

From a hot veggie treat to a French delight, the pan bagnat is a specialty dish made famous in the south of France. Usually sold in quaint little cafes in Nice and other southern French towns, this sandwich is a light and yet filling snack which is usually placed on a plain bread roll and can come with many different fillings, however tuna, tomato and olive are almost always in there somewhere! Find a pan bagnat recipe on Recipebridge.

Over 6000 miles from France, we come to Vietnam where the banh mi is one of their favoured varieties of sandwiches. Normally made on a sub roll and with different meat fillings such as chicken, oyster, and meatball, the banh mi is one of the most tantalising sandwiches out there – admittedly, they do contain a lot of additional ingredients, but if you are willing to take the time to prepare it, every single ingredient will totally enhance your tasting experience. You can find some easy banh mi recipes on Recipebridge.

If we now hop over to Louisiana, North America, we can get an idea of the types of sandwiches made famous by the southern states of the USA – poboys and muffalettas. The New Orleans Muffaletta is a hearty meal, normally served on Italian (mainly Sicilian) bread and stuffed with many fillings and ingredients. These sandwiches are not for the faint hearted and are constructed on this type of bread mainly due to the fact no other loaf could hold all the ingredients!

The great thing about sandwiches is that they are portable, and are a great ‘on-the-go’ meal. Street food served in China often includes sandwiches like the rou jia mo which is a meaty sandwich that is rich in flavour. If you’d like to try this unusual sandwich, Recipebridge has just the recipe for you!

So I hope you are inspired by the variety of sandwiches that you see here; why not seek out the recipes and give them a go yourself. Or perhaps you have a favourite sandwich of yours that you want to share with us? What do you think makes the perfect sandwich?