Sandwich Savvy

What are you taking for lunch today?

Sandwiches are common practice in kids’ lunches and picnic pouches, but even office execs are eating PB&J, ham and cheese and fancier muffalettas in an effort to save money, eat well and control what they consume.

The history of a stacked meal between slices of bread is long and storied – with Shakespearean references and even a toss back to a Passover practice in the 1st Century B.C. Sandwiches have symbolized and satisfied for a long time but only became favored fare within the last two centuries.

The sandwich grew in popularity among American eaters when bakeries started selling pre-sliced bread, making sandwich creation easy and quick. Try these portable meals in your lunch this week:

Beef on Weck – A unique staple of Buffalo, N.Y. bars, it’s a roast beef sandwich on salty kummelweck rolls (a.k.a. Kaiser roll). Usually served with horseradish, kosher dill pickles and French fries.

a Cuban – Miami’s favorite snack from street corner-snack bars features submarine-long toasted rolls with layers of ham, roast pork, cheese and pickles.

a Dagwood – Named after the popular 1930s comic strip character, Dagwood Bumstead, this sandwich is comprised of a tall pile of leftovers between slices of bread.

Po’ Boy – A New Orleans original, fillings vary from fried oysters, shrimp, fish, soft-shelled crabs, crawfish to roast beef and gravy, roast pork, meatballs and smoked sausage. Always made with French bread.

Reuben – A grilled sandwich with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing on rye. Some say the Reuben is named after Reuben Kolakofsky, a wholesale grocer in Nebraska who died in 1960, while others claim the Reuben was a sandwich created at Reuben’s, the landmark New York deli which opened in 1908. Rumor has it that proprietor Arnold Reuben’s daughter made this special sandwich for Charlie Chaplin’s leading lady, Annette Seelos.

Finger Sandwiches – Kids love ‘em because they’re dainty and ladies love ‘em for tea because they can eat a bunch without feeling guilty. These crust-cut-off small confections come from Anna, Duchess of Bedford, who first offered afternoon tea in 1840 to stave off that weak feeling in the late afternoon. They’re known for thinly sliced sandwich bread, a thin layer of butter, no crust and ingredients ranging from roast beef to cucumber and dill.

Elvis Wich – The King’s fave: peanut butter, honey and banana!

Find all the fixings for these sandwiches and more at Hiller’s!

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