“Spinach, Liver & Brains Sandwich” (!?)

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Music – “Sandwiches Are Beautiful” from Weird & Wacky Songs for Kids by Bob King. Released: 2005

John Montagu, a British statesman and 4th Earl of Sandwich, had many titles, but he is best known as the purported inventor of the now prevalent sandwich. There are lots of myths surrounding his invention, but the most common and perhaps the most popular suggests that the Earl was engaged in a heated and prolonged gambling session and asked for bread and meat to be brought to the table, whereupon he placed the meat between two slices of bread and ‘Voila!’, the sandwich was born.

John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich and legendary “inventor” of the sandwich (Photo Credit: http://www.en.wikipedia.org)

Eventually, others would order the servants to bring “the same as Sandwich!” Thus was born the sandwich, at least that’s the popular version.

According to http://www.fillyourplate.com, Americans alone consume about 300 million sandwiches each day, in other words, one for each individual. I eat a sandwich about twice a month, so someone out there must be taking up the slack for me. The sandwich even has it’s own recognized day: November 3rd (sandwiched (pardon the pun) between Deviled Egg Day and King Tut Day).

As my Dad used to say, “Your eyes may be bigger than your stomach”. (Photo Credit: http://www.dailymail.co.uk)

To date (2005), the Guinness World Record for the Largest Sandwich is attributed to Wild Woody’s Chill & Grill, in Roseville, Michigan, with a sandwich weighing 5,440 pounds. It was 12 feet long by 12 feet wide and 17.5 inches thick. No indication of how many people feasted on it.

Since the sandwich is so popular, I looked through a number of my older cookbooks, which feature chapters on sandwiches. The diversity of fillings is amazing, and in some cases, downright offputting! Consider the following sandwich suggestions:

Spinach, Liver & Brains Sandwich Baked Beans & Chili Sauce Sandwich Surprise Loaf(anything goes) Cucumber and Almond Sandwich Apricot & Horseradish Sandwich Prune Sandwich

A sandwich with calves brains – delightful (Photo Credit: http://www.en.wikipedia. org)

Grapenuts Sandwich (yes, the cereal!)(Grapenuts, grated cheese, mustard, catsup, paprika, Tabasco)

A cauliflower sandwich. Why not? (Photo Credit: http://www.washingtonpost.com)

Raisin Sandwich Deviled Peanut Sandwich (deviled ham, ground peanuts, pickles, mayo) Date & PeanutSandwich Peanut Butter &Cucumber Sandwich

Does anybody eat the old fashioned PB & J anymore? (Photo Credit: http://www.ibtimes.com)

Cheese & Ginger Sandwich (cream cheese, candied ginger) Fruit Filling Sandwich (raisins, coconut, nuts, cream) Cottage Cheese Sandwich (cottage cheese, beaten eggs, catsup, bacon) Cabbage & Peanut Butter Sandwich Peanut Butter, Brown Sugar, Plum Jelly, Sliced Olives, Catsup, Chopped Bacon Sandwich

Bacon lover’s sandwich. Have a doctor standing by. (Photo Credit: http://www.uncyclopedia.wikia.com)

Creamed Karo Sandwich (Karo corn syrup boiled until creamy) Cream Cheese & Maraschino Cherry Sandwich

The makings of a Cream Cheese and Maraschino Cherry Sandwich (Photo Credit: sidsseapalmcooking. blogspot.com)

Rice Sandwich (Crisco, rice, mace, lemon peel, chopped liver, chopped ham)

? Really? (Photo Credit: http://www.jemblog.com)

HudsonSandwich (Crisco, cooked meat, olives, eggs, pickled shrimps) Fig Sandwich (chopped figs, sugar, water, lemon juice – boil until thick)

Potato Salad & Sliced Ham Sandwich

Two-Course Sandwich (corned beef, coleslaw, horseradish, milk, crushed pineapple, dates, pickles) Baked Beans & Salami Sandwich

Nice looking, but probably pricy shrimp sandwich (Photo Credit: http://www.mirror.co.uk)

Some of the ingredients in this sandwich cannot be identified (Photo Credit: http://www.bunrab.com)

Cannibal Sandwich (chopped raw beef, minced onion) Dagwood Sandwich (use up the fridge contents: meat, fish, cheese, poultry, jelly, lettuce, tomatoes, eggs, beans, pickles, olives, pickled beets, catchup, mayo, horseradish, & whatever else is left!)

Trust Arnold Schwarzenegger to come up with an 80,000 calorie “Steak & Egger Sandwich” (Photo Credit: http://www.dailymail.co.uk)

I saved the best for the last. How about a “Fruit-Nut Sandwich” with dried figs, salt, ground dates, chopped nuts, cinnamon, lemon juice and “Minute Tapioca”?

With so many possible combinations and permutations, anything goes into a sandwich. I have a cousin who used to live on liverwurst and sliced green grape sandwiches. Whatever. Don’t forget to mark November 3rd, 2014 on your calendar and celebrate with your favourite sandwich to honour the day!

This is the way my Mom served us sandwiches. Small, not too much filling and cut into triangles, neatly arranged. Ah, those were gentler times. (Photo Credit: http://www.pinterest.com)

Here’s a great idea to keep your co-workers from stealing your sandwich from the lunchroom refrigerator! (Photo Credit: http://www.switched.com)

Sources:

“The New Art” (General Electric Kitchen Institute, 1935) “Carnation Cook Book” (Mary Blake, 1937) “The Household Searchlight Recipe Book” (The Household Magazine, 1938)

“Brewster Book of Recipes” (Brewster Congregational Church, Detroit, Michigan, 1921) “Mary Dunbar’s Cook Book” (Home Service Division, Jewel Tea Co. 1927) “Making the Most of Your Electrolux” (Electrolux Refrigerator Sales, 1934) “Granddaughter’s Inglenook Cookbook” (Brethren Publishing House, 1946)

“The Modern Method of Preparing Delightful Foods” (Ida Bailey Allen, 1927) “Women’s Home Companion Cook Book” (1943) “A Modern Manual of Cooking” (Marion Harris Neil, 1921) “A Book for a Cook” (Pillsbury, 1905) “Good Housekeepings Book of Breads & Sandwiches” (1958) “A Cook’s Tour with Minute Tapioca” (Minute Tapioca Co., 1929)