One of the most popular dishes around the world is a Sandwich. May it be a PBJ or a BLT, everyone loves sandwiches. Essentially, a sandwich is an assortment of vegetables, meat and/or sauces, trapped between two slices of bread. It is one of the greatest inventions since sliced bread (get it?) and everyone has a personal favorite. But have you ever wondered who came up with this brilliant invention?
Source: 41.media.tumblr.com
There was this man who went by the name John Montagu, fourth Earl of Sandwich, who was known for being a notorious gambler and did not have the time to spare for eating. So he ordered his valet to bring some meat tucked between two slices of bread. This way, he didn’t grease his hands while eating his meat and nor did he require a fork to make the extra effort of picking at his food and therefore getting distracted from all the gambling.
This became so famous that everybody started ordering it and John Montagu was soon being recognized as Lord Sandwich and his food preference at the gambling table was being referred to as the “Sandwich”. The name stuck even after his death in 1792 and has been carried on till date. It eventually gained popularity outside of the Western countries and today, there are more than a 1,000 renditions of a sandwich. From savoury to sweet, you can get any sandwich which appeals to your palate.
Source: imgsrv.legends1027.com
Considering that the Western world came up with sliced bread and sandwich, these countries have also come up some of the best representations of The Sandwich. Peanut Butter and Jelly (PBJ) is the most common and popular sandwich in the United States whereas the simple cheese sandwich has the largest fan following in the United Kingdom. The other sandwiches popularized by this culture:
1) Donkey Burger
Chinese love it.
Source: ealuxe.com
2) Panini
Although Italians created it, it has gained a spot in every coffeehouse around the world.
Source: 40.media.tumblr.com
3) Vegemite Sandwich
It is no secret that the Australians love to spread this yeasty and paste like substance on their bread and munch on it.
Source: evilsquirrelsnest.files.wordpress.com
In India too, we have so many different kinds of sandwiches. They differ from city to city and State to State but they all are packed with unique flavours – the chutney sandwich being the most popular. Some of the famous sandwiches in India are
1) Vada Pav
Generally considered as the king of local sandwiches, this hamburger-like snack is cherished the most by the people of Mumbai.
Source: kiduva.com
2) Idli Sandwich
South Indians love their idli, their sambhar and their masala dosa. But more than anything, they love their idli stuffed with the masala.
Source: media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com
3) Cheese and Veggie Sandwich
With chutney spread on the bread slices, and veggies and cheese as the filling, what could possibly be more delicious ?
Source: cdn.awesomecuisine.com
Something that started as a easy snack for an Earl who was so busy gambling that he couldn’t be bothered to remove time to eat, Sandwich has gained a lot of popularity over many decades since its invention and continues to reinvent itself everyday.