Sandwich

For other uses, see Sandwich (disambiguation).

Sandwich
A bologna sandwich
Place of originBritain
Main ingredientsBread, meat, cheese, salad vegetables and sauce or spread

A sandwich is a dish typically consisting of meat, cheese or vegetables used as a filling between slices of bread, or placed atop a slice of bread; or, more generally, any dish in which bread serves as a container or wrapper for another food type, and allows it to be a finger food.[1][2][3] The sandwich began as a portable, convenient food in the Western world, though over time it has become prevalent worldwide.

There has been social media debate over the precise definition of sandwich, specifically whether a hot dog or open sandwich can be categorized as such. Other items, like hamburger and burrito, were also considered. In the United States, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration are the responsible agencies for protecting the definition of sandwich. The USDA uses the definition, "at least 35% cooked meat and no more than 50% bread" for closed sandwiches, and "at least 50% cooked meat" for open sandwiches.[4] However, the same USDA manual determines that burritos and fajitas are "sandwich-like", and frankfurters are "sandwich type", while stromboli is explicitly excluded. In Britain, the British Sandwich Association defines a sandwich as "any form of bread with a filling, generally assembled cold"; a definition which includes wraps and bagels, but potentially excludes dishes assembled and served hot, such as burgers.[5]

Sandwiches are a popular type of lunch food, taken to work, school, or picnics to be eaten as part of a packed lunch. The bread is frequently coated with condiments such as mayonnaise or mustard to enhance its flavour and texture, but may be served plain ("dry"). As well as being homemade, sandwiches are also widely sold in various retail outlets and can be served hot or cold.[6][7] Although savoury sandwiches—such as deli meat sandwiches—are in the majority, sweet sandwiches—such as jam sandwiches and fluffernutters—form their own category.

The sandwich is named after the inventor of a certain roast beef sandwich in 18th century England, John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich.[8][9] The Wall Street Journal has described it as Britain's "biggest contribution to gastronomy".[10]

  1. ^ Abelson, Jenn (10 November 2006). "Arguments spread thick". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
  2. ^ "sandwich". Merriam-Webster. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  3. ^ Foundations of Restaurant Management & Culinary Arts Level Two. Pearson. 2011. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-13-138022-6.
  4. ^ Ludlow, Peter (2014). Living Words:Meaning Underdetermination and the Dynamic Lexicon. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-871205-3. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  5. ^ "What is a Sandwich? | British Sandwich Week". British Sandwich & Food to Go Association. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2022. The British Sandwich Association defines a sandwich as: Any form of bread with a filling, generally assembled cold – to include traditional wedge sandwiches, as well as filled rolls, baguettes, pitta, bloomers, wraps and bagels. [...] There is much debate as to what constitutes a sandwich but burgers and other associate products are not considered to be a sandwich.
  6. ^ Foundations of Restaurant Management & Cullinary Arts Level Two. Pearson. 2011. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-13-138022-6.
  7. ^ Becoming a Foodservice professional Year 1. National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. 1999. p. 306. ISBN 1-883904-87-0.
  8. ^ What's Cooking America Archived 29 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Sandwiches, History of Sandwiches. 2 February 2007.
  9. ^ "Sandwich celebrates 250th anniversary of the sandwich". BBC News Online. 12 May 2012. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  10. ^ Marks, Kathy (17 May 1997). "BLT: British, lousy and tasteless". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2017.