There is an important birthday coming up. No, not mine. Not for a few months anyway. But a birthday that is so important because of what this person did for us as foodies. I’m talking of course about John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. History tells us that Montagu invented the sandwich in 1762. As the story goes, he was in a heated 24-hour gambling event, and he wanted to be able to continue to gamble while eating so he asked his servants to put beef between two pieces of bread. And that kids, is how the sandwich was born.
This Nov. 3, we celebrate National Sandwich Day. We celebrate the stroke of genius that Montagu had so many years ago that has brought so much joy into our lives and stomachs.
There are hundreds of different types of sandwiches. There are too many to try and count, so we are just going to hit a few of our favorites to give you a jumpstart for this most joyous and delicious occasion.
Let’s start at Ida Claire on Belt Line. All you need to know is Fried Chicken BLT. It has an amazing combination of your classic BLT ingredients with the added fried chicken, black pepper aioli, and jalapeño jelly. You need this in your life. I am a huge fan of chicken salad sandwiches and Ida Claire’s Smoked Chicken Salad Sandwich is also a must. www.ida-claire.com
Ok, now let’s move on to some classic sub sandwich options.
Jersey Mike’s Subs started as a small sandwich shop in 1956 in the seaside town of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Since then, it has grown and opened up sandwich shops all over the country. They continue to make great sandwiches without compromising quality. My go-to here is the #13, The Original Italian served Mike’s Way (lettuce, onions, tomatoes, oil, vinegar, and spices.) It’s made with provolone, ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami and pepperoni. www.jerseymikes.com
Another great sandwich spot is Jimmy John’s. They make amazing sandwiches, and they are, as their slogan says, “freaky fast.” Again, I’m going with their version of the Italian with the #7 Spicy East Coast Italian. The addition of spicy peppers takes this sandwich to another level. But if you’re not in the mood for spicy, their Beach Club which is made with turkey, provolone, avocado spread, cucumber and lettuce, tomato, and mayo always hits the spot! www.jimmyjohns.com
There are so many more options but only so much room to talk about them, so let us know about your favorite sandwich spot and what we should order! We’re ready to celebrate National Sandwich Day with all the sandwiches we can get our hands on!
