Don't Underestimate The Simple Sandwich

During these hard times we have to get back to basics. Usually that means cutting out the lunch whether it's at a four star restaurant or Wendy's. There's nothing wrong with brown bagging it and it's always fun to create your own sandwiches. This food item, more than any other has a million variations.



If you want, get a good loaf of fresh baked rye or pumpernickel. Having this as your sandwich base adds another facet to the basic bread meat bread combo. The bread's texture is chewy , perfect for "hearty" meat s like ham and pastrami. You can just add a slick of sharp mustard or plain mayonnaise . A cold roast beef sandwich on pumpernickel is always a good choice. Just add a few grains of sea salt and a small, quick dash of cracked pepper to bring out the meat's deep rich taste and you're good to go. You can also put deviled ham mixed with mayo and celery seeds on this as well .



If you want a more traditional lunch, then stick with rolls. There are so many out there. My favorite is the onion pocket with has a small pocket of moist onions. This is excellent with ham . Another favorite is the egg roll where the bread is a deep, intense yellow. This is due to the large amount of eggs in the recipe. I usually like these stuffed with a chicken salad, the recipe came from Au Bon Pain years ago. It's simple to make. Just take a can of Underwood deviled chicken, mix with about two to three heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise and add about a tablespoon of dried tarragon. I've even made this for fancy luncheons, subbing croissants for the rolls. Sliced turkey and chicken are also good with egg rolls, especially if it's from left over roasters. Somehow sandwich meat tastes better if it's fresh carved off the bone.

For vegans., there's the good mix of tomatoes and soy cheese (or even mozzarella) with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of basil.Sliced red and yellow peppers are also good, served on a crusty roll . Put a few slices of artisanal goat cheese (consider this your one foodie luxury). For any veggie sandwich also consider a mash of olive sand capers to give them some texture and crunch.

Don't discount a simple sandwich. It's a great way of breaking up a day, not being too heavy but at the same time not being too light. It's a perfect meal to hod you over til dinner.