Sandwiches are a natural lunch box item. They're easy to make and eat, they keep well, and people love them. But it's also easy to get into a sandwich rut, making the same roast turkey/swiss/mayo/mustard day in and day out. Sometimes you need a little inspiration to kickstart your sandwich routine. What's the easiest place to find new and interesting sandwich combinations? Read on for my free and easy hint!
When I need inspiration for my sandwich making I simply visit the online menus of my favorite sandwich shops to see what they're offering. My two favorites, The Local Butcher Shop in Berkeley and Stag's Lunchette in Oakland, change their menus weekly, so there's always something new to inspire me.
I don't always duplicate exactly the sandwiches offered. Restaurants and delis usually make something a little more fussy and complicated than your average home cook wants to tackle, which is one of the reasons why we buy their sandwiches in the first place. But you can pick up a few hints here and there. The Local Butcher Shop recently listed a roast beef sandwich that had sautéed chard and onions with lemon. I happened to have a little leftover sautéed kale in my refrigerator as well as some roast beef and munster cheese, and thus a new sandwich was born. The kale was an excellent choice, standing up well to the hearty roast beef and offering a nice, vegetal counterpoint to all the protein.
Of course, copying a favorite sandwich does not mean you should stop going to your local sandwich spot! To begin with, you may not be able to make it as good as they can, simply because you don't have access to the same ingredients. And of course, it's more convenient to purchase a sandwich on a busy day and we all know that a sandwich always tastes better when someone else makes it. But if you want a little inspiration to shake up your daily sandwich routine, a quick peek at your favorite menus may offer you some new and delicious ideas.
Here are a few of my favorite sandwich places in the San Francisco Bay Area. How about in your neck of the woods?• The Local Butcher Shop
• Stag's Lunchette
• Salumeria
• Pal's Takeaway
• Bi-Rite Market
Related: 10 Alternatives to the Sliced Tomato for Your Winter Sandwich
(Image: Local Butcher Shop)
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I recently borrowed "'wichcraft" (by Tom Colicchio & Sisha Ortuzar) from my public library. Its a sandwich cookbook with accessible and interesting food combinations. We've been having lunch for dinner recently, and this book helped make it something really special - not just a hurried dinner. I'm really looking forward to this week's lineup here on the Kitchn.
Yesterday, I made a grilled chicken sandwich with avocado spread.
Typically speaking, unless we're dealing with a special occasion (yes, special sandwich occasions DO occur), my sandwich making is structured around using the things which exist in my pantry.
For special sandwich days, I'll occasionally plan out a sandwich on a napkin and run to the grocer to requisition the necessary materials.
Copycat food is for suckers.
http://www.kitchenettesf.com/
I like to spice it up with some chutney. This is a recipe I go back to, which is egg salad with mint chutney in a grilled tortilla wrap: http://abcdsofcooking.blogspot.com/2010/02/egg-salad-with-mint-chutney.html
Great sandwiches indeed start with great ingredients - Duke's mayo is definitely always a good start in our house =)