What makes a sandwich

In White City Shopping Ctr. However, there does seem to be some ambiguity as to what the exact definition of a sandwich is. Thus, as can be seen from these two definitions, there remains ambiguity that has yet to be resolved. Questions—such as; whether two pieces of bread are required, what type of filling has to be between the bread or on top of the bread, and even how much filling is needed—still exist when comparing the two definitions.

Her summation? A hot dog fits Colbert's definition of a sandwich, and therefore can be considered one. Merriam-Webster even joined the debate by boldly declaring that a hot dog is a sandwich back in even if the Hot Dog Council disagrees. Hot dogs are often snagged in the center of the sandwich semantics drama. Despite fitting the description of a food product served on a bread-like product, many sandwich purists insist that hot dogs deserve their own category.

California joins Merriam-Webster in declaring that a hot dog is a sandwich, nonetheless. When Qdoba threatened to encroach on the territory of a Panera Bread in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, the owners of the bakery franchise fought back.

The Worcester County Superior Court agreed. Indeed, the notion would be absurd to any credible chef or culinary historian. Justice Jeffrey A. And yet, for all its ease and accessibility, the sandwich is not infallible. It takes only one disappointing sandwich, homemade or store-bought, to realize just how much can end up wrong.

So how do you maximize flavor, manage sogginess, maintain structural integrity, and achieve the most well-balanced and delicious sandwich possible? I chatted with sandwich-making professionals around the country about the fundamental principles and best practices of sandwich construction, gathering their tips and tricks along the way.

Whether you're looking for vindication that you've been doing it right all along, hoping to step up your game, or troubleshooting some common pitfalls, we've broken down the core components of the lunchtime staple, with expert recommendations for each and every one. Before we get started, it's worth noting that sandwiches cover an impossibly broad spectrum, so opinions vary widely regarding what constitutes a perfect sammy—and even what the true definition of "sandwich" is in the first place.

For the purposes of this story, we focus primarily on closed-face, American-style deli sandwiches. Here's what the pros had to say. Starting with good bread is something our experts unanimously agreed on. In other words, any bread you're using for a sandwich should be delicious enough to eat on its own. Sometimes that means buying a high-quality artisan loaf in place of supermarket bread.

That said, Kelsey adds, "You can take crappy bread and make it taste better. Your goal? Pane Bianco 's owner, Chris Bianco, wants his bread "crisp enough to provide some structure to the foundation of the sandwich, but still yielding in the center. Even the best of breads can prove tricky if they're not handled properly—especially if they're thick. Rather than plodding through a particularly thick roll, take a page out of Mason's book and "try carving out some bread from the dome of the roll.

That way, you'll get an equal bump of flavor from the bread and the ingredients, instead of an overwhelming hit of one flavor over all the others. But how do you choose when to go with a roll versus sliced bread, whether it's rye, white, or wheat? And when should you opt for a potato bun or a baguette? When it comes to selecting the right bread for your sandwich, I quickly learned that it's virtually impossible to make blanket generalizations, and a lot comes down to personal preference.

One thing you can focus on, though, is its texture. But think about balancing it with other textures. A crisp, crunchy, toasted bread can be a great vessel for something stewy—stewed vegetables or stewed beef. Kord is quick to add: "Then again, an egg and cheese from a bodega [which is nearly always served on a soft, untoasted roll] has almost no texture, and it is one of the best, if not the best, sandwiches in the history of sandwiches.

While a lot depends on the texture of the ingredients you're putting inside, volume can also play a role in bread selection. On the other hand, putting soft ingredients, like egg salad, on a super-crusty, chewy, dense bread can be a recipe for disaster, he notes. If you're not careful, it'll all squish out, so "you have to be more judicious about balance and the amount of filling that goes on a stiffer bread," Kelsey concludes.

Sure, it is technically a sandwich in form and construction, but it deserves to be recognized in a sandwich category of its own. Sandwich or not, Mittenthal and Quinn both agree on one thing — ketchup has no place on a hot dog. I'll kick people out if they ask for ketchup," Quinn said, somewhat jokingly. He says the best way to eat a hot dog is on a potato bun with mustard, sauerkraut, and onions, but the beauty of the hot dog is that you can eat it however you want, even if that means ruining it with ketchup.

The great sandwich debate likely won't be settled any time soon, or maybe even ever, but the hot dog's place in history is undisputed. What started as humble street food designed for busy New Yorkers became a national icon in a league of its own.

And to Quinn, it is every bit deserving of such stature. What's more American than that? By Claire Ballor August 14, Pin FB Share.