In defense of sandwiches; or, Rise of the Bread Tories
“Surely, a loaf of bread is the centre of the parable of life” ~ yet more G.K. Chesterton
I do love a good sandwich.
Indeed, there are few things I love more than a good sandwich. I love eating them, naturally, but I also love making them, piling them high with meats and cheeses, lettuce, an assortment of vegetables of various textures and flavors, all the different combinations of sauces and spreads. Sometimes they’re hot, sometimes cold. Sometimes they are dipped in things which can be hot or cold themselves: Au Jus, pesto mayonnaise, tzatziki, tomato soup.
And then there is the bread – the list of possible rolls, baguettes, sourdoughs, ryes, and other baked masterpieces is staggering – and wonderful. Joyous. The smell of baking bread is perhaps the closest we will ever come to the divine though only if we discount its taste, fresh and hot from the oven; a slab of fast-melting butter; the rapturous crunch of the crust.
My mother and two (three?) of her siblings have been diagnosed with celiac disease. It is amazing how many foods (not to mention beers) have gluten – that most innocuous of ingredients – and the villain of our post. Of course, in today’s world there are many options for those unfortunate souls who cannot eat gluten due to their celiac diagnosis, but let me be the first to tell you that these options are not terribly good ones. Better than nothing, true, but still rather lacking – rather shadows of those foods which they attempt to replace.
Rice noodles are fine for Asian dishes, but not so much for spaghetti. An almond crust is a decent substitute for a cheesecake’s typical breadcrumb crust, but there is something missing from it nonetheless. And bread…ah, therein lies the rub. I have yet to try a piece of gluten-free bread which does the food any justice whatsoever. I’ve even had fairly decent chocolate chip cookies which were entirely gluten-free, and yet bread remains elusive. Beer is problematic, certainly, but there is always wine. And yet wine without bread?
No, I can hardly countenance a world without bread, without sandwiches and hamburgers and rolls and biscuits and the rest. Fortunately I have not not (yet) been diagnosed with celiac disease myself, though it would appear I have a certain genetic predisposition to gluten intolerance.
For now I will treat bread the same way I treated it during the Atkins craze: as a close compatriot in my quest for the good life, as something close to sacred (and sometimes sacred indeed) – a daily delight and a sometimes sacrament. Sustenance and joy.
(And if anyone here has any tips on making the best damn sandwich ever please do share them.)
You left out sauerkraut, without which no meat and melted cheese sandwich remains a mere shadow on the cave wall.Report
Rats. s/no/a/Report
I’m with you 100% E.D.
My sister and brother were diagnosed with wheat gluten allergies. Fortunatly for them the stuff merely induces cold like symptoms on them. I have so far been spared, not that it’s likely that I would change my eating habits even if I were to turn out allergic or (heaven forfend) intolerant.
My own adulation comes not of sandwiches in general but the bread itself and most especially the act, no the art, no the ancient noble and high art of bread making. My Grandmother was a prolific (and obsessive compulsive) bread maker. I still have many of her recipes several of which are specific about what phase of the moon is appropriate for bread making and is especially adamant about the influence of the tides on the mysterious and magical process of yeasts and bread dough rising. I lack the time and proximity to the ocean necessary to do her recipes justice but I can still make a mean loaf of bread though they pale when compared to the magical golden on the outside snowy cloud like on the inside products of her skill.
If old Scratch were to appear in a burst of flame and offer that I trade my immortal soul for one last childhood afternoon on her kitchen floor smelling the bread baking I would be sorely tried. Sorely indeed.Report
My father has Celiac disease as well. It nearly killed him before he was diagnosed. He wasn’t too happy with his Catholic priest when the priest wouldn’t consecrate corn or rice wafers instead, but I understand that the wine is considered sufficient, at least theologically.
There’s a simple test for Celiac disease, and if you think that you might be at risk, you really need to have it done. Ask your doctor. (I was lucky.)
As to sandwiches, there’s nothing better than raw milk Camembert on Pain Poilâne, possibly with some arugula and a nice glass of Beaujolais. I do miss Paris…Report
I for one love a well made roll with butter. Corn bread is a magnificent treat as well.Report
Havarti cheese. Real butter. Fresh sourdough bread. Apply heat. Consume. Enjoy. That is all.Report
Add a few apple slices, but yeah.Report
Trader Joes’ Wasabi Mayonaise is my new favorite nector-o’-the-gods sandwich condiment.Report
It’s a classic, and unfairly tarred as a kids sandwich, but a crusty baguette with real butter, peanut butter, and jelly is absolutely delicious.Report
Sandwiches have their charms, but for real comfort and satisfaction nothing beats soup noodles in a really good chicken broth with mustard greens and pork. In February.
Just reading people’s comments and suggestions is pretty satisfying too though. Jason, and TL and Clint – thtaaall sounds delicious.
“Rice noodles are fine for Asian dishes, but not so much for spaghetti. ”
They make rice macaroni in Vietnam, available here, and it looks absolutely horrible – like something unborn. I have tried whole wheat pastas and they come out with a mouth feel like some kind of plastic. I don’t like the tatse of durum wheat so I avoid pasta altogether, because the alternatives are so inadequate.Report
I’m gluten intolerant, and I find that I don’t miss bread or pasta at all. When I sneak a bite or two, I can’t get over how bland and tasteless they really are. Bread, etc., is really just a delivery vehicle for real food.
Also, I can’t seem to stop losing weight, so there’s something to be said for avoiding foods with gluten in them.Report
mmmm… banh mi….Report
Do something to your onions. Depends on what kind of sandwich you want, but if you have the foresight, slice up a red onion and pickle the rings. Then you can throw a few rings onto any sandwich, and they add something crunchy, acidic, tangy, and, well, onion-y. Failing that, take the extra 10-15 minutes needed to caramelize an onion, red or white/yellow. Throw some sugar and salt onto it as it cooks, don’t do it too hot or too fast, and it’ll change everything.Report
Corn pasta work fine for me. They don’t taste exactly like the real thing, of course, but they are a decent substitute, and they add a little note all of their own to a dish.Report
Another good substitute (really more of an authentic food choice in its own right) is the buckwheat crepe, called a galette. Despite the name, buckwheat is perfectly safe for people with celiac disease. A buckwheat crepe filled with ham and cheese, some fried potatoes, and a little country-style French mustard makes an excellent meal. Pair it with cider from northern France if you can find it. The American stuff is way too sweet.Report
Thanks for everyone’s suggestions! I found myself overly hungry all day yesterday, though…Report
I miss sandwiches, especially New Orleans Po-Boys. And I miss beer. I do a monthly news search on Celiac hoping I’ll come across a headline such as “Cure for Celiac Discovered! Say yes to bread and beer!” At least this time I found this blog. Looks interesting. I think I’ll have a look around this evening while I enjoy the only wheat product I can have: whiskey.Report
Welcome, make yourself at home.Report
Yes! Be welcome!
Additionally: If there is a part of you that says “perhaps I ought not comment, due to this wiskey”, please feel free to tell that part of you to hush. Come in, throw down, and make yourself at home.Report
I miss my mother’s homemade bread. She made three types, white bread, a 50/50 white/wheat, and Challah. There was nothing better than to get a heel piece to use to make my tuna sandwiches.Report
I appear to have celiac disease, in that the symptoms cleared up when I stopped eating wheat. My doctor proposed that it was unnecessary to remove a piece of my small intestine for clinical confirmation, and I agreed.
Sandwiches have been easier to give up than I thought they’d be, but I do miss my reuben expeditions. For some reason almost every small-town café or sandwich shop has the reuben on its menu, even though the other offerings may vary, and nothing else on the menu ever calls for either corned beef or sauerkraut. So I made it a habit when traveling to always order the reuben and compare their differences.
On a recent trip I persuaded the sandwich maker to grill me a reuben without bread.Report