A toast sandwich (also known as a bread sandwich) is a
sandwich in which the filling between two slices of bread is itself a thin slice of toasted bread, which may be buttered.
An 1861 recipe says to add
salt and pepper to taste.
Victorian recipe
A recipe for toast sandwiches is included in the
invalid cookery section of the 1861 ''
Book of Household Management'' by
Isabella Beeton, who adds, "This sandwich may be varied by adding a little
pulled meat, or very fine slices of
cold meat, to the toast, and in any of these forms will be found very tempting to the appetite of
an invalid."
Modern versions
In November 2011, the toast sandwich was recreated by the
Royal Society of Chemistry
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is a learned society and professional association in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemistry, chemical sciences". It was formed in 1980 from the amalgamation of the Chemical Society, the ...
in a tasting 150 years after the release of Beeton's ''Book of Household Management''. The society sought to revive the forgotten dish in wake of the
Great Recession
The Great Recession was a period of market decline in economies around the world that occurred from late 2007 to mid-2009. after calculating the cost as low as per sandwich. They named it "the country's most economical lunch", offering to whoever could create a cheaper edible meal. Due to an overabundance of submissions, the offer was closed seven days later and the £200 given to a randomly selected entrant.
In
Heston Blumenthal's restaurant
the Fat Duck
The Fat Duck is a fine dining restaurant in Bray, Berkshire, England, owned by the chef Heston Blumenthal. Housed in a 16th-century building, the Fat Duck opened on 16 August 1995. Although it originally served food similar to a French bi ...
, 12 toast sandwiches are served as a
side dish
A side dish, sometimes referred to as a side order, side item, or simply a side, is a food item that accompanies the entrée or main course at a meal.main course
A main course is the featured or primary dish in a meal consisting of several courses. It usually follows the entrée () course.
Usage
In the United States and Canada (except Quebec), the main course is traditionally called an "entrée". En ...
inspired by ''
Alice in Wonderland''.
Blumenthal's recipe for the toast sandwich involves
bone marrow salad, egg yolk, mustard,
gastrique, mayonnaise, and tomato ketchup.
United States media coverage
''
The A.V. Club'' Mike Vago described it as an "extravagance of blandness". ''
The Daily Meal'' article "12 Life-Changing Sandwiches You've Never Heard Of" said the toast sandwich was "just not that good ... Thankfully, the
Dadaists didn't invent any more sandwiches after that."
The toast sandwich was discussed on ''The Leonard Lopate Show'' in an interview with ''The Sporkful''s Dan Pashman. Host
Leonard Lopate commented, "it sounds weird to me".
The
game show panelists on
NPR's ''
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!'' each tried the toast sandwich.
Host
Peter Sagal remarked, "This is the culinary equivalent of a
Rothko painting. Or it's like a sandwich by
Marcel Duchamp! It questions the essence of sandwich and language both!"
See also
*
List of bread dishes
*
List of sandwiches
*
List of toast dishes
Toast (food), Toast is sliced bread that has been browned by exposure to radiant heat. It appears as a main ingredient in many dishes, often as a base on which other food is served.
Toast dishes
* Avocado toast – mashed avocado on toast. A ...
References
External links
*
{{Sandwiches
Toast dishes
British sandwiches