I honor all things sandwich, I find them the near perfect food. They are portable, tasty, often contain everything your body needs, are equally good hot or cold, and of course there are infinite varieties. The idea of a sandwich sounds easy, yet it is also one of the easiest things to mess up as construction as just to much to do with how great a sandwich can be as what is in it.

We can have fights about every aspect of what makes the perfect sandwich, going literally layer by layer. Breads alone can stir deep debate without even tossing in the possibility of if a flour tortilla wrap or a pita pocket still counts as a sandwich. Arguments over condiments, vegetables, meat types, non meat fillings, seasonings, sauces, and as you can see – name it and there is some debate. Let us not even start about hot or cold, and if you should dress a sandwich in the morning that is to be eaten latter that afternoon.

Of course to many though the art of the sandwich has almost become a lost art. Not so long ago the at home cook was able to whip up a whole slew worth of tasty sandwiches that were not only good, they were respectable. Today it seems if you do not end up going to some deli, or odd smelling chain sandwich shop (you do smell it right?), your chances at even a mediocre sandwich are often dashed. I may be being very critical of such shops, and I will still give props to the few mom and pop deli’s that do it right but I must say those 3 or so chain sandwich places are doing to sandwiches what burger chains did to burgers – and that is not right.

Ending my rant now and I will leave you with the top 10 sandwiches:

• Roast Beef, on sliced sourdough: Mustard, horseradish mayo, pepper jack cheese, pepperoncini, red onion, light amount of arugula.
• Dry salami, on sourdough roll: Mustard, easy on mayo, cheddar cheese, pepperoncini, red onion, dill pickle slices.
• Thick bacon, bibb lettuce, and tomato (garden picked only): White bread toasted on one side of bread only, mayo on soft side of bread, salt and pepper the tomato.
• Pulled pork, on kaiser roll: gently sauced with a spicy KC style BBQ sauce, with mayo based coleslaw added onto of the pork.
• French dip: Beef slowly braised in rich beef and onion stock – then fork shredded. Dutch crunch roll, slathered with mayo on each side, few grinds of black pepper, several slices of avocado, and sweet white onion. Served with the cooking broth.
• Tuna fish on homemade wheat bread: Light on the mayo, plenty of pepper, finely diced red onion, and either capers or dill relish.
• The very humble egg salad sandwich: White bread, not much mayo, touch of grain mustard, salt and pepper, capers, celery seed, and finally diced sweet onion.
• The Rubin: More fond of it on sliced sourdough but will take it on rye. Corned beef (can not be dry), drained sauerkraut, and Russian dressing. Lightly toasted.
• The Cuban (sorry if I do not know correct name): Cuban bread, mojo marinated slow roasted pork, glazed ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and yellow mustard. Then pressed and toasted.
• The muffuletta: Muffuletta loaf, homemade olive spread that must have cauliflower, celery, and carrots in it, capicola, salami, mortadella, Swiss cheese, and provolone cheese. – This sandwich must rest for awhile before it is allowed in my top 10.

Feel free to agree with me, pull out your voodoo kit and punish me, or try and change my mind. Yes I am aware I left off many peoples favorites. I listed no hamburgers, primarily because I do not classify them as sandwiches. I did snub the cheese steak as well as the meat ball. I also admit that I was mighty torn leaving off one of the all time great legendary status sandwiches of all times, even in my realm – the leftovers Thanksgiving dinner sandwich. After heavy heart I left it off for the only reason being that it is a sandwich that only can really take place after a Thanksgiving dinner, and if you are like me the real reason for having one.

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