Occasionally, when my life is very busy — which is actually much more often than occasionally — the one thing I truly miss about my youth is having someone to make me a boxed lunch. For some reason, even with a myriad delicious and convenient lunch options, I’ve always preferred bringing lunch to buying one. Maybe it’s because I like not having to make decisions when I’m ravenous or maybe it’s because I always feel guilty buying lunch when I have perfectly good, bought-and-paid-for food in my own fridge. But whatever the reason, I do miss having someone around to pack it for me.
In this economy, the frugality of packing, rather than buying lunch can make a big difference. Time also is an issue: Anyone who’s been to Bodo’s Bagels at lunchtime knows there’s nothing quick about it. In my case, it’s hardly an option anyway as I have a solid block of class from morning until afternoon. Thus, out of necessity, I’ve gotten much more adept at packing my own lunch.
I’ve figured out what containers fit nicely into my tin Snoopy lunchbox and I try to keep a ready supply of things like baby carrots, grapes and apples. But the one thing I’ve yet to learn to make quickly is a sandwich. My dad once laughed at me as I bemoaned the labor that goes into a sandwich. I suppose coming from someone who will spend all day making a devil’s food cake from scratch, it does sound pretty silly.
Still, the sandwich is supposed to be the convenient meal you can just throw together at a moment’s notice — no fuss necessary. At the same time though, a sandwich can truly be a work of art. Why would so many restaurants be dedicated to serving the humble sandwich if not because it is capable of being something spectacular?
As far as I’m concerned, there are few things in this world more satisfying that a truly wonderful sandwich. Maybe I’m too easy to please, but how can your day not be just a little bit better when you take a bite of a fresh baguette sliced and stuffed with homemade herbed mayonnaise, brie, roast turkey, spring greens and lingonberry preserves? Concocting that perfect sandwich is always a challenge, and one that gives me particular pleasure. It’s easy enough to slap bologna and cheese between two slices of bread, but there’s nothing quite like the triumph of creating something new, delicious and beautiful.
For me, making a sandwich is all about being inspired. Frequently, other favorite meals serve as my inspiration. With some sage and some cranberry, a turkey sandwich can begin to remind you of Thanksgiving dinner; cranberries, pear and blue cheese conjure the flavors of one of my favorite salads; and apple, cheddar and Dijon mustard also play nicely together.
When I set out to make a sandwich, my selection of bread is perhaps the most important choice before me. The right bread can take a sandwich from run-of-the-mill to divine. If I wouldn’t eat the bread on its own, it has no business being part of my sandwich. Consequently, I’m partial to using a good baguette for almost any sandwich I create. Fortunately, I can buy frozen mini baguettes at several local grocery stores and then bake them as I need them, with the only downside being the time it adds to my sandwich creation.
After the bread comes the selection of meat. I find most lunchmeat disappointing when compared with the savory goodness of a freshly carved roast, but lunchmeat does have the advantage of being convenient. Still, given the choice, I would much rather have a whole rotisserie chicken and carve the meat myself. And while I’m partial to poultry, there are, of course, other options available.
Finally, there is the selection of condiments. Learning which flavors best complement each other is an adventure, and one definitely worth taking. Adding fresh herbs or lemon and pepper to mayonnaise kicks things up a notch, while fruits and flavorful cheeses add delightful, complex flavors.
When it comes to building towers of culinary satisfaction, the possibilities are only limited to the human imagination. In the end, there’s no one way to make the perfect sandwich, and to me, that’s the beauty of it.
Sarah’s column runs biweekly Wednesdays. She can be reached at s.brummett@cavalierdaily.com.
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