To the Earl of Sandwich-- Thank you

 

Sandwiches have been around a long time but credit for the sandwich as we know it can be attributed to John Montagu the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Allegedly, while gambling, he asked to have meat placed between two slices of bread, so he did not have to leave the game he was playing.

People put the darndest things between two slices of bread. I recall visiting a site with young teens during my time as a consultant. This site was in Brooklyn New York and the teens came from homes where peanut butter and jelly was affordable and a staple. The teens had chosen to learn a trade instead of pursuing college. I remember sitting in the cafeteria with the center director, and we struck up a conversation about food. Turns out we were both Foodies.

He shared a story that caught me by surprise. On one occasion, the cafeteria served lobster—a rare treat. To his astonishment, the kids took the lobster and slapped it between two slices of bread. He thought it was absurd, but I saw it differently. Even though most of these kids  were never in New England where the lobster roll is well known and beloved they made their own version.

Since semi retiring, I have more time to have lunch with friends. I am now on a pilgrimage to find places that make one of two sandwiches.  One is the Rueben/Rachel sandwich which has always been a favorite of mine. The other is the Croque Monsieur.

Let's start with what makes a perfect Rueben.  The Reuben, is all about the combination of bold and balanced flavors, where the crunchy toasted bread meets the melty cheese and corned beef (Rueben) pastrami (Rachel) combination. 

Whoever is making the sandwich must start off with a good rye bread.  Thinly sliced corned beef, preferably cooked onsite and not the deli variety is added next.  You want a generous layer of meat, thick enough so that the sauerkraut does not overwhelm the meat. Then comes the cheese. Domestic or imported Swiss are fine choices but gruyere takes it up a notch.  Lastly, Thousand Island or Russian dressing is added.  The entire sandwich is then grilled until it is golden and crispy.  Crispy is the magic word.  The bread must be able to hold all those glorious ingredients.

When I lived in Maryland, there was a great sandwich place that set the gold standard for the Reuben called Full On.  It is located in Rockville, Md off Norbeck Road.  The Corned Beef is house made and they use Thousand Island which is my preference for a Reuben. If you are ever in the area, give them a try. 

Now that I live in Charlotte my goal is to find a place that makes a Reuben similar to theirs. I will keep you updated on my quest.

When I first sat down to write this post, I was going to discuss the Croque Monsieur as well as the Reuben. But as I sit here writing, I have decided that it needs a dedicated post. So keep your eye out for it.