American's Love Sandwiches: Sandwiches Are Firmly Rooted in the American Culture and Diet

According to a recent survey, Americans love sandwiches, and 99 percent of those interviewed report they eat at least one sandwich a week. Peanut butter (smooth variety is the most popular) and jelly is consumed by 60 percent of the sandwich eaters. Ham and cheese sandwiches, bacon, lettuce and tomato, corned beef, pastrami, salami, bologna, Italian submarines, and liverwurst were all stated as the sandwiches that were most commonly eaten since childhood.

When it comes to sandwich toppings, the favorites change with the region. Dijon-style mustard gets high marks everywhere, but northerners add slaw and dill pickles to their deli meats while southerners pile on the mayonnaise and onions. Westerners like to sizzle with hot peppers am hen soothe their palates by adding alfalfa sprouts. Nutrition-conscious agencies, such as the American Institute for Cancer Research, have some tips for adding variety to sandwiches. There's Absolutely nothing wrong with tuna fish or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, reported the institute, which, at the same time, suggested mixing carrots and raisins into the peanut butter spread or stuffing the peanut butter into an apple or celery stick. If you're really adventuresome, here are a few sandwich creations that are bound to spark an interest with the lunch bunch. Whiles some of these suggestions sound a bit strange, I have personally tried all of them and they are all delicious.

Corned beef, beets' and oranges.

Bologna, bacon, French fries and hot sauce.

Bologna and pineapple slices

Ham and sliced radishes

Bologna, grape jelly, pickles and peanut butter

Liverwurst, mushrooms, mustard sauce, cole slaw and sauerkraut

Bacon, peanut butter and cherry jelly

Salami, fried egg and sliced mushrooms

Cheeses in many varieties and blends are the leading accessory for sandwiches.

Here are a few facts about cheese that you may not know. Italian-style cheeses are produced into the billions of pounds, Mozzarella led the way The name Provolone-is derived from the Neopolitan word prova, meaning ball-shaped. Romano cheese is cured for at least a year, Parmesan for two years.

Cheese production in the United States probably reaches close to 10 billion pounds. Cheddar leads all varieties with close to half of the total production. Wisconsin leads in cheese production with probably about a third of the total production. Minnesota and New York are next with probably around 10 percent production. Cottage cheese is the curd or coagulated protein of fresh pasteurized skim milk or reconstituted dry milk. It takes almost 100 pounds of skim milk to make 15 pounds of cottage cheese.

Source: Mercuri, Becky American Sandwich 2004