The History and Invention of Sandwiches From the Dagwood to the Philadelphia Cheese Steak

Everyone remembers the classical Dagwood sandwich stacked a mile high with everything except the kitchen sink staggering between two beefy pieces of thick bread, and topped with an olive. In fact the Dagwood sandwich is a term that is so familiar to foodies that it made it into Webster's New World Dictionary.

For those of you who haven't a clue as to what a Dagwood sandwich is, it is the Grand-daddy of all sandwiches. In the 1930's, the Dagwood and Blondie Comic strip creator Murat Bernard "Chic" Young made the Dagwood character something of a dimwit, carrying over his half a brain ideas into the kitchen as well. His creative idea of how Dagwood would concoct something remotely edible was that Dagwood would put together a mountainous pile of dissimilar leftovers precariously arranged between two slices of bread. The idea was so preposterous that it actually became famous. Thus, the Dagwood sandwich was born and remains an icon to sandwich buff's everywhere.

According to the "What's Cooking America" author Linda Stradley, the Real Dagwood Sandwich consists of a multi-layered sandwich with a variety of fillings. The idea is to denote a sandwich that is put together so as to attain such a tremendous size and filled with an infinite variety of contents as to stun the imagination, sight, and stomach of all but the person who made it.

Of course the sandwiches birth came long before the 1930's, in fact it has been a constant source of debate with many countries, nationalities, and cultures. Long before the Fourth Earl of Sandwich came along, bread and meat or bread and cheese were eaten together and has even been documented throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Nobody really cares who invented the sandwich, but we are certainly grateful that somebody took the time to let their culinary ingenuity work over-time.

In 1762 the first written record of the word "sandwich" appeared in Edward Gibbon's journal on November 24, 1762. Gibbons, an English author, scholar, and historian recorded his surprise at seeing many of the noblest and wealthiest in the land, seated in a noisy coffee-room, at little tables covered by small napkins, eating cold meat sandwiches.

In 1840 the sandwich was introduced to America by Englishwoman Elizabeth Leslie. Her well written cookbook for the time, Directions for Cookery, has a recipe for cold boiled ham sandwiches that she suggested as a main dish. By the 1900's bakeries were selling pre-sliced bread that seemed to compliment meat, and workers took to the idea of eating a delicious and quick meal with their hands. Imagination from various cultures is what gave the sandwich such a wide span of breads, ingredients, sauces, and fillings.

The plain meat and bread sandwich has expanded throughout the years with hamburgers and subs being included to the list of what we as a society consider makes a true sandwich. Breakfast foods have even joined the bandwagon with sausage, bacon, or ham and eggs served on a bagel, muffin, or biscuit sandwich. The bottom line is that anything that fits between to pieces of bread, no matter what it may be, falls into the category of a sandwich.

Popular Sandwiches like the "club" existed by the late 19th century. It is speculated that this sandwich got its name from being served in a club like setting, and its creation more then likely came from throwing together leftovers, much like the popular Dagwood sandwich, except it wasn't given any particular name until restaurants discovered it. The ingredients are fairly basic, but delicious when thrown together under two or three pieces of toast. The Club Sandwich, brimming with turkey breast, bacon, ripe tomatoes, and crisp lettuce layered between two or three slices of toasted bread with mayonnaise was a favorite of King Edward VII of England and his wife, Wallis Simpson.

The 1930's brought us the invention of the beloved Philadelphia Cheese Steak sandwich when hotdog restaurateur and Italian immigrant Pat Olivieri had time on his hands during a slow business lull, and decided to cook a thinly sliced steak and eat it on a Philadelphia bread roll. He added a few ingredients to the sandwich and passerbies suddenly couldn't get enough of what he had to offer. His first sandwich sold for $0.05, and customers simply loved this new world taste that beat out a hotdog on any given day. Twenty years later, long time employee Joe Lorenzo decided to spice things up a bit by adding cheese to the Philadelphia Steak sandwich, and the rest is history.

Sandwiches have become a staple in most households and are not just served for lunch anymore. The list of the various types of sandwiches could go on for days as no two people eat them the same way. Variations of popular sandwiches' have made choosing which one to eat even harder, and if that's not bad enough, deciding what to eat with a sandwich can also be mind boggling. Cole slaw is enjoyed with pulled pork, while tomato soup naturally goes well with grilled cheese. Chips are served with just about every type of sandwich, while other people prefer French fries or pickles with their heavenly concoction that has been carefully stacked between two slices of bread. Luckily there are no rules when it comes to eating them, only satisfaction when it's been prepared just right.

America's Favorite Sandwiches

Pulled Pork
Philadelphia Cheese Steak
Club
Reuben on Rye
Grilled Cheese
Gyros
Subs, Hoagies, and Heroes-depending on where you reside
Hamburgers or Cheeseburgers
French Dip
Dagwood
Monte Cristo

Easy Sandwich Recipes

French Dip

2-3 lb. Beef Roast
1 can Beef Broth
1 can French Onion Soup
1 can Beer
Sub or Hoagie Rolls

Directions: Place the Beef Roast in a crock pot, add the remaining ingredients. Cook on low 7-8 hours or on high 5-6 hours. Use the broth for dipping your sandwich.

Italian Sub

4 slices of Salami
4 slices Capicola
4 slices of Pepperoni
4 slices of Ham
4 slices of Provolone Cheese
½ cup of Shredded Lettuce
4 slices of Beef Steak Tomato
Sliced Red Onion to Taste
Hot Chili Peppers or Banana Peppers to taste
Mayonnaise
Spicy Brown Mustard
Oil
Vinegar
Italian Seasoning to taste
Crusty Sub Rolls

Directions: Slice a long roll lengthwise without cutting through it all the way. Spread both sides of the bread with mayonnaise and mustard. Layer the lettuce, tomato, onion and peppers onto the bread. Sprinkle with the oil, vinegar, and Italian seasoning. Top with the meat and cheese.

Monte Cristo Sandwich

2 slices of white or wheat bread
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
2 slices cooked ham
2 slices cooked turkey meat
1 slice Swiss cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Directions: Spread bread with mayonnaise and mustard. Alternate ham, Swiss and turkey slices on bread. Beat egg and milk in a small bowl. Coat the sandwich with the egg and milk mixture. Heat a well greased skillet over medium heat, lightly brown the sandwich on both sides. Serve hot.