Fionnuala made lasagne for dinner last night. She is an excellent cook so we were all looking forward to it; and rightly so, for it was delicious. What I was not prepared for were the outrageous scenes which followed later that evening. Scenes which scarred my soul and I’ll take to the grave. Scenes which no man should ever have to witness. The sight of his wife eating a lasagne sandwich.
I think it’s a Belfast thing. The ability to place any foodstuff between two slices of bread and eat them. As a country boy, I was oblivious to this post meal ritual where, whatever remained on an individual’s plate was carefully scooped between two slices of bread and devoured. Everything was fair game. Meat, potatoes, vegetables, even Irish stew! For the love of God. It was a horror show.
The contrast between the look of pleasure on the diner’s face and the look of utter disgust on mine, cannot be exaggerated. Don’t, get me wrong, I am a fan of the humble sandwich. I eat them most days for my lunch. Give me a BLT or chicken salad and I’m as happy as Larry, whoever Larry is. It’s when the contents of a Sunday dinner are presented to me that I struggle. As in struggle to retain the contents of my stomach.
We held a straw poll at chez Black last night as to everyone’s favourite and least favourite sandwich. Hannah’s preferences were sweet chilli chicken or turkey, ham, stuffing and cranberry sauce; the classic ‘Christmas’ sandwich. Her least favourite was the crisp sandwich which was odd, as Northern Irish people are big fans of such monstrous concoctions. By crisp I mean potato chip, my North American friends.
Adam’s favourite took me a while to write down – chicken, bacon, cheese, lettuce, sweetcorn and bbq sauce. What a mouthful, in more ways than one. The only item he could not tolerate in his ‘piece’ were gherkins. Rebecca had plainer tastes. A simple ham or cheese sandwich, but not ham and cheese, which turned her stomach. I’m still trying to figure that one out, but she likes what she likes.
Which left Fionnuala. Lasagne or cottage pie she plumped for, closely followed by Tayto cheese & onion crisps. Ye gods, were there no depths this woman would stoop to in her quest for the most disgusting snack of all time. Even the thought of them are making me queasy. Perversely she hates cheese & tomato, a particular favourite of mine. Truly, my wife and I have very diverse tastes. But, opposites attract, and somehow we work.
All this made me think of my late father, who delighted in the ultimate sandwich sacrilege. Raw onion and HP ‘brown’ sauce. Even now, I cringe in fear at the thought of him creating this culinary monstrosity. We are all different and, no more so, than when it comes to what we shovel into our mouths at meal times. A mouth watering feast for one, has another reaching for the vomit bags. Each to their own and viva la difference, isn’t that what they say?
What’s your favourite sandwich?
What horrors have you seen consumed by family, friends and work colleagues?
Has to be a cheese and onion sandwich for me!
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Solid choice 👍🏻
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I have to say I like a variety from day to day, but I don’t think you can beat Coronation chicken – or a toasted cheese (has to be cheddar of course) and tomato, if I’m allowed to ‘cook’ it. But, please, NEVER put one of those little gherkins in my sandwich or even on my plate. They are disgusting little things and I blame a certain ‘clown’ (whose surname begins with a great big M, if you haven’t guessed already) for introducing them to the world. Yuk!
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I’m aware of this clown you speak of 😂
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I’ll never look at lasagna the same way again. My Dad said they used to eat mustard sandwiches. Barf!!
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Oh Lord! Mustard? 🤢
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I know, yuck, tell me about it.
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That is a custom I have never heard of. Wow.
I love gyros. Do they count as sandwiches?
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What is a gyro, pray tell?
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This is a gyro 🙂
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyro_(food)
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My aunt favored an abomination called “Soup Sandwich” — unreconstituted (condensed) soup, straight out of the can, slathered on bread. You may all commence fainting now.
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That represents a new low in sandwich construction as far as I’m concerned 🤢
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😂😂😂 Jim and your late father would have got along great! I mentioned his sandwich and he started make Todd love sounds!! I like simple sandwiches or just the innards and no wrapping (bread) please! Like a skinny burger! 😀😉
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Jim should concoct one later for his supper 😂
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🤢
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I had a flatmate who turned all left over food into a sandwich. He was particularly fond of curry sandwiches.
I’m not sure if it’s my favourite sandwich but whenever I make rissoles and there are some left over the next day along with some gravy then I’ll quite happily make rissole and gravy sandwiches. They’re very filling. I also really love roast beef, tomato relish, and lettuce sandwiches.
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Fionnuala likes chicken curry sandwiches which I find disgusting lol. What is a rissole?
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A rissole is like a large beef patty.
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Aaaaaaah 👍🏻
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We had a neighbor who said he always packed several jam sandwiches for workdays. Just jam, between white bread. That’s cake!
I only like traditional combinations, though now you make me question the word “traditional.”
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There is a guy in my work who eats jam sandwiches. Have you started Kirkwood yet?
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Are you kidding me?? (about Kirkwood.) You should’ve released it when school started if you wanted that. 🙂
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👍🏻
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My favorite sandwich is a beef on weck. It’s a Buffalo thing. It’s roasted beef, sirloin tip or round roast, usually medium rare, served on a Kimmelweck roll. Kimmelweck rolls are German … Kimmel refers to the caraway seeds on the rolls & weck is short for “wecken”, which is German for roll. The rolls also have kosher salt on them. They are served with horseradish. Traditional sides are potato chips and a dill pickle.
Unfortunately, in my old age, I have developed diverticulosis & I can no longer eat sharp seeds like caraway seeds or even small seeds like poppy seeds. So I can no longer have this sandwich. The last time I had one, it was a WEEK of agony.
As far as putting leftovers inbetween two slices of bread, my son is the king. He’ll put literally anything into a sandwich. He makes something he calls an “Irish” sandwich, which is mashed potatoes on white bread.
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My stomach is heaving just thinking of that ‘Irish’ sandwich but I like the sound of beef on weck. I reckon I’d give that a go.
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I love an eggs, turkey bacon with mayo and ketchup between two wheat or multigrain toast (English muffin or bagel). 😋
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That sounds pretty good actually although I might give the ketchup a miss.
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No, you have to incorporate ketchup. Trust me, it’s delicious.
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Ham cheese and egg sandwich on Texas toast
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Sounds good 👍🏻
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Havarti with cucumber and green onions, and ranch dressing on a multi-grain bun. Nummmm.
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What is havarti? That’s a new one on me.
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It’s a cheese – on the mild side and soft.
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peanut butter and banana on white bread. a good white bread, nicely dense, and the banana should still be a little bit on the green side. and of course, all-natural peanut butter, the kind that comes with oil on the top that you have to mix.
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Sorry. I don’t like peanut butter 🤢
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My vote is for the classic BLT, with a little red onion and shredded cheddar cheese to round out the delightfulness.
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Now that’s what I’m talking about! 😊😊
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Slap some kimchi on it for a little extra flavor
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What is kimchi?
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Korean side dish—usually some form of fermented vegetables, often a cabbage. Definitely an acquired taste, but if you have a Korean or Asian market, you can get it pretty easily.
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There’s one in Belfast but I think I might give that one a miss lol
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When I was a child, I distinctly remember having butter and ketchup sandwiches for lunch. My mother swears we weren’t “poor.” She just liked that. Okay.
My favorite sandwich has to be a bacon-cheeseburger. Simple enough. But I am also a fan of Subway’s “Spicy Italian” which features pepperoni and salami. I add lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, banana peppers, mayo, and spicy mustard. Of course, I also love a great grilled cheese sandwich, as well. Slap a little bacon on that, and it’s marvelous!
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Jeff, I used to eat ketchup and butter sandwiches too when I was a kid and I loved them!!
My favorite sandwich for breakfast is a cheese egg omelet (cheddar and mozzarella preferable) on a sesame seed bagel with ketchup.
My lunch favorite is peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat toast. Although I also love turkey and cheese with lettuce and tomato on a hoagie roll and tomato and cheese with mayo on pumpernickel bread that is either toasted or fresh and soft.
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I’m with Hannah on the Christmas sandwich – although if I can get my raw veggies with cream cheese I’m a happy camper.
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Oh nooooooo 🤢
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Grated carrots, slices cucumbers, bean sprouts, olives, mushroom, onion and tomato – glory! A little “Thunder Sauce” (no idea what’s in it, it’s the chain’s own Gift from Above) – it’s a lovely summer treat.
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Peanut butter, mayo, banana sliced lengthwise and some bacon – yep, from the Southern US.
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Wowzer! That’s different 😳
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It’s pretty good stuff.
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Sorry I am late coming to this party… but my very favorite sandwich is peanut butter and pickle. Other people make this sandwich other ways, but mine has to be super chunk peanut butter and bread and butter pickles. I would prefer if my mom were still alive so I could have her home made bread and butter pickles, but these days commercial ones will have to do. This sandwich is the perfect balance of savory and sweet, crunchy and soft. I like it especially on whole grain bread.
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I’m sorry but peanut butter is a no no for me. Enjoy your next one 😂
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Mine is either turkey, chicken and stuffing or of course a nice tayto sandwich!
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Ha Ha. How very Irish 😂
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Ha ha, of course I Gotta show my Irish traits 😉
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