If we’re talking about food as an expression of oneself, sandwiches are, without a doubt, the perfect platform for discussion.  There are virtually no limits to the possibilities of what can go between two slices of bread (may they be whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, Italian, whole grain, sweet, cheesy, or plain old white) or in the pocket of a pita, or nestled into a roll (torpedo, bulky, hero etc).  If your choices of outerwear are indicative of anything, the different combinations of this most convenient meal are open to the vastness of one’s imagination and palette.  Sweet or savory? vegetarian or meaty? hot or cold? crisp or gooey?  How about all in the same sandwich! 

Aside from the seemingly endless creations, a sandwich also happens to be the most convenient food to pack for later or to eat on-the-go, for any meal of the day.  An entire meal between two slices of bread, held in one hand… simply ingenious.  

The love I have for this greatest-of-all meals is shared by a few other people.  Take Tom Colicchio, for instance.  Co-founder and former head chef of New York’s highly acclaimed Gramercy Tavern, executive chef and owner of Colicchio and Sons and Craft restaurants country-wide, and executive producer and head judge of Bravo’s hit TV show, Top Chef, Colicchio topped off his impressive resume in 2003 with an homage to God’s gift to Earth in ‘wichcraft, a small sandwich shop that takes the idea of a sandwich as a meal to the most sophisticated level.  With 13 locations in Manhattan, one in San Francisco, and another in Las Vegas, ‘wichcraft offers delicious combinations of sandwiches using the same ingredients as entire entrees like the ones served at Colicchio’s high end restaurants. 

Certainly, we can’t all be expected to have slow-roasted pork, red cabbage, and jalapenos lying around (ingredients to one of ‘wichcraft’s tasty menu options) but a great sandwich can be made from even the simplest ingredients.  Below is one of my all-time favorites: Boar’s Head Pepper Turkey, Havarti cheese, avocado, cucumber, and spicy mustard melt.

Fresh ingredients (I decided to scratch the horseradish, last minute).

The hands-on prepping of any meal makes it personal and somehow more yummy.

A panini press/iron makes any “melty” sandwich easier to handle, especially when there are a lot of ingredients.  They’re usually not too expensive, either.  This one cost $8 at TJ Maxx, and is actually meant to be used for grilling steak, but this works too.

Rounded off with some chips and a glass of OJ, there’s nothing better than a sandwich at lunchtime!

Hope this helped you to rediscover the beauty of the sandwich, and inspired to you empty out your fridge with your own creations!

Happy eating!

Welcome to “Open Wide and Say ‘Mmm,’” my new blog about the relationship(s) that we have to the food we eat, (emphasis on relationship.)  This one relationship may be the only one the world has ever known that is not only long-lasting, but life-long-lasting—at the end of the day, we absolutely need food.  It’s there in good times and in bad, through sickness and health, every single day of our lives.  Like all relationships, this one takes work, communication, and commitment.  Even if you’re a confirmed bachelor, you can’t dump food and live to tell about it.

Metaphors aside, I think there’s a little more juice left in the almost-dried-up cliché: You are what you eat.  This blog is my attempt at a closer look at our daily dietary decisions and the lifestyles they create.  Better yet, I aim to document the symbiotic relationship we have with food, bringing to light just how intertwined they are.  The decisions we make about food are just about the most personal we can make, even though we may not always recognize the intimacy. 

Thankfully, though often overwhelmingly, we live in a time and place chockfull of choices—take proteins, for example: not only can we choose between chicken, beef, fish, pork, tofu, or beans, but we can also choose between organic, skinless, local, Birds Eye, Green Giant, Del Monte, or the store brand.  While other factors are sure to be involved in this process (I’m looking at you, wallet), ultimately, what enters your body is a direct reflection of your personality, current mood, and/or self-image.  Allow me to clarify: in no way am I suggesting that by enjoying a bucket of popcorn at the movies you are somehow defining yourself as a buttery and microwavable vegetable kernel.  Rather, if we can agree that “We are what we eat,” I think it’s safe to assume that no one wants to be a recipe-less fast food burger or a pre-packaged breakfast bar.  Granted, I’ll be the first to admit that there’s a time and place for everything—let’s be honest here, no one does a bean burrito quite like Taco Bell…

My goal for this blog is to reinvigorate my readers with a more hands-on, personal, and introspective approach to food, and thus, promote a type of ownership and enthusiasm to the necessity of eating.  It will be a source of recipes and kitchen basics, as well as a commentary on expressing yourself through the food you eat.

Get ready to play with your food!