It’s not a stretch to declare that the sandwich from a club at least once helped me save my life. It’s happened to me in many situations. My five-hour delay on my flight resulted in a lengthy and smelly journey to my hotel, where I had to beg the hotel manager to offer me the room I’d purchased. Then, I decided to go on a hike with a group of friends and felt like I was about to crash after a long four hours in the mountains and desperately needed food and rest. I’ve learned that regardless of where you’ve found yourself, having a sandwich at the other end will surely calm your soul.
The idea that you can find a club sandwich in any eatery (or perhaps in a hotel room menu for service) isn’t always the case. The sandwich is a treat, but there are many layers between the bread and meat. It’s a mix of flavor and texture, with salt, crunch, and meatiness with crisp lettuce and a luscious tomato, held together with a generous swish of mayonnaise. Few sandwiches can satisfy with such perfection, satisfying your appetite while they revitalize your energy.
The club is more than the totality of its components. However, the way you arrange these ingredients and the effort you place into them is essential to the satisfaction it brings. I discovered how important it is to understand the design of a club sandwich when working as a line cook responsible for room service orders. Being a fan of the club sandwich throughout my life, I realized each time a meal was placed, it was a distraction to the dining experience and equally important. Riesling poached salmon. A room upstairs was searching for peace and happiness when they ordered this sandwich. They merited my attention.
The specifics of a club sandwich can make a huge difference. Start with slices of wheat or white bread, lightly toasted until golden brown but not so toasted that it dries out and breaks when you require it to keep it all together. Toasting requires mayonnaise as a creamy complement to the bread’s crunch and lettuce and glue to hold the elements together. Earn a few points by mixing a little Dijon inside the mayonnaise to add a slight punch. The meat follows; it should be placed in the middle since it’s the most hefty component. Slice the chicken or roast into small pieces to ensure it won’t fall from the sandwich as you take one bite. Sprinkle on some lettuce and bacon. Crispy bacon that is crispy and shattering is crucial. Thin bacon slices are much easier to add to the sandwich than thicker, meatier bacon from specialist butchers. Layer the tomato over the bacon to ensure that the curly edges keep the tomato slices in the proper position.
The toast’s middle is placed on top of the tomato, which absorbs certain juices and gives some traction to keep the tomato. This centerpiece can be controversial in some circles. However, it’s an essential part of it. It’s the inner anchor of the sandwich, much like the ceiling joist that you cannot be sure of, but it is somehow holding everything together. I like adding the thin slices of red onion and a handful of basil leaves that have been ripped to the top portion of the sandwich. However, these are both optional. The top part of the sandwich may resemble the bottom, or you can opt to go lighter on the meat so it’s not heavy on the top. Cut the sandwich in half or quarters, affix it with a few cute toothpicks, pour some carbonated drinks so bubbles dance in your mouth after each bite, and then relax. You can add potato chips and a spear of pickle if you want, but the sandwich will be enough.
Of course, there are a lot of different varieties available. I’m not sure cheese is appropriate for the club, but that’s my opinion. The additional slices of ham people put on their sandwiches are also unneeded. We already have turkey and bacon in this place, people. I’m aware of why people include avocado slices in the club. However, I’m not interested in another slick ingredient in my sandwich. (Do you think I should discuss the sandwich structure with you again?) There’s a good debate about the merits of whole lettuce leaves or iceberg shredded is better. Go ahead and fight for yourself. Whatever you choose, you’ll have the perfect sandwich, and regardless of what you’re facing in life, if it’s a good thing for you, it’s not too bad. — Chandra Ram
Ingredients
- Six slices white or whole wheat bread, toasted
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Two tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- Four thin slices of roast turkey or chicken breast
- 8lettuce leaves (preferably red leaf or butter lettuce)
- Eight slices of bacon, cooked until crisp
- One tomato thinly sliced
- Two thin slices of red onion
- Four basil leaves torn into pieces (optional)
Directions
- Toast the bread and place it on the cutting board. Whisk canonnaise, mustard, and mayonnaise in small bowls. Put the mixture on each toast. The toast should be topped with two pieces of turkey. Then, top each with an arugula leaf, followed by two pieces of bacon and one slice of tomato. Then, top each with some toast with the mayonnaise side down. Spread the mayonnaise mix over toast and then cover with the remaining turkey, lettuce, bacon, and tomato. Then, top with basil leaves, red onion, and toast slices. Press down gently. Slice one sandwich into two, and serve.