Alison Deering - Sandwiches!: More Than Youve Ever Wanted to Know about Making and Eating Americas Favorite Food

TO MY DAD, WHO TAUGHT ME THE BEAUTY OF A GREAT LUNCH SANDWICH, AND TO MY MOM, WHO STILL MAKES ME SANDWICHES NOW. AD

TO THE SAUCEMAN. SORRY THERE ISNT MORE RANCH DRESSING IN HERE. BL

What is a sandwich? According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the Product must contain at least 35 percent cooked meat and no more than 50 percent bread. The dictionary is slightly more open-minded, describing a sandwich as two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between, meaning no meat required! (Good news for vegetarian sandwich-lovers everywhere!)

For our purposes, a sandwich is whatever you make of it! But no matter what, a great sandwich starts with the basics the ingredients. Bookend your kitchen creation with the bread of your choosing wheat, white, rye you name it! But dont forget that whats between the bread is just as important meat, cheese, and toppings can make or break a sandwich.

The beauty and genius of a delicious sandwich is that YOU as the chef and creator can make it anything you want it to be. And with this guidebook, youll learn how to build the best sandwiches ever.

Making a sandwich is half the fun obviously the main event is eating it! Its also easy. All you need are a few key tools:

These will help you out too:

Whether youre slicing bread, vegetables, or other ingredients, knife safety is a key component of cooking and one of the first steps in becoming a sandwich-making superstar.

1. Start with adult supervision. If youve never used a sharp knife before, its good to have a grownup around to help you.
2. Make sure youre at the right height. The countertop or cutting surface should be about waist-high. That way you can see what youre cutting. (Grab a stool if you need a boost!)
3. Get a good cutting surface. Using a clean cutting board is best for chopping, slicing, and dicing.
4. Make sure youre using a sharp knife. Dull knives are actually more dangerous because you have to apply more pressure in order to cut.
5. Hold your knife correctly. Use your dominant hand to grip the handle of the knife, keeping your fingers behind the bolster. (Thats the thick part of the knife between the handle and the blade.) This is called a handle grip. Once youre more experienced, you can try the blade grip gripping the knife with your thumb and index finger in front of the bolster.
6. Keep your other fingers out of the way. Make sure the hand holding whatever youre cutting is far enough back from the blade of the knife. Try folding the tips of your fingers under, so your knuckles are bent and facing out, on your non-moving hand.

This multipurpose knife comes in several different sizes and is good for a variety of kitchen-related jobs, including slicing and chopping vegetables, meat, and other ingredients.

A longer, thinner knife with a serrated blade. The teeth on the blade make slicing through bread without squishing or tearing easy. Serrated knives are also good for slicing tomatoes.

LEVEL 1 PLATE AND KNIFE

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches more commonly known as PB&Js are a sandwich staple around the country. Chances are good that youve eaten at least a few in your lifetime. And while a PB&J might sound basic, its anything but. The sweet jelly combined with the sticky, savory peanut butter make this classic sandwich practically irresistible.