Margaux Sky - Beautiful Breads and Fabulous Fillings: The Best Sandwiches in America

Copyright 2006 by Margaux Sky

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

The author and publisher of this book assume no liability for, and are released by readers from, any injury or damage resulting from the strict adherence to, or deviation from, the directions and/or recipes herein.

Published by Rutledge Hill Press, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214.

Rutledge Hill Press books may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Sky, Margaux, 1954
Beautiful breads and fabulous fillings : the best sandwiches in America /
by Margaux Sky.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-4016-0250-9 (hardcover)
1. Sandwiches. 2. Bread. 3. Cookery, American. I. Title.
TX818.S625 2006
641.8'4dc22

2006004862

Printed in China

06 07 08 09 105 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

Many years ago, my father gave me a book called Beard on Bread by James Beard. He gave it to me because he considered James Beard an authority on the oldest and most enjoyable food in life: bread. I still have the book though Ive long ago made every recipe it contained. As my father respected Mr. Beard as an expert, so I regarded my father. His creativity embraced my heart, and that which he held dear, I shared with him. Consequently, these two men, unknowingly, through a trickle affect, impressed upon me a love of bread and a creative culinary imagination.

My father and I shared a dream of opening a bakery some day and having a cook book of our own. Before that dream could be realized my father passed away. I ventured the dream alone, but, instead of a bakery, I found myself with a full blown restaurant with a concentration on sandwiches. With any culinary creation of mine, flavor is a must, so I focused on an assortment of wonderful flavors to enhance the bread. I did this by creating unique sauces and fillings. As a result, some beautiful breads and fabulous fillings have been teamed up to make outstanding sandwiches.

How did I come to do a book about sandwiches? In short, my sister, Mary Bennett, asked me to cater a lunch she was having. Mary doesnt like to cook or bake, and she and her husband, Tim, (who cooks turkey burgers and hamburgers and little else) had just moved into their new house. Mary called and asked if I would make some sandwiches, a few salads, and some desserts for her guests, among whom was Oprah Winfrey.

Little did I know that Oprah would be so taken with my Curried Chicken on Spicy White Pepper-Jack Bread sandwich that she would rave about it on her TV show. She made such a big deal about it that I now call the sandwich the O Special.

People worldwide have contacted me wondering if its possible to ship the sandwich through the mail. In a way, it is. Its now possible to fill those requests by doing this book which will allow others to make the O Special sandwich at home. Let me point out, however, if youre like Mary who prefers not to bake or cook, the breads and sauces and many of the other products in this book may be obtained by contacting www.margauxsky.com. They can be shipped directly to you. Check out my website for further details.

This book is the culmination of a dream seed that was planted so long ago, and it couldnt have come to pass without the help of many people. So much credit goes to my father, Joseph R. Schwaba, who taught me much of what I know about baking and cooking. Without his guidance, love, imagination, and the insistence that fun and a good sense of humor be at hand while in the kitchen, I may never have understood that work should be joyful and life sustaining.

Sis Schwaba (Mom), thank you for the regular boosts to my confidence and enough love and support to get me through the trying timesall of them. You cannot truly know how much you mean to me and how much I love you (even if you do use Bisquick)! I am eternally appreciative of and grateful to you.

Mary Bennett, thanks for thinking of me when the opportunity to serve lunch at your home in San Luis Obispo presented itself. Your kindness, belief, and undying support have made my life richer in so many wonderful ways! I love you. I am eternally appreciative of and grateful to you. And Tim Bennett, equally loved, thanks for your wisdom, nurturing, and guidance in business matters and for maneuvering my fits and bursts of confusion into calmer waters that foster reasonable thinking and peaceable action. Thanks for the ever-flowing good advice. I am eternally appreciative of and grateful to you.

Oprah Winfrey, thanks for your great appreciation and love of food, for challenging my ambitions and imagination, and for the golden opportunity to expand one simple sandwich into a commodity of businesses. Thanks for tossing me a wild card in this interesting game of life. I am eternally appreciative and grateful to you.

To my kids, Deja, Otis, Katie, and Melody, thank you for all the peace, love, laughter, and joy you give me.

I am grateful to all the people at DuPree/Miller & Associates and Rutledge Hill Press whove worked on this book. Thank you Michael Broussard and Nena Madonia for being such magnificent agents, helping me through the procedures, honoring my gut instincts and talents, and suggesting I follow and use them. Thanks for your patience with me. I hope for and look forward to future projects together. And Jan Miller, thanks for bringing me on board at DuPree, Miller & Associates, the greatest literary agents on earth. Annabelle at DuPree/Miller & Associates, I love you! Geoff Stone, thanks so much for the masterful editing of this book. I really appreciate your hard work and what I thought was already great, youve made even better! And Pamela Clements, thank you so much for making possible the opportunity to do a book with Rutledge Hill Press. This has been a fantastic and exciting experience.

Margaret Johnson, thanks for the jump-start on this book.

Ron Manville, thanks for photography that drools with an exactness of color and intoxicates with a come hither look.

Jeanette Vigne, Brittnie Bennett, Nadine Gunderson, Dan Lewis, and J. P. Bennett thanks for the never-ending cheerleading and constant friendship, regardless of my tantrums.

Lisa, Michael, and Rowan Toke, Jeanne and Barry Labarbera, Jules and Brenda Hoch, thanks for loving my food creations and for your endless support of my love to explore new recipes, use you all as guinea pigs, and pitching my wares to friends, family, and the public. Shevan Sullivan of Anam-Cre Art Studio in San Luis Obispo, California, thank you for use of your stores awesome and spirited handmade bowls, plates and cups. Thank you, Tsurugis Japanese Restaurant in San Luis Obispo for use of your scalloped ramekins. Thank you, Porch, Home, and Garden in San Luis Obispo for use of your colorful plates, bowls, and place mats. Thank you, Michael Ackerman-Artist-San Luis Obispo for use of your imaginative, handcrafted tables and fascinating art work. Thank you, Tricia Higgins of Lifes Imperfect Designs in Chicago for use of your attractive and innovative table dressings, runners, napkins, and place mats. Thank-you all for your contributions which have assisted enhancing the beauty of the sandwiches and foods in this book.

God, thanks and appreciation for my talents, my life, and the people and animals with whom you endlessly bless me. Thanks for my angelic bodyguards. Thanks for your guidance, friendship, and love.