Nobody wants to hear your sog story.
Eating a sandwich? Amazing. Eating a soggy sandwich? Kind of the worst — and yet it happens so often.
That’s because too many of us don’t know how to make a sandwich correctly — it’s all about the build, says former fine dining chef Trever Kunk of Boston, who spoke with Food & Wine on the subject of how to construct for maximum crunch, particularly when making yourself a meal to be eaten later.
No matter what your filling, Kunk warns, you run the risk of ruining your perfect creation if you don’t begin with the right foundation — and layer correctly as you go.
For openers, Kunk says, you need the right bread — any sandwich that you’ve made travel plans for needs a slice of Pullman loaf or a nice, pillowy sub roll.
And if you do decide to toast, stick to the exterior — in a pan, with a little oil or butter.
Spread-wise, he chooses mayonnaise, which is oil-based, as opposed to water-based, like mustard, which can contribute to the downfall of your lunch. Don’t like mayo? Olive oil works as well.
Other tips include avoiding hot ingredients, which can shed moisture as they cool, and making sure you pat down all your veggies, your lettuce and your tomatoes — though you could skip those and eliminate one of the biggest wetness risks.
“I will not put a tomato on a sandwich unless it is pickled, fried, or roasted,” Kunk insisted.
Also make sure you pack your creation correctly, he urged — invest in some parchment or butcher paper, wrap it all up, slice it in half like the pros do, then wrap it again. And don’t just toss it in a cooler with your beverages, unsheathed — put it in its own, airtight container.
And then, on to the next challenge — the right way to eat your non-soggy, perfect specimen.
A recent viral debate ensued when somebody asked the internet the correct way to attack an already half-eaten sandwich.
Three camps emerged — those who’d attack the crust, those who’d chomp down straight in the soft middle and those who’d come in by nibbling from a corner.
And finally, is there a right and a wrong way to cut a sandwich?
Apparently, yes, according to Redditors who couldn’t agree on horizontal or diagonal — but could, however, unite behind the idea that eating a sandwich, however you slice it, is always a very good idea.