Sandwiches: Three ways
National Sandwich Day may only be once a year but for me it's everyday. Growing up, a sandwich was my go to meal. I have eaten countless sandwiches. The single meal I have eaten more than any other by a large margin has to be a sandwich, specifically a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. My youth was peppered with sandwiches of all kinds. Sandwiches are versatile, they can be savory or sweet, classic or innovative. The sandwich often carries more between its two pieces of bread than toppings. Sandwiches carry culture, nostalgia, and the creative influences of its maker.
Defining what is and isn’t a sandwich can be tricky. Essentially, a sandwich is two pieces of bread with something in the middle. What that ‘something’ is, is up to you. The idea of a sandwich is so broad, it's nearly impossible to trace the origins of sandwiches as a whole. It's one of life's greatest mysteries. You have a much better chance understanding the history of a specific kind of sandwich, like a tuna fish sandwich or a grilled cheese, than the history of humans eating anything between pieces of bread.
In this article I won’t be attempting to trace down the original sandwich or even to add my own interpretation of what a sandwich is and isn’t. Mainly because it doesn’t really matter. By that I mean that if you consider a quesadilla a sandwich because to you a tortilla is a kind of bread, great. I don’t think of a quesadilla as a sandwich but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying one. Sandwiches reflect cultural understandings of the term, therefore the definition truly cannot be pinned down. What I’m getting at is that some food categories are stricter than others and sandwiches have one of the loosest criteria.
With all that said, I’m going to take you on a journey to three fantastic restaurants in the greater Seattle area all offering a unique and delicious sandwich interpretation. These restaurants have thought long and hard on how to optimize their creations. It seems only fitting that we begin with breakfast as that is where my love affair with sandwiches began. There are few sandwiches that I’d voluntarily opt for in place of my ritual peanut butter and jelly but this first sandwich is an easy compromise.
Our journey begins with a breakfast sandwich from none other than Morsel located in the U District of Seattle. Morsel is as quirky as their food. The abstract art on the walls, the stickers covering the booths and the random assortment of knick-knacks around the place meld together to create a welcoming vibe where you can feel at ease and settle in. Fair warning however, Morsel is very popular and you’ll be lucky to even get a table amidst the swaths of college students fiending for their weekend hangover favorite. There is often a cluster of people hovering around the door waiting for their turn to make their order. Believe me though, the wait is worth it.
Morsel makes homemade biscuits every morning. The biscuits are light while still having the traditional buttery richness you’d expect from a biscuit. They offer a variety of cream cheeses and other fixings that are all homemade like strawberry balsamic jam, herbed goat cheese, and chocolate hazelnut butter. A biscuit with your preferred schmear is delectable enough to make this list, but they also offer breakfast sandwiches that will have you coming back regardless of the crowd. You can't go wrong with any of their sandwich offerings but my personal favorite is The Fast Break, which is reminiscent of a traditional breakfast sandwich that has been elevated with better ingredients and tactful construction.
The tomato jam on the Fast Break is what convinces me to brave the hectic environment every time. This sandwich is offered on your choice of biscuit. On this particular visit I went with the cheddar chive. It arrives perfectly toasted and loaded with an expertly cooked runny yolk egg, crispy savory bacon, melted cheddar and a generous slather of the tangy tomato jam. The jam is what takes this whole experience up to the next level. Each bite is a perfect combination of savory and sweet. An absolutely foolproof sandwich. Morsel is an excellent spot to grab a comforting breakfast sandwich.
The next sandwich on my list is a funky collaboration of some of my favorite things. Many odd food combinations exist where two existing meals are married together to make a child of both original meals. Think of a taco pizza or a cheeseburger burrito. One combination that I would have never thought of but am thankful everyday that I exist in a world where it also exists, is a Pho inspired french dip, a pho’rench dip if you will. This modern marvel comes from the kitchen of The Bine. The Bine is a Bothell spot that has hacked an interesting market of innovative sandwiches built in a scratch kitchen featuring local beers. Beer seems to be the theme of this earthy establishment. The walls feature old fashioned beer advertisements and chalk boards detailing the beers currently on tap. You won’t find cocktails or any hard liquor but you will find people spilling onto the street waiting for their turn to dine.
If you haven’t read my article on pho, I highly recommend you read it. In it you’ll learn how pho has been a cornerstone to my foodie development. I never expected that there would be more than one way to enjoy pho, but The Bine figured out how. This sandwich is served in a light crunchy baguette and filled with fatty beef, and all the usual fixings you’d find in a bowl of pho like onion and cilantro. The sandwich itself tastes great. The broth is served hot and with a lime on the side. It's a good broth, perhaps not one I’d say is as good as what you’d hope to find in a Vietnamese restaurant but it serves its purpose well. When the sandwich is dipped into the broth they create a combination that stops you in your tracks. A bite of this is at first a little jarring. It tastes and smells like pho, but it's not pho. It's also not a french dip, it exists as the child of the two. Deception at its best. The herbaceous nature of pho paired with the comforting warmth of a french dip creates a wonderful sandwich leaving you stuffing your face while scratching your head.
Our last stop takes us to Kirkland. At DERU market, they make everything in house and are dedicated to using only the highest quality ingredients, opting to buy from local organic farms whenever possible. It is nestled into a Kirkland neighborhood with residential houses surrounding it. Parking is limited so make sure to arrive with plenty of time before your reservation. This place was recommended to my wife by a friend when she had asked for a recommendation for where to get a great slice of cake. It's very good cake. DERU also offers wood-fire oven pizza, sweets, and delicious fries covered in herbs. Similar to the other restaurants mentioned, DERU is small, but packs a punch.
DERU has a variety of artisan sandwiches on their menu but today we are focusing on their roast beef sandwich. The roast beef is crispy around the edges and piled high on homemade herb focaccia. Fresh arugula and gruyere cheese is also piled on in between generous slathers of herb aioli, celery root aioli and a decadent bacon onion jam. When held you can see how just the slight pressure from your hands makes this mouth watering sandwich drip. It’s obvious that a lot of time went into creating this ideal combination. There is bitterness from the arugula that cuts through the rich cured beef and the bacon jam is arguably the superior way to add bacon to a sandwich. The jam also adds a pleasant sweet component to it all. This sandwich is quite a mouthful and a satisfying bite every time. DERU Market is an excellent neighborhood spot to explore the nostalgia of a classic lunch time sandwich that has been curated to impress all kinds of diners.
These three sandwiches bring an element of originality paired with familiar flavors. Morsel gives you a biscuit breakfast sandwich with tomato jam you won’t forget. The Bine combines two treasured meals into an incredible collaboration. DERU offers traditional sandwiches turned up to 11 with their flavor pairings and quality of ingredients. Three sandwiches for the record book and with an unlimited amount of sandwich combinations out there, this record book can expect to see many more entries.
The possibilities that exist between two pieces of bread are endless. Sandwiches are some of the most versatile foods out there. Both in what a sandwich can be and where you can eat it. Sandwiches bring ingredients together much like they bring people together. I know we will be touching base again about sandwiches, but until then, keep enjoying the limitless potential that sandwiches offer.
