The Origin of the Special | The Sandwich

CEBU, Philippines - There is actually a person associated with the "creation" of the sandwich as it is known to be in modern society - John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich.

Though historians recognize the fact that meals made of pastries or bread filled with meat and condiments have been around since ancient times, the sandwich is attributed to have been popularized by this Englishman, whose need for an easy-to-eat-meal led to this now-popular food creation.

As this particular "sandwich origin story" goes, the sandwich was "invented" during a gambling game in 1762, when Montagu asked for a meal made of meat served in between slices of bread to be prepared.

Since the meal could be consumed using only one hand, it was perfect for Montagu's needs, as he no longer had to leave the gambling table for meal breaks.

Though a number of historians argue that this particular sandwich story was cooked up by Montagu's detractors, it is noted that people began ordering meals that were "the same as Sandwich" soon after the story got out - which is attributed to have led to the naming of the sandwich as we know it to be today.

Variations to the original sandwich have since been invented, but the basic principle remains - to have something in between two slices of bread.

The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The grilled cheese sandwich remains to be one of the most popular types of sandwiches in the world, with its origins known to date back to the Ancient Roman times.

Based on the studies and research of different historians, Ancient Roman cookbooks contain some of the earliest grilled cheese sandwich recipes on record, deeming the grilled cheese sandwich as one of the first sandwich variations ever known to be.

BLT (Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich)

Short for bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, the BLT sandwich is often used by culinary schools as an example of how recipes evolve over time.

Like the grilled cheese sandwich, sandwiches that are made using bacon, lettuce and tomato as key ingredients are recorded to have been around since the Ancient Roman times.

In the Victorian era, BLT sandwich recipe variants were popularly used in the making of sandwiches that were matched with tea.

Some historians hypothesize that the "BLT" moniker is American in origin, with the slang used as a functional term used by diners, waiters and cooks. It is noted that, based on different mainstream publications, the "BLT" term was used a lot in the early 1960s.

The Club Sandwich

There are different theories that delve into the origin of the Club Sandwich.

The most popular theory points to its ties with the Saratoga Club in New York, with many historians convinced that this particular sandwich originated from men's social clubs in the United States during the 19th and early 20th century.

This origin theory is backed by a popular story that tells about how the "club sandwich" came to be.

In this story, it is said that a man, who once came home late at night when his family and servants had already retired, made a sandwich using different ingredients that were handy. Impressed with his creation, it is noted that the man brought his culinary creation to the club where he was a member and was eventually referred to as the "club sandwich".

Historians note that the earliest description of a club sandwich variant saw print in 1897. Called the "Cooger Club Sandwich" in an article published by the Atlanta Constitution, the sandwich was described to be made of two slices of pickles, a slice of turkey and a slice of ham placed in between thin pieces of light bread. (FREEMAN)