The history of the gourmet sandwich born by chance
Club sandwich, or a multi-layered toast that has become the fetish sandwich of hotels. Because no matter where you are, if you have to spend the night in a hotel, arrive late and decide to eat there, the choice almost always falls on this inevitable item in the menus of all "high level" hotels. And it's no coincidence, since its price is not comparable to that of the most popular sandwiches. Yet the origins of the club sandwich are not so noble after all.
The appearance of the club sandwich is that of a toast, but the preparation is a bit more complex and structured. To be recognized as such, the club sandwich must have at least two layers, almost always three, of white bread in a box, without crust, toasted, buttered and, in its standard version, stuffed with: grilled chicken breast, crispy bacon, lettuce, ripe tomatoes, eggs hard-boiled, cheese, mayonnaise. There must be balance in the proportions because it is important that all the ingredients adhere to the bread and do not spill out. Almost all chefs have tried their hand at this gourmet-looking sandwich and there are many variations. There are those who replace chicken with turkey, those who prefer to do it with salmon, those who choose roast beef, those who add cheddar and grilled vegetables and those who enrich it with omelette, tuna , avocado or mozzarella. But it is almost always served with fries to accompany it.
As is usually the case, there is controversy over the original recipe for the club sandwich. The most accredited version dates the first club sandwich in history to 1899: it is an invention of Danny Mears, chef of the Saratoga Club House in Saratoga Springs, a famous gambling club in New York. Other sources claim that it was done for the first time in the Saratoga Club House, but it was invented by the owner of the restaurant, Richard Canfield: to prepare a sandwich for ladies who ask to eat after the kitchen closes, he sharpens his wits and recycles the leftovers from the pantry. The customers come out very satisfied and he has it put on the card. Another, more domestic version says that the club sandwich was invented by a New York entrepreneur. Coming home late from work, he prepares a sandwich with leftovers found in the fridge: chicken, bacon, tomato, lettuce, enriched with mayonnaise. The final taste satisfies his palate so much that he decides to have it prepared in the country club of which he is a member. The first reference to the club sandwich in published fiction is in a 1903 book. Following its publication, its fame conquered the entire Anglo-Saxon world and began to cross its borders, becoming a must in noble kitchens.
Club sandwich, or a multi-layered toast that has become the fetish sandwich of hotels. Because no matter where you are, if you have to spend the night in a hotel, arrive late and decide to eat there, the choice almost always falls on this inevitable item in the menus of all "high level" hotels. And it's no coincidence, since its price is not comparable to that of the most popular sandwiches. Yet the origins of the club sandwich are not so noble after all.
The appearance of the club sandwich is that of a toast, but the preparation is a bit more complex and structured. To be recognized as such, the club sandwich must have at least two layers, almost always three, of white bread in a box, without crust, toasted, buttered and, in its standard version, stuffed with: grilled chicken breast, crispy bacon, lettuce, ripe tomatoes, eggs hard-boiled, cheese, mayonnaise. There must be balance in the proportions because it is important that all the ingredients adhere to the bread and do not spill out. Almost all chefs have tried their hand at this gourmet-looking sandwich and there are many variations. There are those who replace chicken with turkey, those who prefer to do it with salmon, those who choose roast beef, those who add cheddar and grilled vegetables and those who enrich it with omelette, tuna , avocado or mozzarella. But it is almost always served with fries to accompany it.
As is usually the case, there is controversy over the original recipe for the club sandwich. The most accredited version dates the first club sandwich in history to 1899: it is an invention of Danny Mears, chef of the Saratoga Club House in Saratoga Springs, a famous gambling club in New York. Other sources claim that it was done for the first time in the Saratoga Club House, but it was invented by the owner of the restaurant, Richard Canfield: to prepare a sandwich for ladies who ask to eat after the kitchen closes, he sharpens his wits and recycles the leftovers from the pantry. The customers come out very satisfied and he has it put on the card. Another, more domestic version says that the club sandwich was invented by a New York entrepreneur. Coming home late from work, he prepares a sandwich with leftovers found in the fridge: chicken, bacon, tomato, lettuce, enriched with mayonnaise. The final taste satisfies his palate so much that he decides to have it prepared in the country club of which he is a member. The first reference to the club sandwich in published fiction is in a 1903 book. Following its publication, its fame conquered the entire Anglo-Saxon world and began to cross its borders, becoming a must in noble kitchens.
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