Every day, half of Americans eat one or more sandwiches, mostly for lunch. That is estimated at 300 million per day. They’re easy, they’re filling, no mess, no fuss. And you don’t even have to know how to cook. The varieties are endless, so where do we start? The short list includes BLT, Grilled Cheese, Club, Dagwood, French Dip, Montecristo, Muffuletta, Pastrami or Corned Beef on Rye, PB&J, Cheesesteak, Po’boy, Reuben, Sloppy Joe, Submarine, Fried Egg. it’s endless

The British first referred to “cold meat chunks” as a “sandwich,” named for John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, who was an 18th-century aristocrat. Legend has it that he ordered his servant to bring him some meat between two pieces of bread while he played cards with his cronies. Apparently, he could play without interruption, since the bread acted as a napkin (instead of his sleeve) and kept the gaming table tidy. His cronies noticed and followed his example. What was in them we will never know, but what a start (the earl will never know).

Let’s take a look at these favourites:

1) Elvis immortalized the fried peanut butter and banana sandwich, although there is no big call for it.

2) Dagwood, named after the husband in the comic strip Blondie, stacks stuffings and bread, impossible to eat except in sections, but somehow Dagwood Bumstead managed.

3) The French originated this sinful sandwich in a Parisian cafe in 1910; there is no one called Montecristo but simply a French term (Croque Monsieur) to describe a fried ham and cheese sandwich, with no weight loss program to be sure.

4) Sloppy Joe: Kids grew up on these spicy, messy sandwiches. It dates back to the 1930s and was created by a fast-food cook named Joe in Sioux City, Iowa. Originally called the “loose meat sandwich,” it appears that Joe added ketchup which made it a little extra; as his popularity grew, Joe wanted to get credit and changed his name. The people of Key West, Florida insist that it was invented at a local bar called Sloppy Joe’s. Some historians want to give Cuba the credit, but let’s give it to Iowa, okay?

5) Submarine: Submarine sandwich shops seem to multiply daily with no end in sight; Also known as hoagies, heroes, or grinders in the US with a multitude of fillings, they come in foot-long sizes and smaller, perfect for Sunday afternoon sports TV or a quick lunch.

6) Club: undoubtedly the grand dame of sandwiches. Historians trace her creation to the Saratoga Club House, an exclusive gambling venue in Saratoga Springs, New York. Since its inception in 1894, the standard ingredients have not changed: toast, lettuce, tomato, diced turkey or chicken, bacon and mayonnaise, and don’t forget the toothpicks. The BLT is a first cousin of its predecessor, without the turkey/chicken or the third slice of toast. The Club has stood the test of time. Their only controversy is the turkey/chicken debate. (World-class chef James Beard insists on chicken.)

7) If you’re a New Orleans resident, the sandwich of choice is the Muffuletta, whose popularity is claimed by Central Grocery, where it started. A big round loaf of Sicilian sesame bread is loaded with Italian sliced ​​meats and a spicy Creole olive salad. (If you don’t live in New Orleans, you’re on your own.)

8) Peanut butter and jelly or grilled cheese, both loved and obvious. ‘Nuff said.

9) Reubens and pastrami or corned beef with rye occupy the top positions in any delicatessen worth its salt, especially in the bean. Slather on some mustard, throw in some kosher dill pickles, and you’re in business. For a Reuben, throw in some sauerkraut and a thousand islands

dressing room.

10) Those people from Louisiana surely love their originals. The Po’ Boy is basically a fried meat or seafood sub-stuffing, similar to the lobster roll of the Northeast.

11) Geez, don’t ask anyone in Philly about Philly cheesesteaks, because they’re big fans of them. Be prepared for a long answer. Ditto for Chicago’s most popular sandwich, the Italian Beef: Italian bread loaded with thinly sliced ​​beef, topped with bell peppers and dripping with juice, hold the cheese; All-American French Sauce (despite its name) is a take off, but pretty bland by comparison.

12) We can’t leave out those wonderful “bound” fillings: egg salad, ham salad, chicken salad and tuna salad; we corner the market with them, whether served daintily at teas and parties or simply as a great scoop over whole wheat.

12) Pita sandwiches packed with turkey, cheese, avocado, hummus or falafel; a modern ethnic take on the basics.

13) Burgers and fast food chicken sandwiches are another matter.

Sandwich sales in the US topped $27.7 billion and that’s not counting homemade sandwiches. Wow, that’s a lot of bread, literally. Apparently, the United States is not the only country that likes its sandwiches. In 2017, the UK pre-made sandwich industry made and sold US$11 billion, and that’s not counting freshly made sandwiches.

We’re not even going to start with sandwich cookies (Oreo) and ice cream sandwiches. It’s too tiring. So many sandwiches, so little time.