Once dubbed as ‘Britain’s greatest contribution to gastronomy’ - the Sandwich as we have come to know it credits both its name and supposed invention to John Montagu - The Earl of Sandwich. An avid gambler, rather than leaving the card table for such frivolous niceties as dining, Montagu would simply ask for a slice of meat between two pieces of bread. A practice quickly adopted by his fellow card-sharps and thus the Sandwich was born.

Whether this was, in fact, the first time a piece of meat had been wrapped between bread is certainly debatable. However, it does provide a singular name for such foodstuffs. What cannot be argued is the sandwich's subsequent success as a universally adored food staple.

There is, of course, a real tragedy that inevitably follows any real degree of popularity. Saturation - an affliction the great sandwich sadly labours under. Supermarket shelves lined with substandard, soggy-crusted triangles have become worryingly commonplace. Cafe counters, piled with slowly-staling sangers are everywhere, as disingenuous ‘artisans’ pile fillings toward the centre of their sarnies to give the illusion of generosity. Appalling.

And so the once-mighty Sandwich so often finds itself a lack-lustre last resort, quickly inhaled, due to lack of time to have anything ‘proper’. Truly tragic. ​

Fortunately, all is not lost. There is still time to rescue the sandwich and reignite your passion for these wonderful creations. We have decided to examine the sandwich in its many, many varieties. Our aim is to offer a selection of stellar sandwiches that will lend a new lease of life to your stale classics.

To start, it seems appropriate to look at the sandwich in its most classic form; the Lunch Time Sarnie - two slices of bread with one or more fillings.

For consistency, we have chosen to keep a few things the same. For the bread, we have opted for a thick-sliced seeded bloomer and for the butter we’ve used salted. As a general rule, Granary or wholewheat gets the nod from me for its nuttiness and added bite. I am not a fan of the cotton-woolly white sliced-loaf often deployed in the classic sandwich triangle, although there is something strangely nostalgic in the softness of those slices. The seeded bloomer offers a perfect midway point - soft and pillowy with the added nuttiness and bite of the seeds and grains.

As with all our recipes, however, these are very much open to deviation which we actively encourage. If you want to use a crusty whole wheat sourdough or classic white-sliced then, by all means, go ahead. But not the butter. It has to be salted. This is non-negotiable.

So without any further ado, here are our three top sandwiches, in all their glory.

Possibly the most universally popular sandwich? We’ve tried to stay true to the classic here. We've avoided adding too many additional elements and focus on using great quality ingredients, that really exemplify this classic combination. ​

For the ham, we have opted for a smoked English cooked ham. I have a real love for Prosciutto Cotto and it was a really close call.  the added smokiness you get from the smoked ham really lifts this sandwich to new levels.
For the cheese, we’ve opted for a Comte. Strong enough to stand up to the smoked ham whilst bringing an added nuttiness and bounce you simply don’t get from a classic cheddar. ​

Traditionally, condiments tend to be where a bit more fun is afforded with this classic sandwich. Do you go for mustard or mayonnaise or both? Pickle or relish? Gherkins? Ultimately, we decided that you cannot have a ham and cheese sandwich without mustard in some variety - we opted for wholegrain for texture and strength. ​

Finally, for some fun, we’ve added a spoonful of onion marmalade for a sweet and salty kick. We think, rounds off this superb classic and takes it on to new heights. 

For me, the Roast Beef Sandwich feels decidedly British. As a combination of the aforementioned great British invention, The Sandwich, and the infamously associated Roast Beef, for which the British are often credited with exclusively consuming, it’s easy to see why. Frankly, It’s a cross I’m sure most Brits would be willing to bear. The Roast Beef Sandwich is a timeless thing of beauty - likely unchanged in its integrity for centuries.

Unquestionably, the Roast Beef holds centre-stage in this sandwich and should be of the highest quality. The cooking of Beef is an intensely personal thing and you should opt for your preferred level of ‘doneness’. We’ve opted for rare, sliced as wafer-thin as you can manage. ​

Next, comes a key question: mustard or horseradish? Both work exceptionally well with beef. Ideally, they should offer a nose-clearing heat that cuts through the richness of the beef beautifully. Hot English mustard proves a more than capable partner, to a sumptuous slice of beef. However, we have opted for horseradish in our sandwich. Ideally hot enough to nearly bring a tear to your eye, Horseradish just feels a bit more special than the more versatile mustard and feels perhaps better tailored to the roast beef.

For our primary twist to this classic, we have opted to add some caramelized onions. The sweetness of the onions proves a perfect foil to the heat from the horseradish whilst pairing perfectly with the beef. We’ve completed our sandwich with a generous handful of rocket, for some peppery texture and a bit of green! ​

And there you have it - the Roast Beef Sandwich done definitively! 

Contrary to its name, this sandwich is well worth the effort. Though it feels very much of-the-moment, where Smashed Avocado seems to find its way onto and into everything, we are confident this particular application will stand the test of time.

Chicken and Bacon is something of a classic sandwich pairing, and one of my personal favourites, whilst avocado and chicken, and indeed avocado and bacon make equally fine bedfellows. So all three together? Dynamite.

We grilled our chicken breast simply with salt, pepper and a little thyme before slicing thinly into 5mm slices. The bacon really needs to be crispy and it really needs to be smoked - it brings added texture and frankly, who’s buying unsmoked bacon?
These two ingredients alone yield a superb sandwich but the Avocado really brings it together to become something memorable. Smashed with a squeeze of lemon, salt, pepper and a pinch of smoked paprika. Any thoughts of mayonnaise will be quickly brushed aside.
We added some chopped little gem lettuce for freshness, texture and self-assurance that it could almost be a salad.

As an accumulation of some of our absolute favourite ingredients, it will come as no surprise that this is certainly in contention to be our favourite sandwich. Believe us, you Can-Be-Arsed.