Sailing Across the World of Sandwiches

It’s been a great journey throughout this year blogging about sandwiches. It truly was fun, and my last topic for you explores the best way to wrap a sandwich. Let’s put an airtight seal on this sandwich blog so we can keep it fresh for as long as possible.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/535083999457021405/

I found a “recipe” for wrapping a sandwich without tape while only utilizing parchment paper. This is an interesting approach, but it seems to be an inefficient use of time. If I am trying to pack myself a lunch in the morning, I have to give myself an extra five or ten minutes to do this. It is an effective method of keeping the sandwich airtight, but I cannot prepare the wrap ahead of time and just stick it in. You need to have the sandwich at the time to roll it. If you have the time to do this every morning, I would recommend this method. This method is great because it keeps the sandwich together.

Another time-saving method is to stick your sandwich into a resealable plastic bag. This is quick and efficient, but the extra space allows the sandwich to fall apart more easily. It might also get squished more if you are shoving it into your bag at the beginning of the day. This is the method I used for most of my life just for its simplicity. It is nice to be able to throw away the bag when you’re done instead of having to bring it back to wherever you are going

Although, this does have a bad impact on the environment. A more environmentally friendly way would use a cloth napkin to wrap the sandwich, a reusable silicone bag, or biodegradable sandwich bags. There are plenty of alternatives to disposable plastic sandwich baggies, some of which are better at achieving the goal of preserving the sandwich.

Sandwiches are delicate food that needs to be treated gently. They need to be packed in a way so that they do not get crushed. The solution to this is using a hard plastic reusable container. These are nice because it provides extra protection for the sandwich, but sometimes the shape is not conducive for packing in a lunchbox. Sometimes the shapes are too big and do not fit in certain lunchbox shapes. This can be aggravating, as you either protect the sandwich without an easy way to travel with it or buy a new lunch pail that can fit it.

Another method that is commonly used by businesses includes cardboard boxes. I think this is a nice alternative for eco-friendly reasons. Other than that, this is just another standard method of sealing a sandwich. However, it has no structural integrity, so it is only an “okay” method. Nothing stands out about this method compared to the others.

What’s your go-to method of packaging sandwiches?

The most common awkward situation that I’ve been through is a full elevator. I am just sandwiched shoulder to shoulder between people quietly riding up the floors. I always look around at everyone and make awkward eye contact.

https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2013/04/15/177335104/who-stands-where-in-a-crowded-elevator-and-why

I do not hate silence, but I feel as though an elevator riddle should be fun and entertaining. Maybe not a party, but at least some sort of acknowledgment. A “hello” or a head nod to acknowledge the other person’s existence.

The worst part is when the door opens and you notice 8 eyes staring back at you. It is as if they are begging that you do not ride up and turn the sandwich into a double-decker. There is a strange silence that hangs in the air as if the riders have stopped their conversation just as the doors open. However, there is always a reason I ride the elevator, or else I would just walk up the stairs.

Reluctantly I enter the elevator and shuffle my way into the small space. I try to acknowledge them by saying hello and am met with a quiet stare. This seems to be a universal experience for anyone riding an elevator. Why are people not more friendly in elevators? What social standards are in place that ensures nobody speaks on elevator rides?

Is it only appropriate to say hello when there is one other person in the elevator? When one person is sandwiched between people, it’s a higher level of intrapersonal communication. You are sharing a small space with someone else while nearly touching them, it is a lot of interaction for complete strangers.

I would assume that conversation while you are awkwardly squished between people would ease the tension in the air and make the ride more pleasant. However, communication in this instance intensifies the awkwardness.

It continues to be increasingly more awkward as you try to reach around the people to push the button. Sometimes, you cannot reach it without bumping someone else and then having to profusely apologize to them. It is an endless circle of embarrassment and an exponential increase of awkwardness.

As you arrive at the floor someone is getting off at, then it is a little shuffle, as somehow the person who needs to exit is always at the back of the elevator. Thankfully, when they exit, the sandwich is smaller; a topping has been lost.

Then the doors remain open for a seemingly obnoxious amount of time and the rest of you are just standing there waiting for the door to close. It is now the responsibility of the person closest to the buttons to press the door close button. Sometimes it does not work and you have to push it again.

Overall, being smushed between people in a small enclosed space could be more pleasant than it is. There’s not enough space for everyone to exist with enough personal space, so it’s unnatural. However, passengers could do better to promote a more enjoyable riding experience.

It’s officially March Madness, which Forbes estimates about $3.1 Billion will be wagered this year on the most correct bracket. Betting can occur for every sport but is popular with sports such as soccer, horse racing, and football. In America, I would assume that football is the most popular sport watched by millions each week during the season. Betting takes place on who will win or lose and by what point differential.

https://30seconds.com/food/tip/5768/How-to-Build-a-Winning-Super-Bowl-Football-Sandwich-Display

In NFL betting, there is a theory based on the fact that some easy games will be sandwiched between harder teams. Over the course of the 18 week season, the talented teams do not win every single game, as that is unrealistic. Sometimes, the team will be fresh and ready to play at a high level. Other times, the team will hit a rut and will play poorly on the field.

Each week is a challenge for betters to predict because the superior team is not guaranteed to win. It can be hard to predict how the team will play against another highly rated team, but the sandwich game theory aids betters in earning money.

The sandwich theory is based on the idea that every team will fall down to earth. A sandwich game is considered any game scheduled between two “important matches.” It is not always the most noticeable game, but it can prove to be a great financial take to bet against your team during one of these matches.

For instance, if a team is set to play two teams that lead their respective divisions and then a team within their division, they will prepare for the two more difficult teams. The two difficult teams are considered the bread, and the game in the middle is the meat. The game in the middle could be a flop because of the travel between playing a hard team and then playing a less important game. It is possible that the team will only focus on the hard games and not prepare so much for the “easy” game.

This lack of preparation for the “easy” game, ultimately leads to the team’s downfall. However, it is the perfect opportunity for a better bet against their team to earn some extra cash. This is just one betting strategy of many that exist in the gambling realm. 

This is a risky betting strategy as there is a total of 18 weeks of football. It’s not expected that a team will win every single match, but sometimes teams will win 13 or 14 of the 17 games. So assuming that there is a “sandwich” every set of three, that would mean a loss of about 5 games. Betting on a 5 game loss on one of the better teams in the league is not smart, because they are capable of winning more than 12 games. 

Overall, betting is always a risky task in which games cannot be predicted with one hundred percent accuracy. If you do bet on sports, what theories do you use? How do you attempt to turn a profit?

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If you are interested, there’s a term called the “Grand Salami” which is often used in baseball or hockey betting.

Life is too short to worry about how to eat a sandwich. You should just be able to pick up a sandwich and eat it with little to no effort. However, it seems to make sandwiches fancier, restaurants just stack them taller.

We have seen the emergence of triple-decker sandwiches or “Tall Boys” (Primanti Bros), which is a marketing tactic that enables restaurants to charge you more. The extra meat sounds enticing, but with other sides, this extra-large sandwich is not something someone really needs and ends up being a waste of money.

So how do you even eat a sandwich that is too tall? I’m not sure how big your bite is, but I cannot even make it through a double-decker sandwich without half of the ingredients falling off. This is aggravating as my sandwich fillings just become a pile on the plate, essentially a deconstructed salad.

The solution to eating such a large sandwich is to take the ingredients out of the middle to lower the size, eat one layer at a time, or take half the sandwich home for the next day. So it is not a complete waste of ingredients, but a leftover sandwich is not quite as enjoyable as a fresh one. After sitting in the fridge, the bread becomes soggy and the joy of eating it later is severely diminished.

Eating a sandwich should be stress-free and enjoyable, and it is clear that taller sandwiches are not the solution. Are marketers going the wrong direction, should they be expanding the width of the sandwich rather than the height? If they are just trying to make a profit, it would make sense to serve a sandwich of the same height but larger area.

However, issues will arise, as the standard size of bread would have to be altered. It seems that bread on all sandwiches across a variety of restaurants is essentially the same size. The part that differs for each sandwich is the filling and the height.

So this begs the question, what is the best sandwich size?

I am absolutely against sandwiches with more than two pieces of bread. We can eliminate double-deckers and above from contention. I acknowledge that sandwiches with jelly are too thin and require some more substance.

I think the best sandwich size is where you can bite into the sandwich without overextending your jaw. The bite will also contain each component of the sandwich and there is no significant loss of ingredients during the bite.

For me, this is a sandwich stacked with about two or three pieces of meat folded, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. However, the ideal sandwich will vary between people, as we all have different bite sizes. What is your ideal sandwich size?

At one point during my Junior year of high school, I created a playlist for my physics class with songs all relating to food. It could be the title of the song or the general theme of the song, and it was so much fun to put together.

With the wonders of the internet, anyone can publish a song about anything, and this got me thinking about sandwich-related songs. The first song that immediately comes to mind is a song that rocked my elementary school life. I remember sitting in the computer lab, blasting this song, and annoying our poor teachers by keeping this song on loop. 

Do you remember the song Peanut Butter Jelly Time? I’m not sure why this was such an entertaining song, but we would all sing this. It was entertaining, catchy, and repetitive. After listening to the song again, it is once more stuck in my head and brings me great memories.

I did some exploring for some more sandwich-related songs, and here are the best ones that I have found so far. Take a listen to some of the songs that have interesting titles and let me know if you think they are as much of a bop as I do.

The next song I have for you is called “Sandwiches” by Bob King. It gives me jig vibes simultaneously. I am partial to jigs because they have a nice beat and can keep people moving. The lyrics to the piece are honest and relatable for me. I feel like I would definitely marry someone if they offered me a sandwich (1:32).

Another interesting song I came across is called “Eat a Sandwich” by Parry Gripp. It is a completely different style from the previous song relying more on hip hop beats. The lyrics are funny in the sense that they teach people who eat lettuce wraps and are trying to maintain a gluten-free diet. I appreciate the sandwiches they referenced at the end followed by “sandwich power.” Overall, I thought it was a very catchy, funny song.

Taking another twist down towards a different style of music, I present to you a fairly popular country song called “I Still Like Bologna” by Alan Jackson. This song uses the bologna sandwich as a childhood memory. It brings back nostalgia, a good sandwich that cannot be forgotten. So while the song itself is not directly about sandwiches, it utilizes sandwiches to shine a light on appreciation for the simplicity. I very much enjoy the message of the song, although I am not typically one to voluntarily listen to country music.

Throughout this journey to find some great sandwich songs, I realized that there are a lot of songs relating to sandwiches in a variety of genres. I am fascinated at the sandwich becoming an icon across the music industry. Are there any songs that you like that you would add to this list? 

I am not sure how popular putting “salads” on sandwiches are, but I used to work at a butcher shop throughout high school to make some extra money. At my job, we had a variety of deli salads that we could sell to consumers including tuna salad, ham salad, and chicken salad.

We also made sandwiches right behind the counter for “special customers;” I have no clue what constituted a special customer, I would always just ask if I could serve this person a salad sandwich. It seemed that it was a secret menu item. If you knew you could ask for the sandwich with a salad on it, you were instantly special.

For some context, my hometown has a very large retirement home, where the residents often come to our shop looking for food. I am not sure if salads on sandwiches are an antiquated practice, but it seems that plenty of people enjoy it.

Now, the “salad” part of the sandwich could be argued for a while, as what really constitutes a salad. For the purposes of this blog, I will just ignore the definition of a salad and treat it loosely as just another filling for sandwiches.

What bothers me primarily about these sandwiches other than their unique flavor combinations is the ease at which you can eat the sandwich. Salads are essentially a thick jam consistency with larger chunks of meat throughout. How do you hold onto the sandwich without making a mess?

For instance, for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, for the most part, the filling adheres to the bread and has nowhere to slide. However, for the chicken salad sandwich, there’s not a strong force holding it together, so once a bite is taken, you have a large glop of salad with the bread that needs to fully break apart from the rest of the salad. Otherwise, it is hanging there and it is a struggle to separate the filling without looking awkward. 

This is similar to when you bite into a sandwich with ham, without enough force, so that now you just have a half piece of ham hanging in your mouth while trying to tear the other half away. Hopefully, it is not just me that has an issue eating ham sandwiches!

Additionally, salads that are served at the deli are moist. They contain a significant amount of liquid, which makes the bread soggy. If there is anything I dislike, it is soggy bread. You would have to eat the sandwich very fast to avoid the bread becoming soggy.

Although, I do recognize that a simple toast of the bread would solve the issue. The bread type could affect the rate at which the bread becomes soggy and impact the eating time you have. Overall, I do not support salads on sandwiches, but I recognize they exist. If you are for salads on sandwiches, would you please explain why you find them delicious to eat?

I was dining out with my brother and saw two cheesesteaks on the menu: Philadelphia and California. I’ve got another sandwich debate question for you: Which cheesesteak is better?

Now, I grew up in Pennsylvania, so I must be loyal to the Philadelphia Cheesesteak. A real Philly cheesesteak is a sandwich made of thinly sliced beef. The beef is cooked on a griddle and then served on a sliced hoagie roll with cheese and onions, though the onions are optional. The most interesting part about the cheesesteak is that there are three acceptable kinds of cheese for the sandwich, including American, provolone, or melted cheese whiz.

On the other hand, a California Cheesesteak has slightly different toppings. A California cheesesteak is comprised of thinly sliced beef topped with sauteed mushrooms, onions, peppers, and cheese on a sourdough roll. If you have ever ordered a cheesesteak from the dining hall with onions and peppers, you are most likely eating a California-style cheesesteak rather than a Philly style.

https://agrandelife.net/philly-cheesesteak-bites/

The main difference between the steak is that the California Cheesesteak has nonoptional onions and peppers, two extra toppings that contribute to the flavor of the meat, and the sourdough roll as opposed to a white roll. It is so similar, yet people will always prefer the flavor of one or the other.

So, which one is superior? It is going to depend on the restaurant and who makes each sandwich, but ideally a comparison would come between each sandwich cooked by the same chef. However, I do not even like sourdough bread, so the California cheesesteak was already at a disadvantage.

I believe the sandwich comes down to personal preference, especially for picky eaters. I do not like mushrooms either, which is one of the primary components that differentiate the two cheesesteaks. It’s clear that my opinion is biased, but I must confess, the grilled peppers on the sandwich are delicious. I think that is a great addition to the sandwich!

Outside of my own opinion, it seems that Philadelphia cheesesteaks are a national dish. In nearly any city you can find a restaurant that claims to make the Philadelphia Cheesesteak. Although, local Philadelphians would argue that all of these restaurants are fakers. It seems there is an unspoken knowledge that an authentic Philly cheesesteak is just “cheesesteak.” You should not have to say the word “Philly” when ordering.

Also, I think for authenticity, the Philadelphia cheesesteak wins. The hoagie is tied to the city, where it originated. However, the California cheesesteak is a steak attributed to California. There is no associated history or city. Where in California do I go to get a true California cheesesteak? It seems most restaurants in California just advertise Philly Cheesesteak.

Perhaps the California Cheesesteak was just an advertising scam to bolster competition between cheesesteak restaurants, and thus propel the beef market upwards. The cattle industry would make great profits for an increased demand for beef.

The compliment sandwich is famous in the management industry and has spread into a variety of industries. The compliment sandwich consists of a critical statement between two compliments. It is intended to soften the impact of the criticism to ensure the employee does not feel bad.

This method is overused in entry-level positions, especially in college. Instead of being direct and to the point about the issue or critique, employers beat around the bush to deliver forced compliments. These compliments lose their power as they are overused and no longer genuine.

Often, the compliments used in this sandwich are generic, because one is forced to come up with two basic compliments. The compliments lose their overall impact, especially when you intend to give an honest compliment. Being surrounded by compliments just diminishes the impact of each next compliment and workers will no longer be motivated by compliments.

Since the compliments will almost always be paired with critiques, it takes the enjoyment away of receiving the compliment, assuming the message was well-received and creates a negative association in their mind. Every time a compliment is given, the employee will wait for the “but XYZ” is is inadequate and needs attention. This is deteriorating the employee’s mental health and is not the best approach to criticism.

Also, compliment sandwiches could be ineffective at getting the true message across because it is masked by compliments. The employee may fail to recognize the critical message since they focus too much on the compliments they receive. They focus on the positives and neglect the negatives, especially since it comes in a 2:1 ratio.

The criticism gets ignored as the person only maintains the first and last thing that was said. I learned in my introduction to psychology class last semester that one’s ability to remember information is better at the beginning and end of the data set. In this case, only the compliments are remembered, nothing in the middle is remembered.

Overall, compliment sandwiches are not the most effective way to enact change. The way a critique is delivered drastically affects the way the employee reacts and initiates, or fails to create, change. I believe pure honesty in criticism that is straight to the point is the best way, even though it does not spare anyone’s feelings.People are not going to react well, but employees need to know about their performance. There should not be emotional discussions of the employer’s feelings about their work. It should just strictly be on a rating. This is not going to say be harsh and rood, but there could be a softening statement that emphasizes the importance of what is going to come next and its effect on your life.

Since the invention of the computer, there has been a significant rise in esports and gaming. While only some games are competed in at a national, or even global, level, most people are not professional gamers. If you are anything like me, you do not have the hand-eye coordination to play any video game.

I play video games for leisure, especially when I am bored. Throughout high school, my favorite game series was Papa Louie’s restaurant management, more commonly known as games such as “Papa’s -ia.” It was a fun, sometimes relaxing, most aggravating, game, where I was a chef and took peoples’ orders. I had to flip between the different areas of the kitchen and the counter to eventually level up.

https://fliplinestudios.fandom.com/wiki/Papa%27s_Cheeseria

Now, there was a variety of Papa’s games that were available to play, but my favorite one was Papa’s Cheeseria, for good reason: you build sandwiches! The game starts like any other, where you take an order. Then you go to the build station and stack the sandwiches with a variety of bread, toppings, and cheese. Next, you grill it to perfection at the grill station. Finally, who can’t have a sandwich without french fries? The fry station allowed for the perfect fries to be made and loaded onto the plate.

I love the action-packed gameplay and the constant need to balance the cooking times with maintaining order. Like the rest of the games, you continued working your shifts, and at the end of the day, you can buy upgrades for your kitchen that will hopefully improve customer satisfaction.

The most special part of the game is that it had customers that would give “Today’s Specials.” If you served the very picky customer with a high enough rating, you would unlock a new sandwich. The game is addicting as the different holidays and goals to reach the final rank would propel you to continue cooking. During my free time, I would play this game, and often my mom would have to tell me to get off the computer and do something else.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6445xf

This game is a great approach to the ever-increasing popularity of sandwiches. The creator’s recognition for the sandwich shows the commonality sandwiches have become to the American consumer’s diet. Papa Louie’s games are only based on popular foods because that is what interests people. They could not make a profit if their game was based on creating an obscure food that only a select portion of people eat.

There are Papa’s games based around mochas, pasta, sushi, burgers, cupcakes, tacos, pizza, milkshakes, pancakes, and so much more. Generally speaking, the studio artists have nailed the foods we eat in America, although it does appear to fit stereotypes. Sandwiches have become a recognized staple, and I hope more people recognize their deliciousness.

Recently, I acquired a blanket that looks like a piece of bread from my friend. The sandwich blog has come a long way with a variety of different sandwich-related topics. My friends understood my passion for sandwiches and gifted me a plethora of sandwich-related merchandise. This blanket caused me to think about the wonderful concept of being sandwiched in bed. As a child, I always loved the secure feeling of a blanket and begged my mom to tuck me in. There was an extreme comfort in being tucked in on all sides just like a hug.

The blanket sandwich is not quite so extreme as the burrito tuck I had in my childhood, however, it still continues to provide closure around the feet. The concept of the blanket sandwich is simple: a person lies on top of the sheet and under a blanket with the blanket tucked under their feet, sealing the bottom in. This is in opposition to the other idea of the blanket just resting on the person with lots of wiggle room.

https://i.chzbgr.com/full/8444223232/h2BEB9C44/the-tuck

The blanket sandwich is just as it seems, where the person is the filling and “sandwiched” between the sheets and a blanket. The extra coverage of the feet makes this position more favorable, from personal experience. However, many people will argue that this is not the case. Do you tuck your blanket in or do you leave it untucked? Is the tucked “sandwich” more conducive for sleep?

This is a debate that I have had with my friends, as we all have different methods of sleeping. However, I am convinced the proper way to sleep is with the feet tucked in. The blanket traps the heat that escapes the body during the night and keeps someone warm. This extra warmth allows people to feel safe and secure in their own bed, plus it is comfortable! There’s no extra draft of air to make your toes cold at night, unless you wear socks in bed, a debate for another time!

Granted, the sandwich blanket tuck solution can be less effective when you are sharing a bed with someone else, due to different sleeping condition preferences. So, in this situation, it may be best to leave a foot poking out of the sandwich, just like the extra ham that doesn’t always fit on the bread. Leaving the foot out in this case could cool you down in the middle of the night when the other person likes to be extra warm.

However, I believe that the sandwich blanket tuck is superior for people who are sleeping alone. The micro conditions the sandwich tuck allows for a comfortable warm environment to fall asleep in. It is necessary to stay warm at night when the body is cooling itself down, or else it might be difficult to sleep.

There is a Goldilocks solution to the blanket issue, but that will depend on the person. You cannot be too hot or too cold when trying to fall asleep. So what is just right for you?

If you are curious about your blanket selection, I would recommend reading this short article.