Sandwich Travels

August is National Sandwich month! Despite not being a huge fan of sandwiches, there are many that I love around the world and I thought it would be fun to share my favorites.

France – my absolute favorite is ham and butter on a baguette, a classic. When I first moved to France I thought this was the most bizarre combination, that is, until I tasted it. Forget mustard. Forget mayonnaise. The ONLY way to eat a ham sandwich is with butter! Paul makes a decent version which you can find all over Paris and many places in France. It is the closest thing to fast food that I eat when in France.

Switzerland – while I was working in Morges, Switzerland, several times a week I would have a luscious tuna sandwich from a little bakery downtown. (If anyone knows Morges, it is the boulanger across from Manor, I can’t remember the name.) The sandwich was heavenly, just the right balance of tuna and mayonnaise with arugula, it was fab. I had quite a few good tuna sandwiches in any number of bakeries in Switzerland (and France, it is my second favorite sandwich there), but this particular one close to my office was great. I grew up in a tuna fish family so I know what I am talking about!

Moorea – I have been to Moorea three times. Twice on extended vacations where I stayed 10+ days. Both trips we stayed in the lovely Sheraton (which is unfortunately no longer an SPG property, now it belongs to Hilton). I had the most relaxing vacation of my life there and the best sandwich hands down. So much so I ate it for lunch EVERY DAY, that is saying a lot for someone who claims not to be a fan of sandwiches! A very rare (and very fresh) ahi tuna sandwich with mango and pineapple chutney – that served with an ice-cold beer – heaven!

Venice – I have previously written about what a great time my husband and I had at the local bars in Venice. The thinly sliced speck ham sandwiches with the local Spritz drink is divine. Nothing beats eating like a native. Despite the fact that I called out a ham sandwich in France and a ham sandwich here, I rarely eat ham, but I do love prosciutto and speck ham is very similar.

Florence – The amazing truffle cream sandwiches at Procacci. Panini tartufati are one of the most delicious delicacies I have had in a decade and I would happily jump on a plane for those little buggers tomorrow!

Barcelona – I am not fond of mayonnaise at all, I only really tolerate in tuna and egg salad sandwiches, and only if it is very light. That’s why I love how they moisten the bread in Spain by rubbing it with tomatoes! Their sandwiches, called bocadillos, are really tasty, especially with Serrano ham. Seriously, maybe I only eat ham when I am out of the country because that’s where they really know how to smoke it! If you need something to hold you over until your tapas dinner, you cannot beat one of these with a glass of Spanish wine – Olé!

The guaranteed-to-produce-memories sandwich –  Linguisa. My mom’s parents are Portuguese. They were part of a large Portuguese community in the San Francisco Bay Area. During the summertime when we would visit my grandparents from wherever we lived in the world, there were lots of festas, or celebrations which meant two things: linguica sandwiches and soupish (or sopas), two foods that I love. From time to time my mom would come across a package of linguica in a grocery store and she would bring it home like a treasure for us to eat. Grilled and placed in a baguette with mustard, it was a spicy, greasy affair. I rarely eat it, but when I see it or smell it, it always brings back good memories!

 

A photo posted by Andi Fisher (@andi_fisher) on Jul 26, 2015 at 1:11pm PDT

The I’ve-had-everywhere-else-but-in-the-real-deal sandwich – a New York deli pastrami Reuben. I love this sandwich! I’ve had it in New York-style delis but never actually in New York. Follow-up contestant in this category would be to have a Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich in Vietnam – I’ve had many living in the Bay Area (including the Lil Green Cyclo one pictured below), but never actually in Vietnam.

Some of my favorite San Francisco (and SF Bay Area) sandwiches:

Fried chicken and egg salad sandwiches from Bakesale Betty.
> The LGBT from the Bacon Bacon.
> The warm pastrami sandwich from AK Subs.
> The porchetta sandwich from Roli Roti.
> Great grilled cheeses in San Francisco.
> And if ice cream is your kind of sandwich (hey, I won’t judge you), check out It’s-IT.

I’ve also got a list of sandwiches worth traveling for in my AFAR Wanderlist dedicated to just that!

How about you? Do you have a favorite sandwich from somewhere in the world? Or right in your backyard!