Who does not love a good sandwich? Sandwiches can be a part of every meal. Egg sandwiches for breakfast, portable school lunches, and an easy dinner with a cup of soup or a salad make sandwiches the most versatile genre of food.

Sandwiches have a long history. In 1762, John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, invented the meal that changed dining forever. As the story goes, he was playing cards and did not want to leave the gaming table to eat. He asked for a serving of roast beef to be placed between two slices of bread so he could eat with his hands. From the 6th to the 16th century, meat and vegetables were placed onto a piece of bread and left open. Eaten with your hands, these flat open sandwiches were known as trenchers. The bread was a substitute for a plate. Those trenchers are the equivalent of the modern-day open sandwich.

Americans eat more than three hundred million sandwiches every day. The average American will have 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before they graduate from high school. The most popular sandwich in America is the standard ham sandwich, made with cheese and either mustard or mayonnaise. Every person has a favorite; my current favorite is a turkey sandwich with sharp cheddar cheese, carrot salad, and lettuce on toasted rye bread (and don't forget the cranberry jam!). My favorite sandwich changes with the seasons. In winter, a piping hot grilled cheese sandwich is enormously satisfying on a chilly day.

An iconic figure in sandwich history is Dagwood Bumstead. Dagwood Bumstead is a main character in cartoonist Chic Young's long-running comic strip Blondie. Dagwood debuted in Blondie's first strip on September 8, 1930. The comic strip, which appeared in more than 2,000 newspapers in forty-six countries, is one of the longest-running comic strips. You can still find newspapers that carry it. The comic strip character Dagwood is famous for concocting tall, multilayered sandwiches topped with an olive on a toothpick. Dagwood often made these sandwiches late at night. The term "Dagwood sandwich" has entered American English and is now found in the dictionary. While different restaurants claim their own specific ingredients, your Dagwood sandwich can overflow with the fillings you love. What both sandwiches may have in common is vertical height. You'll have to loosen your jaw to take a bite of this particular kind of sandwich bliss.

Growing up in my big family, our packed school lunch sandwiches followed a regimented schedule. On Monday, we had peanut butter and jelly; Tuesday, it was bologna and cheese; Wednesday, there was egg salad; on Thursday, there were cheese and lettuce; and on Friday, there was always tuna fish. Even now, as an adult, on Fridays, I often get an irrepressible urge for a tuna fish sandwich. When I was little, an assigned chore that was part of our morning routine was setting up the base layer by laying out the bread slices in rows. The filling layer of the day and then the top completed the sandwich. The sandwiches, cut in half side to side, were wrapped in wax paper. Along with cookies, the sandwiches were placed into the brown bags, clearly marked with each of our names.

Despite a trending view that sandwiches have too many carbs, I love them. This staple of dining is easy to make and even easier to eat. There is a never-ending variety of ingredients and ways to serve them. When I host a party, a platter of meats and cheeses and an assortment of breads, toppings, and condiments is always a crowd pleaser because independent guests can help themselves and customize their meal to their own tastes.

Coleslaw, A Side Dish, or a Sandwich Topper?

A great sandwich topper is coleslaw. You can also serve it as a side dish. It is easy to make and you can vary it in so many ways to make it to suit your own taste. Coleslaw goes well on Reuben sandwiches, roast beef, and turkey sandwiches.

To make it more colorful, you can use both red and green cabbages. Supermarkets often sell packaged "half" cabbages if a whole cabbage head is too much. Grated carrots can be added for extra color and crunch. You can also vary the size of the cabbage shreds, from very fine to more substantial, to suit your taste.

Place the shredded cabbage and grated carrots in a large bowl, and then add this dressing.

Coleslaw Dressing

This dressing makes about 1-1/2 cups and can be stored for several weeks in a glass jar.

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions: Add all ingredients to a jar, and then shake well to make sure everything is completely mixed together. Add to chopped ingredients. You can store the dressing and chopped ingredients separately, and then add them together as you use the coleslaw.

Some things to note: Because mayonnaise is the main star of this coleslaw dressing, reach for the best quality you can find. Swap out the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt for a lighter flavor with a touch more tang. For a richer dressing, replace half or all the mayonnaise with sour cream.

Also, the sugar is added to balance the acid. You can add a touch more sugar if you like a sweeter dressing. You also can substitute honey or maple syrup. If you use ultra fine white sugar it will dissolve more easily in the mayonnaise, but it’s fine to use whatever you have on hand.

You can also vary the amount of vinegar. Some like their coleslaw sweet, while others prefer a little more “bite.” If you are the latter, add a splash or two more vinegar, for a sharper flavor. Lemon juice also works great in this recipe to add more acidity and some brightness as well.

Carrot Salad

While many countries have a version of carrot salad, this Russian version is one I prepared for my Ukrainian neighbor. I served it as a side dish with roast chicken and have been eating it ever since on sandwiches. The crunchy texture and nutty flavor give an otherwise basic sandwich a real zing. It can be easily cut in half or doubled to suit your needs.

Ingredients:

4-5 medium carrots, peeled and shredded on the “star” side of a box grater

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

3 Tbsp. mayonnaise or plain yogurt

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.