Happy New Year!
It's 2026 and we're off to the races
Well, we’ve rounded the horn to another year. This time last year I had so many Sandwiches of History: LIVE! shows lined up it wasn’t funny. So far this year I only have two live events planned (a writer’s shindig in Rancho Mirage at the end of Jan and a two night dinner in Paoli, Wisconsin in late April).
That said, I am cooking up an idea to partner with restaurants to host Sandwiches of History Cocktail Parties (and maybe tea parties) so stay tuned for that.
This week is all sandwich action, no potato chips (but they’ll be back next week)
A gentle reminder of two things. First, if you have a “sandwich of our history” submission, just email the backstory and recipe to barry@sandwichesofhistory.com And if you want to be considered to be randomly chosen to guest host Sandwiches of History, just fill out this form.
The Sandwiches O’ Last Week 🥪
Monday, December 29, 2025
Top 5 Worst Sandwiches of 2025
A rogue’s gallery of sandwiches that should never have been made, let alone written down in a recipe book. Enjoy?
In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Reddit
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
The Minus Downs of 2025
When I plus up a sandwich, I really am trying to make it better. But I do not alway nail it. This year I think I did pretty ok with just three minus downs. Check it out.
In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Reddit
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
The Intros of 2025
Not much to say here. As you well know, I try to switch up the opening of the videos not only to entertain you but to amuse myself too. And, given this was to embrace my goofiness, I tossed in some intros from In The Chips with Barry’s “Can It Sandwich?”
In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Reddit
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Christmas Sandwich (1928)
Cookin’ with Dr. Pepper
Cocktail Sandwich Rating: 7
Plus up: Crushed pineapple and Compaño chili pepper
Plussed up rating: 8
Kicked the new year off with a seemingly odd sandwich. When I first saw this cookbook I was on the fence. I knew of using Dr. Pepper in barbecue sauces and in glazes for hams but making a sandwich filling with it? Never mind the pairing of pineapple and Roquefort cheese (which is also something I’d never put together). Yet, it worked. The Dr. Pepper flavor was mild and complimented everything in it. Plussed it up with a touch more pineapple and the very spicy but tasty Compaño chili pepper which really made it sing.
Should you make this? Yes!
In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Reddit
Friday, January 2, 2026
Egg Sandwich (1876)
Centennial Cook Book and General Guide
Sandwich Rating: 5.5
Plus up: Old Bay Seasoning
Plussed up rating: 6
I get a lot of folks arguing with absolute certainty that when the old cookbooks don’t call for salt and pepper, they clearly expect the person preparing the sandwich to know to do that. I, personally, have not seen solid evidence that this is the case. I’ve seen recipe that call for in the same book with ones that don’t. So, until a food historian can tell me without question that it is implied, I’m gonna keep makin’ em by the book. Fortunately, this recipe called for salt and pepper…and nutmeg, which was interesting. So I decided to vibe off that with some Old Bay which has a bit of nutmeg in it already.
Should you make this? Sure, it was good. At the very least try Old Bay or J.O. Spice with any kind of egg.
In case you missed it:
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Sunday, January 3, 2026
Grandma Haynes Sloppy Joe
Submitted Sandwich of Our History
Sandwich Rating: 7.5
Plus up: Hot honey
Plussed up rating: 8
When Wes sent this in my first reaction was “Sloppy Joe, got it.” Then I saw that it called for Campbell’s Chicken Gumbo Soup (something I’d never even heard of). That piqued my interest. That and the fact that it called for mustard, twice. The result was a savory, somewhat tangy take on a Sloppy Joe. So I leaned into the South Carolina style BBQ sauce and added some hot honey as the plus up. So tasty.
In case you missed it:
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Sunday, January 4, 2026
Hung Curd Sandwich (India)
International Sandwich Sunday
Sandwich Rating: 9
Plus up: None
This sandwich had so much going on. The texture of the toasted bread, the crunch of the veggies, the tang of the yogurt, and the heat of the chilis. Definitely one of the more memorable and flavorful vegetarian sandwiches. Didn’t feel compelled to add anything to plus up which doesn’t happen all that often.
In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Reddit
Well, that’s all for this week. Thanks for reading all the way to the end! Back next week with more sandwiches, potato chips, and news.
Cheers,
Barry
