We're gonna need more pickles!

I usually try to avoid using the same plus ups within a week but man, did I drop the ball this week. Pickles, pickles everywhere. Don’t get me wrong, they all made sense. But yeah. Need to do a better job on that.

Also, since I like the cut of your jib, I am including a little sneak peak of the sandwich I am posting today (Super Bowl Sunday) at the end of this post.

Lastly, if you’re keen to guest host Sandwiches of History, simply fill out this form. Your info will automatically go into a spreadsheet. Each person has a row with a number. I then use a random number generator to pick. Good luck!

Sunday, February 4, 2024
Churrasco (Chile)
International Sandwich Sunday

Original rating: 9.5
Plus up: Pebre
Plussed up rating: 10

Since posting this I’ve been told by some folks that this was a Churraso Italiano due to the red (tomato), green (avocado), and white (mayonnaise). All I know is it was easy and delicious. How bad could quickly cooked, thin slices of beef, avocado mashed with salt, and tomato be? Plussed up with a little pebre which is like a mash up of chimichurri and pico de gallo and it’s all anyone needs. I do think I’d use fresh jalapeño when making the pebre next time though. As you can see from the picture, I used a kaiser roll. Typically, these would probably be on a marrequeta (which I have baked for a previous Chilean sandwich). But alas I did not have time.

In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | Reddit

Thank you for reading Sandwiches of History Substack. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Monday, February 5, 2024
Shaved Ham Sandwich (1936)
Our History

Original rating: 7
Plus up: Grillo’s Hot Pickles
Plussed up rating: 8

Not gonna lie, I was on the fence about this. Ham? Sure. Oyster sauce? Hmm, ok, yeah, why not? Doritos? Hang on a sec. When Dean wrote in with this I was wondering if he was trying to put one over on me. I had to use Nacho Cheese Doritos as we don’t have Extreme Cheese Doritos like they do in Australia. But lo and behold it worked. I do think it would be an even better combo swapping in hoisin sauce for the oyster sauce but yeah, tasted like a bbq ham sandwich of sorts. Which naturally calls for pickles. I opted for hot pickles from Grillo’s and was not disappointed.

In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | Reddit

Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Johnny Bull (1900)
The Sandwich Book

Original rating: 7
Plus up: Boulder Canyon Grillo’s Pickles Potato Chips
Plussed up rating: 8

Ah yes, another patented Sandwiches of History “I failed to notice my mic battery died” episode. I have to admit, when I first discover that the battery died I was miffed. But then I realized, it gave me the opportunity to do a voiceover! Normally, if the battery dies and only a little audio is missing, I’ll re-record. But this was practically the entire episode. At any rate, this sandwich was a bit odd but tasty. I haven’t seen ground up macaroni used in a sandwich before but it kind of makes sense. It’s used added bulk to the sandwich, brought no discernible flavor, and would absolutely have extended to use of the meat. The other ingredients really did vibe “tuna salad sandwich” but with beef. It was actually tasty. Made even tastier by adding the Boulder Canyon Grillo’s Dill Pickle flavored potato chips which brought both a textural element and a brightness to the sandwich.

In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | Reddit

Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Pickle Sandwich (recent history)
Food52.com
Original rating: 6.5
Plus up: Grilled Cheese Treatment
Plussed up rating: 7.5

This was one of those sandwiches that stuck in the back of my mind after I first saw it. As you likely could tell, especially after this week, I like pickles. A lot. And this recipe promised to deliver a very pickle-forward sandwich. And it was good, but amounted to a pickle cheese sandwich with just a touch more pickle flavor. By the way, I had to look up what “half sour” pickles were as I’ve never heard that term before. Dill seemed to be the appropriate ones to use. But the mere act of heating the sandwich up and giving a toasty exterior made the sandwich sing. Sure, it was a grilled cheese sandwich with pickles at that point. But it was a more pickley grilled cheese and pickle sandwich so there’s that.

In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | Reddit

Thursday, February 8, 2024
Brown Egg Sandwich (1909)
The Up-To-Date Sandwich Book

Original rating: 4.5
Plus up: Dill pickles
Plussed up rating: 5.5

I am amazed how some folks get a serious ick from seeing bread in a can. That or they comment about “Americans will put anything in a can.” Which, while true, ignores that fact that Boston Brown Bread was created by folks who came to America from England. Anywho, Boston Brown Bread is made with several different flours and sweetened with molasses. Not totally sure I’d of combined that with egg yolks but that’s just me. Given that both the bread and BBQ sauce is sweetened with molasses, Christine’s suggestion of plussing it up with pickles made sense. And it did improve the sandwich. Not enough that I’d make it again but enough that I finished it. So/ there’s that?

In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | Reddit

Friday, February 9, 2023
Beet and Egg Sandwich (1917) w/guest host Shalana Switzer
Salads and Sandwiches

Original rating: 5
Plus up: Miracle Whip and Lettuce | Bacon | Frank’s RedHot Sauce
Plussed up rating: 7.5 | 5 | 2.5

Big ups to Shalana. When folks guest host, they can either find a sandwich to do or have me send one. But they have every right to ask for a different one if the recipe I send doesn’t suit them. I sent Shalana this recipe and her response was along the lines of “I hate beets and I’ve never had a hard boiled egg. I can’t wait to try this!” To me, that embodies the spirit of Sandwiches of History. Try things! And she did a fantastic job even bring three plus ups! That said, some of the comments folks left on Instagram made me consider shutting down Sandwiches of History altogether. In the video Shalana says that she thinks Miracle Whip is better than mayonnaise but that it was just her opinion. That didn’t stop folks from making absolutely rude remarks about her as a person which is unacceptable. There were also snide remarks about her needing gluten free bread. Which is absurd. Gluten free bread for folks with Celiac disease, as Shalana has, or even gluten sensitivity allows them to enjoy sandwiches. How on earth is that bad? Anyway, I’ve rebounded the that ebb but still a bit surprised as I try to keep SoH a positive place. Shalana got into the comments and handled them with grace and a sense of humor. Which was far better than I might have faired.

Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | Reddit

Saturday, February 10, 2024
Tuna-Chili Sandwich (1965)
The 1,000 Fabulous Sandwiches

Original rating: 4
Plus up: Provolone cheese and broiled
Plussed up rating: 5.5

At first, I was happy to see a recipe with chili in the name that wasn’t calling for Heinz Chili Sauce. Not that I hate the sauce, just wanted to try something different. Then I saw that it called for mixing tuna and tomato sauce. Cold, tomato sauce. Plus, the amount of “chili,” in the form of chili powder, was vanishingly small. When mixed with oregano it made for one “meh” sandwich. But, adding provolone cheese and heating things up, the sandwich became more interesting. The flavors more pronounced. Was it enough to make me want to make it again? Nah. But I did finish it, so there’s that.

In case you missed it:
Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | Reddit

Thanks for reading all the way down here. For your efforts, a game day bonus!

What you’re looking at here is a potential “sandwich of future history.” Last Super Bowl, I did a sandwich competition between iconic sandwich from each of the two team’s cities. A cheesesteak for Philadelphia and a Z-Man Sandwich from Kansas City. I couldn’t exactly do that this year since there is no iconic San Francisco sandwich. But the city is known for the tomatoey, Italian-esque seafood stew cioppino and sourdough bread. So, rather than compete, I decided to merge. You’re looking at the Cio Burnt Sandwich (when said aloud it is a reference to 30 Rock). Combining the cioppino and burnt ends on sourdough bread. It was a bit of a process but man, talk about tasty. If you’re keen to give it a go after watching today, I’ve posted the recipe here.

Alright, that’s it for this week. Thanks again for subscribing to the Sandwiches of History Substack. I appreciate you.

Have a great week!

Cheers!
Barry