As a child growing up in Northern Virginia outside Washington DC, Labor Day was never about the end of summer for me. It was always about going back to school. My brothers and I always loved school, so while we were glad to have a break over the summer, by August we were looking forward to getting back to seeing our school friends and engaging in classes that we mostly found interesting and helped us to grow. Plus, we were middle class-privileged enough to get new school clothes, new school supplies, and, most special of all–a new lunch box! (We grew up before the times when taking backpacks to school were a big thing) Our passion of each year was displayed by the superhero, sports emblem, or television character that festooned the front of our annual lunchbox.
Of course, back then we didn’t have bento boxes and all the cool and probably healthier lunch container options students have today. They were all metal rectangular boxes shaped to protect the standard lunch item: a sandwich.
Sandwiches have been a fixation for me this week…one particular sandwich in particular. So that moved me to ask you all a question: What is your favorite sandwich? Please add your premier sandwich choice to the comments below, along with any particular reasoning you have about why that is your #1.
blissfullu.com 
Now: Tuna salad with chopped celery, olives and onions on hearty toasted bread or a crusty roll! Pickle on the side.
As a child our lunch bags had either bologna with mustard on white bread.or PB and J.
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Thanks for getting the ball rolling, Diane.
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Favorite sandwich – a BLT – IF the tomato is excellent
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EP reports a preference for chicken salad without too much mayo.
Looks like the salads have taken a early lead.
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Chicken Salad is my ultimate go to sandwich. Chicken, mayo, salt and pepper, chopped celery, and crusty french bread , and a little lettuce for a touch of green freshness – but my secret ingredient is Mango Chutney. It adds another level of deliciousness, savory, sweet, and a touch of the exotic. Yumm!
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That does sound delicious!
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Really good tomato, mayo, salt and pepper, and maybe sharp white cheddar!
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Casey is one of my fellow Cary Farmers Market devotees, and she is right…right now, we have such exquisite local organic-ish heirloom tomatoes that you don’t need much more than some wonderful local bread to make an outsidanding sandwich. Vist your local farmers market to see just how good a local heirloom tomato sandwich can be!
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avocado, lettuce, tomato, turkey bacon on everything bread. Love the creamy texture of the avocado.
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Agreed. Like Doug’s Mango Chutney, adding avocado to a sandwich can take it to the next level. Of course, you are lucky because you are living in avocado country. We can’t grow them here in North Carolina.
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Interestingly enough, Washington Post food writer Daniela Galarza, the author of the Eat Voraciously newsletter that I recommend, today posted her first recipe since her 20 week PAID parental leave for her first child (the generosity of which she credited the WaPo union, the Washington Post Guild, for obtaining on behalf of the staff–go unions!). And what did she post? A recipe for a Polish ham and cucumber sandwich! You can find it here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/polish-ham-and-cucumber-sandwiches/?utm_campaign=wp_veatvoraciously&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_veatvoraciously&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F3ee0d98%2F66d5b70640b3932c0ebcf300%2F598afceeade4e2651406d8cb%2F15%2F66%2F66d5b70640b3932c0ebcf300
So I’m counting that as one vote for a ham sandwich as a favorite.
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My long-time vegetarian sister in law weighed in with some excellent ideas for sandwiches without meat:
*BLT with Morning Star fake bacon.
*Tomato with Mayo & salt is so good w summer tomato.
*Tomato w feta and oregano sprigs…a little olive oil.
*Tomato, goat cheese & pesto.
*Avocado w anything.
*”Meatloaf” made w lentil loaf on white with Mayo.
*Hummus cucumber tomato onion
*Pepperoncini and cheese
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I also got suggestions for vegan sandwiches from my friend, Jamillah:
I was never much of a sandwich fan even before becoming vegan but in a pinch and depending on my mood, I’ll take a grilled cheese with Chao original cheese with tomato soup or a decent veggie burger with a patty by Dr. Praeger’s, Hilary or Actual Veggies 😋. I’ve also been known to eat my son’s leftover PBJ when he comes home from school 🤭
Actual Veggies is my favorite patty because they have diff varieties that are very colorful and you can see the veggies, hence the name. No fillers
https://actualveggies.com
Last one I’ll mention is a barbeque chicken style sandwich made with jackfruit… Pure Soul in Durham has one that is *chef’s kiss*🤤
I will say that I have made jackfruit BBQ sandwiches before and they turned out well…although probably not as well as those at Pure Soul. But check out the multi-colored burgers at Actual Veggies (link above)…they look fun and delicious. They have them at my local Whole Foods and Fresh Market, so I’m definitely picking some up next time I’ve by one of those stores! And they carry the Chao vegan cheese at Lidl, which is almost directly across from my house. So I’ll have to check that out as well.
So much fun to get some new ideas and inspiration!
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One of the vegetarian men in my life votes
for two international sandwiches:
1. An Italian Caprese Salad sandwich, with fresh Farmers Market tomatoes and basil, slabs of fresh mozzarella cheese, and drizzled with balsamic vinegar on a crunchy toasted ciabatta roll
2. A Vietnamese Bánh Mì sandwich, with quick-pickled vegetables made up of whatever the Farmers Market is selling this week, cucumber and onion, roasted mushrooms replacing the traditional pork or chicken, served on a fresh local baguette.
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My vegetarian sister (in law) said she got a recipe from Bon Appetite today for a tofu filling for sandwiches, based on some sandwich from a bakery in Utah. So she passed it on because she thought it wasn’t just an accident it showed up in her email box this morning.
Here’s how to make balsamic-soy-marinated tofu:
Heads up: The prep time is minimal, but it does need to marinate for several hours, so plan ahead.
In an airtight container, stir together your marinade ingredients: ¾ cup store-bought balsamic vinaigrette (or equal parts balsamic vinegar and olive oil), 3–4 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari (depending on how salty the dressing is), and 3 minced garlic cloves (or a heavy sprinkle of garlic powder or onion powder). Feel free to add a spoonful of herbs, such as dried Italian seasoning or fresh cilantro, and a splash of maple syrup or a dab of brown sugar if you prefer a sweeter marinade.
Drain 1 (14- to 16-oz.) package of extra-firm tofu. (Do not substitute something softer like silken tofu—it’s too fragile here.) If you have a tofu press, feel free to use it, but there’s no need to press tofu here; just bundle it in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, and gently squeeze it to get rid of excess water. Use your hands to break the block of tofu into craggy hunks (about the size of strawberries). Or grab a cutting board and cut it into slices or cubes if you prefer a uniform shape.
Drop the tofu pieces into the marinade and gently stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid, then refrigerate for 12–48 hours. (The smaller the tofu pieces, the less total time you’ll need to marinate.) The top of the tofu might poke out of the marinade, so give it a shake every so often to make sure each piece is thoroughly soaked.
When you’re ready to eat, preheat the oven to 375°F. Use a fork or slotted spoon to transfer the marinated tofu to a baking sheet. For easier cleanup, you can line the pan with parchment paper, but it works either way. (Save that leftover marinade to dress salads.) Evenly spread out the tofu pieces. Bake for 30–45 minutes, shuffling the mixture halfway through for even cooking, until the tofu is deeply golden brown.
To reheat leftover tofu, pan fry it over medium to medium-high heat in your favorite cast iron, toss it in an air fryer, or zap it in the microwave.
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I also got some advice from a gluten-free friend about the best way to deal with gluten-free bread for sandwiches:
Well the gluten-free sandwich is all about the bread! So depending on the bread.. some bread I get is best toasted. Some sandwiches are better toasted so that matters to me. I’d rather have untoasted bread for nut butter and jelly or an egg sandwich. Toasted bread is great for meat sandwiches, grilled cheese, obviously. It’s rare that I found a bread that wowed me like a gluten bread would, but if I did I would definitely relish using it for a fabulous sandwich!
So for those of us who aren’t gluten-free, make sure to say an extra thanks for the fact we can eat wonderful bread. If we are serving those who can’t, maybe toasting GF bread is the way to go…
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My favorite is a Reuben. Made the traditional way with marbled rye toast.
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Oh yes, that is a classic treat indeed!
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