The Sandwich was, as far as we know, invented by 18th Century Statesman, Toff and general chancer John Montagu- 4th Earl of Sandwich, Postmaster General, First Lord of the Admiralty, Secretary of State for the Northern Department, gambler, love cheat, and music lover. Despite the number of important posts that he held during his career, Sandwich's incompetence and corruptness inspired the suggestion that his epitaph should read: "Seldom has any man held so many offices and accomplished so little."
He also seems to have been a minor wit, know mainly for being outdone in a now famous exchange with the actor Samuel Foote- Sandwich declared, "Foote, I have often wondered what catastrophe would bring you to your end; but I think, that you must either die of the pox, or the halter." "My lord", replied Foote instantaneously, "that will depend upon one of two contingencies; -- whether I embrace your lordship's mistress, or your lordship's principles."
Regardless of his incompetence, lack of quick wit or otherwise there exist three main schools of thought in relation to the Genesis of the Sandwich:
The first that he did not have time to have a meal during the regular gambling play, and so he would ask his servants to bring him slices of meat between two slices of bread during his long hours at the card table. This habit became well known among his gambling friends and thus the ‘sandwich’ was born. Because Montagu also happened to be the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, others began to order "the same as Sandwich!"
The second, a more sober alternative, is provided by Sandwich's biographer, N. A. M. Rodger, who suggests Sandwich's commitments to the navy, to politics and the arts mean the first sandwich was more likely to have been consumed at his desk.
The third, a more exotic alternative, suggests that Sandwich's Grisons Republic born brother-in-law, Jerome de Salis, taught him about sandwiches. The Grisons is known for its dried meat, Bündnerfleisch, while its then subject territory the Valtelline, where De Salis also grew up, is known for Bresaola.
We can see, in these three, somewhat different, Genesis Stories the roots of how the culture of the Sandwich has developed, or been confused, in the present day. The first theory suggests the Sandwich as a snack to be eaten whilst busy- but a busyness that is both social, and playful, as well as potentially a bit louche. It is the snack of choice of the gentleman who is so committed to his pointless, sociable pastimes that food becomes only a way to sustain him in his habit. The Sandwich is thus minimal, as well as functional, maintaining a very simple BFB structure, or BMB structure- Bread, Meat, Bread, but never the less presumably of a high quality. Its purpose is to sustain, and not interrupt or divert the attention from, the game in play.
The second theory of the Genesis of the Sandwich manifests in the present day as the 'Work Sandwich'. This is of course the complete opposite of the 'Game Sandwich'- it is a workman like snack to sustain someone who is tied to their administrative desk whilst pouring over and scribbling papers to the navy, parliament, or the arts. It is the grandfather of the now ubiquitous 'Office Sandwich', relegated from the rank of incompetent, but high ranking Statesman to the average corporate plod. It is, arguably, not the Sandwich of the playful Free Man or Man of Leisure, as the Game Sandwich is, but the Sandwich of the Slave, or 'Slave Sandwich'.
The third theory, and its modern development, can be seen in the contemporary trend towards the 'Continental Sandwich' where dried or cured meat is involved- be it German, Italian or some Germo-Italio French region. In parts of central London that tend towards such 'delicatessen culture'- be it in a shop or as part of a tourist\weekend middle class escapist market such as Broadway or Borough- one cannot move for Ciabattas, Cured/Dried meats of different varieties, and at times Panninnis. The average, parochial, middle class English-person of course confuses foreign/continental/exotic with 'posh' or 'interesting' and so is a sucker for this kind of thing regardless of its true quality.
Of the three beginnings, and related contemporary trends, I would argue that 2 and 3 have done the most damage, or reflect the most damage, to our culture. Theory 2 reflects all that is wrong with modern Britain, and the modern world- over-working, under-producing, administration obsessed, un-sociable, over-busy, and prone to a snack food minimalism/functionality in culinary taste. Theory 3 reflects an empty, and related, fetishising of the foreign/exotic/continental as some kind of bourgeois 'taste' to be enjoyed as one strolls around an over priced, over attended, leisure market. This is not to suggest that I have anything against cured meats, foreign or otherwise, or indeed Ciabatta. These things can of course be enjoyed as perfectly good things, but not in this manner.
Theory 1 is not any great recommendation of British culture, given that it suggests a louche, addicted, leisured pursuit of gambling and other pointless games. But at least it reflects a certain sociability, playfulness, and a freedom and life beyond work or fetishising the continental. For these reasons I would endorse Theory 1, the Sandwich as sustainer of obsessive interests, for the person so en-wrapped in their project of curiosity that they simply do not have time, nor space, nor inclination, to make a proper meal.
What each Sandwich has in common though, in these founding myths, is a simplicity, and a quality of ingredients- Bread, Meat, Bread. And importantly cold meat, either cured, or not. It is not something to be fetishised, cut into little cucumber Sandwich squares- it is not something to be drawn attention to, or commented upon- it is something to be made quickly, out of simple ingredients, and eaten whole heartedly, whilst engaged in something else that is more important. It is not to be consumed as part of some social ritual of 'the meal', but as part of some other more engrossing activity.
The Genesis of the Sandwich also sheds some light on the problem of the possible 'Hot Sandwich'- the Pork Roast Sandwich, Hamburger, or Hot Dog. Whilst these might seem to be within the family of the Sandwich we at Sandwich Theories would argue that they are not, and in part I would refer to the Genesis stories- All of these kinds of possible Sandwich require the cooking and heating up of a meat filling, and also tend to require some sort of sauce to make them palatable- the straight Bread, Pork, Bread, or B, Burger, B, or B, Dog, B, can be done but it is not the norm, not the fundamental form. The Genesis of the Sandwich, in any form, suggests that the Sandwich was always a cold thing, made out of immediately available ingredients which did not require cooking, heating, or sauce. For this reason I would argue that none of the above- the Pork, Burger, or Hot Dog, are actually Sandwiches.
I would also go further and argue that, whilst there is nothing per se wrong with any of these things in themselves, they exist in a contemporary cultural confusion which such Sandwich Theorisings can help to decipher- namely that in the present day the Hamburger in particular, but to an extent the Hot Dog and also Pork Bun, have got way above themselves, to a level of almost bizarre pretension. The confusion of the Hamburger, for example, is whether it is in fact Sandwich like, if not a Sandwich- i.e. something to be consumed quickly, cheaply, whilst doing something else, or on the move, or whether it is in fact a form of cuisine, a meal in its own right. The increasing number of Gourmet Style Burger Bars in central London, with high, restaurant prices and low lighting, apparently well attended by the average corporate plod in search of nourishment after a hard day at the office, is a worrying development. It suggests that the Hamburger has now gone beyond 'fast food', and is trying to portray itself as a valid part of a sit down, even restaurant, experience. In the opinion of Sandwich Theories this is an error, and the Hamburger, like the Hot Dog, is better kept in a Street Food, Sandwich like, place.
Finally we must mention, in this regard, the Club Sandwich. This is a ridiculous creation, with its tendency towards toast, warm bacon, warm chicken, lettuce, tomato, and sauce etc. It is a great culinary mistake, and as always one is tempted to blame the Americans, in the same way that the Hamburger, that great American creation, has got increasingly above its real value; Like so much of American culture it is over sold, over priced, and over here. John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, would not have recognised the Club Sandwich, in any shape or form, as a Sandwich, and neither should we. It transgresses all of the laws of the Sandwich, with its hot multiple fillings, fussy salad and sometimes sauce, its long preparation time, the difficulty of eating it, and above all its pretentious arrival on a plate as if it is some great meal to be savoured.
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