It is that day again – the best holiday there is – National Sandwich Day!! And to celebrate we are creating inspired sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A sandwich for every meal seems fitting on this great day.
November 3 is also the birthday of the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu. So how are these two connected? The story goes that John Montagu, The Fourth Earl of Sandwich, was an avid gambler and one night he didn’t want to stop playing to eat but was hungry. He instructed his cook to bring him beef in bread so that he could hold it in one hand and keep gambling the night away. Others soon began asking for “what Sandwich is having” and the rest, as they say, is history.
No matter the source of the name, Americans have truly made sandwiches their own. Sandwiches are every meal, every occasion, casual, elevated and are inspired by every culture and way of life.
To honor the almighty sandwich we have today a full days meals of sandwiches from breakfast to dessert. The amazing thing about sandwiches is there is nothing too elementary or too special to be a sandwich.
Breakfast Sandwich for National Sandwich Day
Toasted Croissant with Apricot Jam, Brie and Gruyere Mornay Sauce and Bacon
Salty, sweet, creamy, smoky, crunch – this sandwich has it all and is so easy to make. If you don’t want to take time to make the mornay sauce simply melt brie or gruyere on the sandwich in the oven and you will still have a delicious sandwich that comes together quick and easy.
Ingredients:
- 2 croissants
- Apricot jam
- 8 slices of bacon
- ½ cup mornay sauce (see recipe below)
Cut croissants in half. Spread apricot jam on bottom half of croissant. Criss cross four pieces of bacon. Spread mornay sauce on top or sprinkle with your favorite grated cheese. Place top half of croissant on. Toast in oven or under broiler until cheese is ooey gooey and croissant is toasted.
Brie and Gruyere Mornay Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 bay leaves
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 2 cups warm milk
- 3 oz gruyere shredded
- 3 oz wedge fresh brie cheese with rind removed and chopped into small pieces
Combine butter and flour in small sauce pan and whisk to combine over medium heat until light brown – about 4-5 minutes. Whisk in mustard, ground clove, and ground nutmeg. Slowly pour in warm milk whisking to combine. Add bay leaves. Simmer on low until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon – about 10 minutes. Be careful not to scorch or boil the mixture. Remove from heat. Off heat whisk in shredded gruyere. Then chopped up brie. If too thick you can add a little milk. Season with salt and pepper.
TIP: be sure to mix in the cheese off the heat. If the cheese gets to hot the fats can separate leaving you a broken sauce. By taking the mixture off heat and mixing in the gruyere first (it is a more stable cheese) and then the brie once the sauce has cooled further – your sauce will stay creamy and a beautiful texture.
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Do you Eat Out or Make it at Home?
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Snap a Pic of your Favorite Sandwich and Tag us @sandwichamerica and #greatamericansandwichtrail to have your favorite sandwich featured
