For my 19th birthday, my friends in my hall decided to make me a giant sandwich. They went to the dining hall and used every item on the sandwich bar that they could find, and the result was a triple−decker so massive that I could not fit the whole thing in my mouth at once.
Although the gift was undoubtedly very considerate (my passion for the sandwich is well known by my friends, and the inclusion of the number "19" written in Dijon mustard on top of the bread was a special touch), the construction of the sandwich was an arbitrary mess.
Yet because I appreciate my hallmates' efforts, I hereby dedicate this week's column to describing ways for them to make sandwiches in Dewick that are a bit more palatable:
1. The Jumbo McGriddle: When McDonald's introduced its "McGriddle" sandwich a couple years ago, many sandwich enthusiasts gasped in horror. Or at least I know that I did. But after trying the "McGriddle," I had to admit that the combination of savory eggs and bacon between two pancakes that are miraculously infused with maple syrup was delightful.
My dining hall version of the "McGriddle" uses, instead of pancakes, cinnamon raisin bread, which is less sticky to the touch. Put about a quarter of a butter packet on a piece of bread, and then stick it in the toaster. Then add eggs, bacon, a hash brown or two if you are feeling feisty, and stick the whole creation in the panini press for 30 seconds to make it easier to maneuver. For an added flavor kick, mix Sriracha hot sauce into the butter.
2. The Salinger: I named this lunch sandwich after the recently deceased master writer for two reasons. First, it is as simple and unpretentious as possible, and Salinger was a genius at making great writing look effortless. And second, I use rye bread.
This is a tuna melt, and the key to any tuna melt is making sure that the cheese melts all the way though. Using the panini press alone is too unpredictable and often leads to cheese that looks melted but is, in fact, still cold. A good solution to this problem is to take some tuna salad, put two to three slices of Muenster cheese on top (don't be shy with how much cheese you use, as the melty texture is one of the biggest appeals of The Salinger), and pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
Then, remove the tuna/melted cheese, place it on two slices of marble rye bread, garnish it with the mixed greens on the salad bar and a couple slices of tomato, stick the whole thing in the panini press for a minute, and The Salinger is complete. And I can say with all confidence that this sandwich tastes a lot less "phony" than the inevitable "Catcher in the Rye" (1951) movie Hollywood will surely make in the near future.
3. The Beighley: This dessert sandwich is dedicated to my roommate, who I caught one night going at an apple pie from Hodgdon from the center outwards with a big spoon. To make The Beighley, wait until the sundae bar is out, and take a handful of rainbow sprinkles. Then make a Belgian waffle, placing the sprinkles in the batter. Next, cut the waffle in half, and put two scoops of vanilla ice scream and a smear of Nutella on top of one half. Top the ice cream/Nutella mixture with the second half of the waffle, and maybe drizzle some hot fudge on top of the whole deal.
The result? A colorful, sugary taste explosion that my roommate can expect to see on his desk when his next birthday rolls around.
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Ben Kochman is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. He can be reached at Benjamin.Kochman@tufts.edu
