~ Hold the Pickles, Hold the Lettuce, Special Orders Don't Upset Us: Try a Fall Turkey Sandwich My Way~

The well-constructed sandwich.  For me it is the perfect food.  It is an art form.  On any given day I can make a sandwich and it will leave me happy, satisfied and not wanting for anything else. As much as I love soups and salads, more often than not, they leave me wishing I had ordered a sandwich to sink my pearly whites into, savoring each layer of flavor and texture to the point of childlike ecstasy.  A sandwich is a symbol of profound greatness and should be savored with gusto.   If there were a way for me to tally how many sandwiches I have eaten in my lifetime,  I am certain sandwiches would be at the very top of my "foods I eat all the time and love" list.

Have you hugged your family sandwich maker today?

Most chefs are great sandwich makers because they have great bread and great ingredients at their disposal all day long -- it's also often the only food they can quickly eat with their hectic schedule. People who are really good home cooks tend to make great sandwiches too -- delicatessen- restaurant-quality sandwiches.  

Depending upon the season, some sandwiches may be hot and some may be cold, some can be picked up and others require a knife and fork, but, on any given day chefs and cooks always have high-quality bread and an array of ingredients on-hand that allow them to almost effortlessly turn leftovers from weekday meals into gourmet fare.    

In my opinion, next to a saucier (a person who devotes his/her life to the art of sauce making), a creative sandwich maker is the most valuable member of the home or restaurant kitchen.

We are having a Hallmark card weekend here in Happy Valley.  When I was growing up, they called it "Indian Summer":  Summer's last gasp.  The sun is shining and the temperatures have become so warm we can sit out on our patio, enjoy the picturesque Fall scenery, and, eat a light lunch:  sandwiches -- made with some wonderful ingredients I have leftover from the week!

A sandwich is often an in-depth look at a cook's week in review!

To prove my point, on this glorius Fall afternoon,  I had a few slices of ~ English Muffin Bread: For the Divine Love of Toast ~ leftover. You can find the recipe in Categories 5, 9 or 20.  It's really easy to make and it has almost a sourdough texture to it, so it holds up in a sandwich really well. Toasting this bread is a must, so, be sure to do that just before assembling the sandwich.

October is National Apple Month and here in Central Pennsylvania apples are at their peak.  Besides posting a number of apple desserts this week, I made some ~ Simply Silky & Smooth Spiced Apple & Pear Puree (Taking grandmother's applesuce to another level.) ~.  It is a great alternative to mayonnaise or mustard on a turkey sandwich, especially one that has apple slices on it.  You can find the recipe in Categories 4, 18 or 20.

As for the rest of my ingredients, the cheddar cheese (3 slices cut into quarters so I could arrange them to fit properly), crisp bacon (3 slices), roasted turkey breast (roasted chicken breast is a fine substitute), McIntosh apples and red onions were  ingredients I had either leftover from my kitchen encounters this week or on-hand.  Aside from the toasted bread, everything on this sammie is at room temperature:

Because that is the way I like it.  Joe likes his wrapped in some foil and placed in a 350 degree oven for about 5-6 minutes, just enough to melt the cheese.  And, yes, if you happen to have a panini press  in your kitchen, these come out great made that way too -- gobble gobble!

There are classic sandwich combinations that I for wouldn't change the recipe for even if someone paid me to do it.  But, the ordinary, everyday sandwich does not have to follow anyones rules -- it should be made-to-order, to please the person who will be eating it.  It doesn't have to have anything on it except what they want on it, and, whatever the main or favorite ingredient is:  it should be piled high with it.  Eating a sandwich is a very private experience, so, even if you don't approve of mine:  stay out of it -- look the other way -- leave the room.

Great bread + great ingredients = a perfect sandwich... 

... and that's no bologna!

Hold the Pickles, Hold the Lettuce, Special Orders Don't Upset Us:  Try a Fall Turkey Sandwich My Way:  Recipe yields instructions to make one of my favorite turkey sandwich combinations.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; toaster

Cook's Note:  The majority of my apples went into my pie post, and "oh my pie", what a pie it is.  You can find my recipe for  ~ Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Walnut-Streusel Pie ~ in Categories 6, 18, & 19!

"We are all in this food world together."  ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2014)

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