Does proximity matter?

[SMW]

When you make a sandwich, do you think about where the ingredients are with respect to one another? For example, when I make a cheese sandwich with lettuce and butter, I always put the cheese next to the butter. In contrast, when I make a cheese sandwich with lettuce and mustard, I always put the mustard next to the lettuce. I have similar habits for most sandwiches I make - I think the rule is something like butter and mayonaise go next to the meat and cheese, while mustard goes next to the veggies, as does any oil.

What do you do? What things do you think taste good in proximity?

[Gifted Gourmet]

When you make a sandwich, do you think about where the ingredients are with respect to one another?

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'El Bocadillo Del Diablo'

When constructing this particular sandwich, I think they were planning exactly which went with which ... whatta sandwich!!

(scroll down for the construction technique!)

[NWKate]

I believe in Ruhlman's book "The Making of a Chef", the head of the institute set down particular instructions for the construction of a Reuben to prevent sogginess.

Kate

(Often wrong but never in doubt)

[Jason Perlow]

That Bocadillo would be the ultimate in trailer trash pile high sandwiches, if it were not for the fact it was constructed in Great Britain.

Me, I prefer my sandwiches in ancient Roman proportions.

[Della]

I have to say yes - I do consider where the ingrediants go in my sandwich. However, I don't think mine way is the "right way" I think it is just my own "crazy" way. For example - Mayo next to meat, mustard next to cheese. I put of the veggies inbetween the meat and the cheese - Tomato is not right next to lettuce as it gets slippery. I ususally put the tomato next to the meat, lettuce next to cheese and the other veggie inbetween the tomato and lettuce.

I don't like the veggies right on the bread as I think it gets soggy - with the exception at times of red onion which I like to put on the mayo side of the bread before the meat gets put in - I just like that mayo/onion flavor!

[Shalmanese]

Sandwiches are works of structural engineering. My two main factors when deciding how to build a sandwich are lateral strain and adequate waterproofing.

Lateral Strain: smooth ingredients should never go next to smooth ingredients, otherwise the sandwich will slip. Always apply a layer of sticky ingredients in between.

Waterproofing: Wet ingredients should never go next to ingredients that suffer when they get wet. Always apply a waterproofing layer in between.

[daves]

I think I heard/saw this on Good Eats: always put (at least) a thin layer of fat on each bun before you dress the rest of the burger. Mayo, cheese, special sauce, lard ... This will create a waterproof barrier to keep the bread from getting soggy from the burger juices.

[petite tête de chou]

bread, mustard, meat, couple grinds of pepper, cheese, smear of mayonnaise/mustard, onion, tomato, salt, lettuce, mayonnaise, bread.

[Restorer]

My sandwich tonight was constructed by my rules of stacking: mayo on the bottom slice of bread, then turkey, then lettuce, then mustard on the top slice of bread. When I have tomatoes, they will go on between the turkey and the lettuce, unless I have cheese - then the cheese goes between the turkey and lettuce and the tomatoes go on top of the lettuce. It's always seemed to me that the tomato-cheese slip is worse than the tomato-lettuce slip.

[rooftop1000]

2 all beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun....

No that not right

Bread dressing meat cheese onion tomato lettuce dressing....because the boss usually said so, and the onion is a tricky one in a deli setting. I like to make sure that it doesnt mix with the lettuce in case the customer wants to pick some off and the lettuce protects the bread from the tomatoes.

On just a ham and cheese with mustard and mayo I usually put the mustard next to the ham, because so many ham recipes have mustard in them.

Now that was all for work, for myself....

O&V meat onions lettuce O&V

or O&V fresh mozz onion O&V

I like most cheeses much better on a cracker than a sandwich

t