Today is Sandwich Day because it is the birthday of the guy who is often said to have invented sandwiches.
John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, was born on November 3, 1718. He liked to play card games so much, he didn't want to bother to take a break for a proper meal that had to be eaten with knife and fork. Instead, he often ordered his servants to bring him a slice of meat between two slices of bread. He could play cards and eat the one-handed meal at the same time—and his hands didn't get greasy.
Of course, even though many sources retell this story of the Earl of Sandwich inventing the entire idea of sandwiches, people have been making and eating sandwiches (by many other names) since the invention of bread during the Neolithic Age. The sandwich made its way into polite society from a food shared by men as they played cards, to a late-night meal for aristocratic men and women, to a fast, portable midday meal for the working classes in the new factories and industrial settings.
By the way, even though Montagu didn't invent sandwiches, they do owe their name to him. Also, a friend of Montagu's named James Cook discovered some Pacific Islands and named them the Sandwich Islands.
You could eat sandwiches morning, noon, and night!
- Here is a gathering of “the best” sandwich recipes for kids.
- And Better Homes and Gardens insists that this gathering of 15 recipes are sandwiches kids will love.