Today, millions of people will prepare their favorite fillings between two slices of bread to celebrate National Sandwich Day.
Surely there are few snacks that capture the heart of the world like the sandwich, which was supposedly devised by John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, in 1762.
As is known, he was playing cards and did not want to get up from the card table to eat, so he ordered a portion of beef placed between two slices of bread that he could eat with his hands.
More than 250 years later, there is still fierce debate over the best fillings, the art of construction, and even how to eat them.
Now, to settle the debate once and for all, food scientists have revealed the formula for the perfect sandwich.
According to academics, the perfect sandwich has a symmetrical arrangement with the wettest items placed in the center.
These moister elements tend to be the salad ingredients that provide essential crunch, like tomato, lettuce, or perhaps a little pickle or pickled onion.
“Wet fillings, such as tomato slices, should be sandwiched in between and isolated so the bread doesn’t become soggy,” said Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Oxford.
According to scientists, the perfect sandwich has a symmetrical arrangement of fillings and between sturdy bread spread with room-temperature butter.
During construction, instead of preparing the sandwich from the bottom up, you should place both pieces of bread side by side and add each filling sequentially.
“The trick is to place both pieces of bread next to each other, then spread them, place primary fillings on each slice and finally add salad in the middle and place them together,” said Alan Mackie, professor of food and nutrition at the University of Leeds.
When choosing your bread, you should opt for a loaf that doesn’t get crushed or soggy easily, such as sourdough, whole wheat, or browned.
Professor Spence says: “The fundamental aim of the Earl of Sandwich’s invention is to keep hands clean, so that greasy breads such as focaccia can be discarded.”
The two slices should not be so thin that they risk falling apart, but also not so thick that they are difficult to eat; About 2 cm (0.7 in) is the sweet spot.
Next, some type of fatty emulsion essential should be spread to the edges of the bread.
This not only adds a greasy, unctuous flavor, but creates a seal that repels moisture, another trick to help prevent the bread from getting soggy.
Professor Spence says butter should be the preferred choice over margarine, which is an ultra-processed food, while another alternative, mayonnaise, is “just disgusting”.
You should choose a sturdy bread that won’t get crushed or soggy easily. While the choice of fillings is personal, scientists believe it is important to consider exactly how they are arranged.
The butter needs to be at room temperature (20°C/68°F) so that it is soft enough to spread, otherwise it may put holes in the bread.
The meat and cheese chosen, which also contain a large amount of fat, further prevent unwanted moisture from reaching the bread.
Professor Mackie believes it is worth folding the meat if you can rather than leaving it flat, which creates a bigger barrier.
But an extra precaution to “prevent sogging” is to make sure you dry your lettuce, pickle or onion with a kitchen towel or use a salad spinner.
Tomato, meanwhile, is a risky addition because it contains a lot of water, which can also dilute the overall flavor of the sandwich, so you may want to heat it in an oven or food dehydrator.
If this seems too complicated, Professor Spence emphasizes that salad is an essential element in producing the “sonic crunch” when bitten, and greater noise is linked to greater satisfaction.
“Since we all love crunchy, crunchy, crunchy foods, you want to make sure some of the fillings appeal to the ear and help indicate freshness,” she said.
“That’s where pickles come in, or a slice of fresh onion, although others cheat and add some chips in the middle of the sandwich right before eating it.”
Surely there are few snacks that capture the nation’s heart like the sandwich, which was supposedly devised by John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, in 1762.
Additionally, incorporating as wide a range of colors as possible into a burger can “make what we eat look more appealing,” from the green of lettuce to the red of tomato.
“The more vibrant the colors the better,” Professor Spence told MailOnline.
“Just think about how boring tuna mayonnaise filling looks inside a sliced white bread sandwich.”
Diners should also ensure that their fillings are always visible protruding from the sandwich to make it more eye-catching.
Finally, Professor Spence, who has written extensively about how people perceive food, warns that “adding more layers is not always better.”
“Never forget the narrow size of the opening where the sandwich must reach your mouth,” he told MailOnline.
“Make sure everything sticks together so the filling doesn’t fall from the plate into your mouth.”