Food History – Most of us must have eaten a sandwich, and if not, you must have definitely heard about this snack made using only two slices of bread and a variety of fillings like meat, vegetables, cheese, etc. Have you ever wondered how it all started and who had the brilliant idea to introduce this quick snack? Clever move The question of who invented the sandwich has puzzled many gastronomists and historians over the years.

While popular stories point to a certain Earl of Sandwich (yes, you haven’t heard that wrong! Sandwich is actually a town in the Dover district of Kent, in south-east England), however, bread with fillings have been a part of many dishes for centuries. Interestingly, the name was discussed and credit was given to him. Do you know? The earliest mention of the concept of a sandwich dates back to the 1st century BC, when the ancient Jewish Rabbi Hillel the Elder ate meat wrapped in unleavened matzah bread.

However, the term ‘sandwich’ can actually be attributed to John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. It is said that during one of Lord Sandwich’s long sessions of card games, he demanded his servant to bring him roast beef between two pieces of toasted bread to ensure that his hands did not get dirty while playing and eating at the same time.

This way, he would not need to use any cutlery such as a fork, which was a nuisance in the middle of the game. The story further narrates how his friends and acquaintances also ordered it saying ‘sandwich as it is’, thereby associating the name sandwich with the dish. However, there are several options given in the story stating that this was not the first time that John Montagu had dined in this manner.

With the rise of industrial society and the working class, easy and convenient food became necessary and the sandwich soon became a staple in England and the United States. However, in many instances, other cuisines, including Mediterranean and Asian, have similar recipes, with the bread being changed according to the respective region. Thus, the concept of the sandwich is certainly not a British invention; However, the word and its particular version can certainly be traced back to them.