Everyone loves a good sandwich. Not only is it tasty but it’s also simple and quick to make. The possibilities are endless when it comes to sandwiches: hot or cold, white or wheat, and lettuce or tomato. 

Making the best sandwich is always going to be subjective. Everyone has their own favorite flavors and textures. For the article, I’m going to focus on my recommendations for my favorite sandwiches. 

I’m going to split the best sandwiches into two categories: hot and cold, because they’re drastically different.  

Cold  

To determine the best cold sandwich, there is a multitude of different factors to consider. 

• Type of bread 
• Spreads
• Sauces 
• Choice of meats 
• Choice of cheese
• Toppings 
• Preparation 

The type of bread is the least important and most straightforward. It all comes down to preference; for me, it’s classic white bread. 

The spreads on a sandwich are essential for its perfection. A spread adds extra flavor, but most importantly texture. Texture in the culinary world is as important as flavor. Mayonnaise adds an exquisite creamy texture to a sandwich, a texture that is vital for the success of a sandwich.  

Sauces are all about flavor. A great sauce adds that extra zing to your taste buds. Mustard adds sweetness to a sandwich along with a twist of spiciness. Honey mustard is also a great addition to a sandwich. It depends on your preference of sweetness to spiciness ratio.  

Oil and vinegar are very under-appreciated when it comes to sandwich making. Most people forget to add these two crucial ingredients. The illustriousness of a cold sandwich relies on the unique moist flavors of vinegar and oil. Not only do they add extra flavor but they both water in your mouth. 

The most important part of the sandwich is by far the meat inside of it. The deli meats that are most popular are turkey and ham. Both are a staple of the sandwich. Ham usually has a tiny hint of honey that melts in your mouth while turkey has that grittiness in its texture that has a mellow and relaxing flavor.

The choice of cheese is straightforward. Provolone or Swiss. If you put American cheese on your cold sandwich you either have no other options or your taste buds are systematically flawed. 

The toppings on a cold sandwich are generally well-known and agreed upon. Lettuce, tomato, and onion are always necessary,

and pickles are preferred. Bacon is my personal favorite topping on a sandwich, however, a person’s medical history changes their willingness to add it.  

When preparing a sandwich it’s important that every utensil is clean and wiped down, therefore, no cross-contamination is possible. You don’t want to take a bite of your sandwich and have a hint of peanut butter from your brother’s previous lunch.  

In conclusion, the best cold sandwich has ham and turkey as meats. The sauce is honey mustard and the spread is mayonnaise. The toppings are lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickles. A splash of oil and vinegar. Finally, the last topping is bacon. 

Hot 

A hot sandwich is far simpler to construct than a cold sandwich. The factors to consider are below. 

• Bread type 
• Sauce 
• Meats 
• Cheese  
• Toppings
• Cooking time   

Most of the materials necessary for the construction of a hot sandwich are similar to that of a hot sandwich. 

White bread is still the best choice for a hot sandwich. 

For the sauce, it depends on which hot sandwich you are getting, but for me, I usually prefer no sauce at all. 

The choice of meats is the most important decision when it comes to choosing a hot sandwich. At my place of employment, Jersey Mike’s Newburyport, one of my favorite sandwiches is the Italian, or ham, salami, pepperoni, capicola, and prosciuttini. When the meats are placed on the hot grill, they make the best hot sandwich I have ever had. 

The choice of cheese is about the same as the cold sandwich, but provolone is the better choice over swiss in this scenario. If you put American cheese on this sandwich you’re an abomination to society. 

The best toppings for a hot sandwich are less complex than that for a cold sandwich. Ideally, you want toppings that are texture base with a bland flavor, the meat gives the flavor for the hot sandwich. 

When constructing a hot sandwich you need to cook the deli meats first, then cook the bread, and add your toppings. 

Ideally, cook your deli meats on a flat hot top and cook them until they’re toasty, but not fully cooked. 

Overall, the best hot sandwich is a hot Italian. The mix of flavors in it is unlike any other sandwich. The Italian meats bring out the best flavor when they’re warm and toasted. 

Sandwich Fan Favourites 

I decided to interview a few different people to get their perspectives on the best sandwich.  

At the end of the day, the best sandwich is the one you enjoy the most. 

Senior Jacob Zylinski’s favorite sandwich is a “Meatball sub.”

Senior Jason Sciacca’s favorite sandwich is a “Peanut butter and jelly on cinnamon swirl bread.”

Senior Jack Fahey’s favorite sandwich is “Chicken lettuce and tomato.”

Senior Issac Rigoli’s favorite sandwich is a “Buffalo chicken sandwich.” 

Senior Leah Faris’s favorite sandwich is a “Ham and cheese on a croissant.”