A club sandwich, also called a clubhouse sandwich, is a sandwich with toasted bread. It is often cut into quarters and held together by hors d'œuvre sticks. It has two layers separated by an additional slice of bread.
The classic ingredients for a club sandwich are turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. Other common club sandwiches generally vary the bottom layer, for example a "chicken club" or a "roast beef club". Variations might include ham (instead of bacon) and/or additional cheese slices. As with a BLT sandwich, the club sandwich is usually served on toasted bread. Mayonnaise and mustard and sometimes honey mustard are common condiments. The sandwich is commonly served with a side portion of either coleslaw, or potato salad, and often accompanied by a pickle. The coleslaw or potato salad is often reduced to a "garnish" portion, when the primary side item is an order of French fries or potato chips.
One popular theory is that the club sandwich was invented in an exclusive Saratoga Springs, New York, gambling club in the late 19th century.
The sandwich is known to have appeared on U.S. restaurant menus as far back as 1899.
Fast food restaurant chains, such as Blimpie and Subway, have their own variation of a club sandwich. These chains specifically use hoagie style rolls in their sub sandwiches, and their club sandwiches follow the same pattern. The McDonald's Big Mac has the traditional three slices of toasted bread.
Famous quotes containing the words club and/or sandwich:
“We have ourselves to answer for.”
—“Jennie June” Croly 1829–1901, U.S. founder of the woman’s club movement, journalist, author, editor. Demorest’s Illustrated Monthly and Mirror of Fashions, pp. 24-5 (January 1870)
“As the Sandwich Islander believes that the strength and valor of the enemy he kills passes into himself, so we gain the strength of the temptation we resist.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)