One thing the A to Z Challenge is definitely good for is making me finally get around to writing posts and looking things up.
Nick’s mom gave me a panini pan for Christmas a few years ago. No, it wasn’t a “you need to cook for my darling son more” type of gift. I asked for one.
Shortly after that Christmas, I began my adventures with
the panini pan. We love panini!
Every time we have panini I always say I’m going to look up
the history. I’m very curious what made
someone say, “I bet this grilled sandwich would be even better if I squished it
while I grill it.” I know sometimes I
come up with food ideas, and I’m not sure how, but I was hoping that there’d be
an interesting story to panini.
Squishing a sandwich while grilling it seems very deliberate and
specific.
I didn’t get a satisfactory answer. It appears that there was mention of a panini
in a 16th century Italian cookbook, though nothing I read said
anything about how or why. They became
popular in Italy in the 70s and made their way to the U.S. sometime after that.
There’s also mention of a sandwich grill from the 30s,
though it sounds more like the appliance was popular and panini was a way to
use your sandwich grill.
I did learn that most of what we call panini isn’t
technically panini since it seems that the real thing isn’t made with sliced
bread. Ours may not be authentic, but
they are delicious.
I found nothing on why someone decided to squish a sandwich
while grilling it. My made up theory
(since I can’t find a real answer) is that someone was grilling a very stuffed
sandwich (because lots of toppings/fillings usually mean a very good sandwich)
and was concerned about getting everything melted/warmed, so they squished it
into the pan to help the process along.
It seems plausible, right?
Regardless of why, I’m glad someone came up with the
idea. Cooking a sandwich in the panini
pan always makes it taste better and seem like a more exciting meal.
Do you enjoy panini?
Do you know how they got started?
Or care to make up your own theory?
I’ve only had maybe two my whole life because I’m not much of a sandwich eater and mine were caprese, so probably not even a real panini! I knew they were from Italy, but that’s it.
ReplyDeleteWell, squishing it all together certainly makes it easier to eat!
ReplyDeleteWe have such a pan but never use it. We don’t eat much bread now though. It’s a great idea wherever it came from. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteOMG. now am craving for a squished sandwish aka panini. Let me see if its available here in Hyd, India :)
ReplyDeleteDropping by from a to z "The Pensive"
It seems panini's originate in Italy...but I did find an interesting article granting Thomas Edison as creating a sandwich "grill", which was discontinued in the 1930's.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite panini's are made with foccacia, split through the bread ~ especially the rosemary version. If you leave it on too long, a panini becomes more like two crackers with meat and cheese in between!
I used my panini pan (Breville) quite a bit for the first couple of years, but haven't used it much lately. I'll have to dust it off and heat it up!
I actually have a panini thing, but I only used it to make kind-of quesadillas. But a grilled cheese on it sounds really good right now. (I have neither cheese nor bread at home, so that might not go well.)
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like a good panini! I don't have a press but I love ordering them out. If I ever go out again!
ReplyDeleteWhen I googled panini this is what it said about it:
ReplyDeleteAlthough the first U.S. reference to panini dates to 1956, and a precursor appeared in a 16th-century Italian cookbook, the sandwiches became trendy in Milanese bars, called paninoteche, in the 1970s and 1980s. Trendy U.S. restaurants began selling panini, with distinctive variations appearing in various cities.
So not too much different than what you found. I have never had a panini sandwich lol. I've seen them on menus but haven't tried one yet. We have a sandwich restaurant here called Zooks that I have eaten at; those sandwiches might be close to a panini one. They are delicious here!
https://www.zookzsandwiches.com/about-us
This would be a perfect sandwich to make in the summer heat here. Might have to look into getting our own panini maker :)
betty
We have a panini press, too. You're right ... somehow squishing it makes the sandwich taste better. :)
ReplyDeleteThere's a great panini shop around here but I've only been there once or twice. I think it was the trendy sandwich shop for a while, but it died down. A panini is not something I think about making for myself either, so I guess that's why I haven't had one in a long, long time.
ReplyDeleteI love your theory. And that's what I'd have gone with too, since there's no other explanation out there, and it would make sense... It's what I do with a sandwhich in general if it's quite full, after all.
ReplyDelete