Panini

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!  

There seems to be as much difference between a panini and a regular grilled cheese as there is between a cold cheese sandwich and a grilled cheese.  I’m not sure why squishing it makes such a difference,  but it really does.

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 16^th 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?   

Sandwich Day

It’s Sandwich Day.  You can read more about it here, but it’s basically a day to celebrate sandwiches, by eating your favorite sandwich, or trying a new one.

Here are a couple of my favorite sandwiches:

A Different Kind of BLT
This one is probably my favorite sandwich right now!  Slightly different flavors, amazingly delicious.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

So what about you?  Are sandwiches on the menu today?  What’s your favorite kind of sandwich?

A Different Kind of BLT

I’m not usually one to leave well enough alone when it comes to food. Don’t get me wrong, there are some things that are perfect just the way they are, and should never be messed with. (Here’s looking at you vanilla ice cream.) But most of the time, it’s nice (and incredibly delicious!) to mix things up a little and experiment with new flavor combinations.

I thought a BLT might be better if I made it with fried green tomatoes and arugula instead of the traditional ripe tomatoes and iceberg or romaine lettuce. It’s not just better, it’s amazingly delicious! The fried green tomatoes are a little tangy and the arugula is a little peppery. Combined with nice crispy bacon, it’s a match made in heaven. 

The fried green tomatoes reheat fairly well, so it works well to make a lot so you can have leftovers. Trust me, you’re going to want another one of these sandwiches the next day.

Fried Green Tomatoes (click here for the recipe)

Crispy cooked bacon

Arugula

Sliced bread (I used multi-grain bread. I think it’s best with whatever kind of bread you prefer for sandwiches.)

Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

I toasted my bread because, honestly, I can’t stand soft/soggy bread. I think a sandwich on untoasted bread is positively disgusting. In this case, I think toasting the bread is definitely the better course even if you’re not obsessed with toasted bread. The sandwich is pretty thick and hearty, and I think the toasted bread helps keep it together.

Spread two slice of toasted bread with mayonnaise or Miracle Whip, and pile on the bacon, fried green tomatoes, and arugula. That’s it! Enjoy!