The Sandwich

Today, November 3rd, is National Sandwich Day, appropriate, because America seems to have fallen in love with the sandwich. Sources say it's become our most popular lunch item. However, by all accounts, the sandwich was devised in England.

Legend has it that John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718-1792), was an avid gambler who didn't want to stop to eat during a twenty-four hour gambling period. He told his servants to put some meat between two slices of bread, so he could eat while continuing to play, and the sandwich was born. 

Lord Sandwich

Regardless of how much truth is in the gambling story, most historians do credit John Montagu with inventing the sandwich, which was named after him. Montagu was later usually referred to as "Lord Sandwich," and he did like to gamble, so the legend may actually be true. However, N. Rodger, who wrote a biography of Lord Sandwich, says that he was also heavily involved with the navy, politics of his day, and the arts. He suggests that Lord Sandwich was just as likely to have devised the sandwich while busy at work. We'll never know for sure.

A similar food had been consumed much earlier, but bread and meat had never been called a "sandwich" before. The word first appears in the journal of Edward Gibbon (1737-1794). The sandwich became extremely popular in the 1800's, and hasn't really waned. However, new types, like the hamburger, and other variations have been added.

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