Today is a holiday worth a day off of work and some fireworks around these parts: it’s National Sandwich Day!

I got to thinking about what sandwich I would make to mark the occasion, but instead, my mind wandered to the sandwiches that I’ve enjoyed most over the years. So, I’m celebrating today’s holiday with a look back on sandwiches from my lifetime. Here’s the rundown:

Mom’s Chipped Beef Sandwich: The lunchbox special. This is one of the homemade sammies mom made me for lunch during grade school. Simple recipe: cream cheese and corned beef mixed together and smeared on white bread.  All washed down with a Capri Sun juice box.

The BLT: Another childhood favorite, and my parents’ favorite (see mom’s version to the left). Also notable is not the sandwich, but the plate on which the sandwich is on. The blue Cornell dishes have been pantry staples since I can remember. As for the sandwich, mom knew I liked my bacon super crispy, and my toast super crunchy. I’ve gone on to make 6 varieties of these for E during this project, including sandwich #199 and sandwich #177, this fried green tomato goodness. For E’s lunches, I omit the raw tomato, though. See Forbidden Foods list.

Turkey and Swiss: I’ve eaten this one in about every form imaginable. My mom packed them in my lunch. Then I learned to made them for myself and pack my own lunch. In high school, my best friend T and I used used to order up 6-inch turkey and Swiss hoagies from Subway after badminton practice. And, as you know, this 300 sandwich project kicked off with a turkey and swiss. Nothing beats it. Fresh roast turkey, good swiss, seedy mustard. A timeless classic.

The One-Eye Breakfast Sandwich: This is what E made for me during our early stages of dating. The open faced sandwich is served up with orange juice, coffee and a bowl of fruit, usually eaten in bed. E said his mom made them for him all the time when he was young. I made a version for sandwich #22, and subsequently for various lazy breakfasts in.

The Fish Cutter, aka the “Fish Killer” Sandwich: Sandwich #257 is what I call the Fish Killer, my take on the fish cutter fried fish sandwich from Barbados. I made this grilled fish slider on that memorable trip to Barbados where E popped the question. Reminds me of both my engagement and my dad, after which the sandwich is named after for his love of fishing.

The Sloppy Joe:  My parents grew up on them in New Jersey, and a local joint called Town Hall was known for their oversized version of them. Mom made me a version a few times, see right. Years later, an acquaintance of mine through work randomly reaches out to me about a story, then asks me if I’ve ever made a sloppy joe from Jersey for 300 Sandwiches.  We then had a weekend long conversation about the sandwich and our parents and found out our parents grew up near each other decades ago. Then we vowed to take a road trip to Town Hall together. Sandwich do more than stuff your belly, people. They forge friendships and create memories. The Town Hall Sloppy Joe is a reminder to me how much food can connect everyone on this planet.

Need some ideas to celebrate National Sandwich Day? More sandwiches can be found in our book, “300 Sandwiches: A Multilayered Love Story…with Recipes.”  Or, spend more time on our site here for more sandwich ideas.

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