no. 75. sandwich quest
A recipe roundup inspired by my favorite sandwiches of all time, part one.
During a recent heat wave in Seattle, I had the most aggressive craving for a very specific sandwich that I loved during my time in Los Angeles. A perfect hot weather sandwich that is only served at a plant based hole in the wall in Palm Springs. As I dragged through 85 degree days, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted to eat one sitting in the shade with a big iced tea or palm springs date shake.
As an aggressively enthusiastic home cook, I’m not really one to develop brand new recipes on my own. However, if I have one strength, it’s imitation. I’m great at figuring out how to successfully replicate (and occasionally improve on!) a meal I loved at home. Unable to jet off to Palm Springs to solve this particular sandwich craving, I instead hit my local co-op to collect all the ingredients, kicking off a multi-week effort to get an at-home version just right. It took a few tries, but the results were *stunning*.
Successfully recreating this perfect sandwich at home got me thinking about all the other sandwiches I have loved before, quickly resulting in an obsessive quest to recreate them at home.
Today’s post brings the magic home to you – part one of a recipe round featuring FIVE up of my all time favorite sandwiches. All but one of these require zero cooking, and I can personally vouch that they are perfect for a heatwave, a pool day or other summer activity. Two are primarily plant-based, and two can easily be made plant-based with a low key swap.
As with previous recipe roundups, this issue includes two free recipes for all subscribers, with three additional recipes exclusively for paid subscribers. I would love your feedback — on the recipes and the format — I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Xx
the sandwich quest, part 1
The Modern Hippie Veggie
inspired by Chef Tanya’s Kitchen in Palm Springs, CA.
All the California ex-plants know, there is a specific kind of food that you’ll never find anywhere else. This sandwich was worth the semi-annual trek to the desert, even before I was fully plant based – a gorgeous veggie sandwich with layer after layer of fresh produce in a rainbow of colors.
The Serenity Now!
inspired by Monroe Place in Culver City, Los Angeles, CA.
Of everything on this list, I think this one might actually be the perfect sandwich – a spicy, veggie packed turkey sandwich with an herby-spicy spread and salty feta cheese on perfect focaccia bread. I drag my bff back to Monroe Place everytime I’m in LA, but have been happily recreating it at home since 2023.
The Parisian
inspired by Cardullo’s Market in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA.
The “treat yourself” sandwich of my summer research jobs at Harvard – creamy brie, tangy apples, and clear out your sinuses mustard. A don’t-knock-it-till you try it combination that cured long weeks in the labs and has me sentimental for New England summers.
The Hot Chick
inspired by UBurger in Kenmore Square, Boston MA.
If the Parisian sandwich was my weekday treat yourself sandwich, the Hot Chick was the weekend work hard, play harder sandwich representative of the summers I lived in a frat house (yes, really). A perfect buffalo chicken sandwich that can cure any long day at work, and fuel any kind of Saturday night.
The Jambon Beurre
inspired by Cortado in Paris, France.
The last sandwich on the list is extremely simple and extremely French. A take on the classic ham and butter sandwich reminiscent of our last two trips to Paris where most days we skipped fancy lunches and just grabbed a few of these from a Spanish cafe. Simple, delicious, and feels infinitely fancier than a dusty pb&j on days you don’t want to think too hard.
my only question: what do i try first!?
oh HELL yes, saving this to work through allllll summer