The joys of a ham sandwich are numerous
First of all, one must consider the bread. It must be whole grain, full of flavor but devoid of any “additives”. I suggest a nice sprouted wheat bread: whole grain, no high-fructose corn syrup, lightly seeded crust. The size of the slice should be about the palm of your hand and about the thickness of the first joint of your finger. This is the secret to the perfect ham sandwich.
Secondly, one must think about the ingredients, other than the ham, of course. Cheese, mustard and a bit of lettuce are the perfect combination. Let’s talk cheese. Cheese is wonderful, but you must not use your run-of-the-mill-dairy-aisle cheese in the grocery store. To make the sandwich perfect, go to your local cheese shop. I highly recommend a nice Havarti type cheese: creamy, smooth and aged to perfection. Cheddar isn’t bad either, but Havarti is better. Trust me. Now, let us talk mustard. It is no good using the cheap yellow mustard easily obtained at any fast food restaurant. Go for a deli technique with whole mustard seeds and high-quality ingredients. True mustard is not neon yellow! Lastly, let us speak of lettuce. Romaine is best – approximately two leaves, rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel. The crisper, the better. This is the secret to the perfect ham sandwich.
%more%Thirdly, one must ponder the ham. It is no good getting pre-packaged lunch meat. No, no, no! Go to the deli. Order some freshly sliced lunch meat. Your taste buds will appreciate your thoughtfulness. But, what type of ham? Honey-cured? Only if you enjoy the deviousness of a sweet palate. Do not ruin a masterful ham sandwich with sweetness. Go for the salt-cured. Thinly sliced. Trust me. Your mouth will be much happier with those savory slices than sickly-sweet ham. This is the secret to the perfect ham sandwich.
Finally, one must consider how to layer the sandwich together: bread, two slices of ham, mustard, cheese, mustard, two slices of ham, bread. This is the secret to the perfect ham sandwich.
