03 National Sandwich Day

National Sandwich Day is on November the 3rd every year. It is, of course, a celebration of one of the world’s first convenience foods. The sandwich is also one of the world’s most commonly eaten foods. November the 3rd is the birthday of the inventor of the sandwich, a British aristocrat called John Montagu. He was connected to the UK’s royal family and had the title the Earl of Sandwich. The story goes that one day in the 18th century, he asked his servants for something he could eat with one hand. He was in the middle of a 24-hour gambling session. His cook served him some meat in between two pieces of bread. And that’s how the sandwich came about. Curiously, the town of Sandwich is next to another town called Ham.

Sandwiches are everywhere today. They are huge business. In many countries, people eat sandwiches for lunch every day. They are also the major part of many picnics. This is because they are so versatile, and so easy to make. You can choose almost any filling for a sandwich, from a simple slice of cheese, to a full Indian chicken tikka and salad combo with all the extras. You can see sandwich shops all over the world. Some of them are even called restaurants. Perhaps the most famous is the Subway chain. Almost everyone knows what a subway sandwich is. Sandwiches in some countries may not be so popular in others. Japanese strawberry and cream sandwiches might not go down too well in Britain.