Sandwich dilemma!
Posted by yabbitgirl on May 09, 2007 · Member since Apr 2006 · 14266 posts
How do I incorporate sliced tomatoes in my sandwich without them making all the fillings slide right out of the bread the minute I bite into it! What's the secret?? Do I need to make very thin slices of tomato, or embed them in some kind of condiment, or what? Help! I love tomato on sandwiches (esp avocado and black olive!) but am so sick of my bread "spitting" its fillings out at the first bite.
If you're using avocado in your sandwich, maybe you can mash it up a bit first and put it on both pieces of bread so it's like a 'glue' holding in the tomatoes and olives and other stuff... Also maybe you can try patting dry the tomato slices or deseed them before. Perhaps the seeds make them extra slippery?
I feel you pain, Yabbitgirl. I've kind of given up on making sandwiches and started using wraps. I don't know how attached you are to the bread, but nothing much squeezes out of the wraps if they're rolled well! :)
I have struggled with this problem too and the only thing that has ~sort of~ worked for me is to put the tomato slices (whatever thickness, doesn't matter) on one slice of bread, the filling on the other and separate them with some lettuce.
Mind you, the filling still slips & slides a bit but it doesn't mix with the juices of the tomato (which are somewhat soaked up by the bread) and become a real mess.
Oh, and while we're talking about sandwich fillings... if you haven't already you have GOT to try the Baked Lemon Herb Tofu recipe from "Vive le Vegan!" It is a truly outer body Tofu experience and absolutely amazing mashed up with some red pepper and vegenaise.
you need an anchor ;D Try putting the tomatos on the avocado or some sort of sandwich spread .
I put the tomatoes right next to the bread on mine. helps some. I use pitas alot or wraps. I like tomato and cucumber sandwiches with lots of cracked pepper and vegan mayo.
Maybe you could put the tomatoes on the bread, cover the tomatoes with a piece of tortilla or wrap (or another slice of bread even), then put the rest of the sandwich on top. There's nothing more infuriating than a good sandwich that is self-destructing. Good luck!
I just wrote a post (in the "warm weather food" thread) about how I'm a messy eater, and that I use tin foil around my wraps to keep them from falling apart. I suppose you could do that with bread sandwiches, too. (Also, the tin foil allows me to hold the wrap without burning my fingers if it's super hot, just out of the oven.)
I guess it's a bit wasteful to use tin foil every time I eat a wrap, but it just makes eating them so much easier. Somebody needs to invent some sort of material that can be wrapped around a sandwich to keep it together, and then be able clean it in the dish washer so it could be reused. ???
I cut my tomato slices into smaller pieces and embed them in the avocado, or whatever filling I'm using. If you put slices on or in between lettuce, there is little traction between the tomato and lettuce, so the tomato slices will slide right out. Removing that slippery, seedy watery middle of the tomato makes them slide less too.
Also, when I am served a sandwich at a restaurant that has lettuce and tomato in it, I often leave that toothpick they stick through the sandwich in when I eat to keep the sandwich from falling apart.
I guess the trick is to keep your tomato slices away from other wet ingredients. So tomato between bread and lettuce is fine, tomato between bread and bread is fine, tomato between bread and veggie deli meat is fine, tomato between ... well, you get the picture. Just don't put the avocado, spreads, or other wet/slippery things next to the tomato, and slice it thin!
Oh, and you can also slice the bread (if it's not pre-sliced) so that one edge is still connected and bite into it so that the "closed" edge is away from your mouth. In that case the worst case scenario would be that everything comes out the remaining sides.
I take it a "wrap" is a tortilla with stuff wrapped up in it, kind of like a burrito? I keep seeing this word on this and other forums.
I tried mashing the avocado on the bread and kind of spreading it around. Thinner tomato slices helped too. I guess part of my problem is I put too much stuff in one sandwich, kind of like Dagwood! ;D
Yabbit: Nah, have no idea, my sarnies tend to be spring loaded too! I tend to pull them apart anyway so I'm used to mess! Btw, thanks for the "wave hello", returned it with veggie love!
Sing song girl: You must try adding raw red onion slices to your cuke, tomato and 'naise sarnie, bit of freshly ground salt and pepper - that is my ultimate sarnie, simple but sooooooo good!
I guess it's a bit wasteful to use tin foil every time I eat a wrap, but it just makes eating them so much easier. Somebody needs to invent some sort of material that can be wrapped around a sandwich to keep it together, and then be able clean it in the dish washer so it could be reused. ???
I'll bet if you tightly roll a cloth napkin around the wrap you'd be in business. I use rubber bands a lot in my kitchen/food prep, perhaps wrap the wrap (heh) and band it. I think I'm gonna try that.
I guess it's a bit wasteful to use tin foil every time I eat a wrap, but it just makes eating them so much easier. Somebody needs to invent some sort of material that can be wrapped around a sandwich to keep it together, and then be able clean it in the dish washer so it could be reused. ???
I have a shelf where I keep tin foil so I can reuse it. It's no worse to wash than plastic bags, which I also do, although it is more fragile.
www.reusablebags.com has reusable (well, duh) sandwich wraps and Jennifer McCann on her April 26 entry on www.veganlunchbox.blogspot.com mentions a variation using coated cloth like that used in diaper covers. I have several of the reusablebags.com covers and they work great. You can carry your sandwich, messy or otherwise, wrapped snugly then use it to "diaper" your sandwich as you eat it. ;D ::) :P
Yabbit--Yep, a wrap is basically a big tortilla folded up like a burrito. When I first heard of wraps, I couldn't really figure out why they weren't just called burritos. I guess "burrito" is a word used more specifically for the traditional Mexican burrito (i.e., beans, rice, guacamole, etc.). I don't know. I use big giant sun-dried tomato tortillas for my wraps. Yum.
Nutdragon and Bookmama--You guys have great ideas for tin foil alternatives! I guess I wasn't being creative enough! Thanks for the Reusable Bags link--that's a cool site. I'm really getting into "reusable items." I dragged my husband to the fabric store last week, so we could pick out our own respective fabric for cloth napkins. I got really fancy and picked out a dark blue jacquard pattern! I don't know how well it will keep food off my face, but it sure is pretty! ::)
I dragged my husband to the fabric store last week, so we could pick out our own respective fabric for cloth napkins. I got really fancy and picked out a dark blue jacquard pattern!
This is what we do! If you have your "own" napkin (i.e. if it's identifiable from the rest of the family's...color...embroidered initials etc.) you don't have to wash it every time you use it! Just when it's actually DIRTY, this is environmentally friendly and saves money!
On the sandwich issue I say, bread and tomatoes must touch. Tomatoes touching only avocado is like two slippy slidey things right next to each other and it would need kosher salt and coarse pepper in between for grip. For black olives, avocado and tomatoes I'd do avocado on one slice season on top... tomatoes on the other slice, season on top.... olives in between
So glad to know I'm not the only one with "tomato-related issues!" See, I'm weird (which you knew)--I LUV the "tomato jelly" with the seeds in. It's the best part of a cold tomato! So my husband said, "Scoop it out and save it to eat separately while you eat the sandwich!" Never thunk of that!
I fortunately got a real ripe avocado so I used it like spread on the sandwich, "textured" it with the fork, and thin sliced my tomato. VOILA! as the French are so fond of remarking. Seeds and all, it stayed put!
Sidebar: did you know that in the 1930's and 40's the Florida Chamber of Commerce tried to market avocados as "alligator pears"? It didn't catch on. I guess they wanted to emphasize that it's a fruit. All I know is they are delish! And, that it's a lottery; an avocado that feels ripe may not be, especially here in Europe where the most common are the smooth skinned, bright green hybrids from Israel. It may be still green (and consequently "stiff" and soapy-tasting) or almost black. Sigh.
Sidebar: did you know that in the 1930's and 40's the Florida Chamber of Commerce tried to market avocados as "alligator pears"?
That is such a funny/interesting piece of triva!!
This is what we do! If you have your "own" napkin (i.e. if it's identifiable from the rest of the family's...color...embroidered initials etc.) you don't have to wash it every time you use it! Just when it's actually DIRTY, this is environmentally friendly and saves money!
Jennifer--I got the idea from someone on Vegweb who mentioned it a while back, but I couldn't remember who; I did a search and couldn't find the thread or who it was---so maybe it was you!! (If so--thanks! It's an awesome idea! I hope you don't mind my "stealing" it! :D)
Sidebar: did you know that in the 1930's and 40's the Florida Chamber of Commerce tried to market avocados as "alligator pears"? It didn't catch on. I guess they wanted to emphasize that it's a fruit.
The issue was that veggies were taxed and fruits were not - so the tomato growers got creative with their marketing - took it all the way to the supreme court - but the supreme court declared the tomato a vegetable! I agree with their decision - because if you think about it, the eggplant, pepper, avocado, cucumber, and several other veggies are also, botanically speaking, fruit - but culinarily, they're veggies!
On the sandwich issue - I like my sandwiches in pitas - keeps everything in place. A big toothpick thru the middle of a sandwich (deli-style) also helps.
Either I'm a pig, or Spanish pitas don't have enough capacity to suit me. Can't hardly get enough fillings in to bother before they come apart at the seams like a hysterical actress. I've even tried opening just a little at the top, but they come apart anyway.
I read a Victorian English cookbook which recommends for train travel, cutting a very thick slice of bread from "a brown loaf", slitting it to make a pocket and filling it with whatever before wrapping in parchment paper. Voila, the first European pita!
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