A Hoagie, a Sub, a Hero: Are They All Just Sandwiches?

A "Fat Sandwich" often includes more than one fried, greasy ingredient, like chicken tenders, fries, and/or mozzarella sticks. [photo from flickrhivemind.com]

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hero, an Italian sandwich, a sub, a hoagie, a torpedo, and a grinder walk into a bar. There's no end to this joke, though, because sandwiches are serious business to a lot of people. As for all the different names, it's been reported that throughout the country, there are 13 different names for "a sandwich," and the only real difference between them all is where you are when you're trying to eat one.

But there's plenty of variation in the types of sandwich you can eat. Is it in a wrap, a pita, bread, lettuce, or roll? Is it hot, cold, steamed, toasted? Are its contents vegetarian or would they appeal to only the carnivoriest carnivores? That said, let's check out some of the crazier or more unique sandwiches out there.

1)    The Fat Sandwich - Whether this one is named for what it looks like or what it'll do to you, these ones stuff lots of unhealthy things into a roll. They're not usually presented as a challenge, but some are so jam-packed that you might have to use some willpower to scarf it down. A typical option of filling could include chicken strips, mozzarella sticks, French fries, a burger patty, jalapeno poppers, and cheesesteak—and that's all in one sandwich...eat it if you dare, but we can't recommend it.

The Banh Mi combines French ingredients, like a baguette, with Vietnamese flavors, like pickled daikon and carrots. [photo from grubstreet.com]

2)    The Double Down - KFC's offering to people who followed the low-carb diet, this sandwich has no bread, instead substituting two fried chicken breasts. So what are the fillings? Cheese and bacon, of course.
3)    The Dagwood - This one's for someone with a big appetite. The ingredients vary from restaurant to restaurant, but often include large amounts of cold cuts, cheeses, and other toppings like mayo, deli mustard, red onion, roasted bell peppers, lettuce, and tomato. Many restaurants build their versions pretty tall, then offer the sandwiches up as a challenge to their hungry diners.
4)    The Banh Mi - Vietnam's answer to the sandwich, this one is made with French bread and is usually filled with things like ham, pate, and grilled or marinated pork, then topped with mayonnaise, pickled carrots and daikon (similar to radishes), cilantro, and jalapeno. It's unique in that there's nothing quite like it and it's ridiculously inexpensive (usually between $3 and $5), so if you get a chance, we highly recommend you try it out. The Banh Mi is a product of French colonialism in Indochina, which is how things like mayonnaise and a baguette got paired up with more traditional Vietnamese ingredients, like cilantro and pickled vegetables.

The Luther Burger replaces a traditional bun with glazed donuts. [photo: thedailypage.com]

5)    The Muffuletta - Made on a round loaf of Sicilian bread, this sandwich includes layers of marinated olive salad, capicola, mortadella, salami, pepperoni, ham, Swiss cheese, and provolone. It's a robust sandwich for people who love flavor-filled foods.
6)    The Luther Burger - More of a burger than a sandwich, but we'd be silly to pass this one by on our list. Instead of a traditional burger bun, this one uses glazed donuts as the bun. Happy heart attack!
7)    The Cuban - Most popular in Florida, the Cuban is a sandwich not to be missed. If it's available somewhere near you, make sure to get a bite. It's built on Cuban bread (similar to a baguette, but better) and stacked high with ham, roasted pork, salami, swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. It's pressed on a hot grill before serving.
8)    The McDLT - The McDonald's Lettuce and Tomato. This sandwich was bizarre not so much for its ingredients but for the way it was served to customers—in packaging that kept the bottom bun/burger/cheese separate from the lettuce/tomato/top bun so that the "hot stayed hot" and the "cold stayed cold." It's not at all surprising this is no longer offered.

A Shooter's Sandwich starts out puffy with steak, onions, and mushrooms, but is pressed much flatter, like this. [photo: boingboing.net]

9)    The Monte Cristo - Similar to the Luther Burger, but different enough to make our list. This one is essentially a fried ham and cheese sandwich, but instead of regular bread, French toast is used. The whole thing is dipped in egg batter and fried, and is sometimes serviced with fresh fruit or jam.
10)    The Shooter's Sandwich - This is for those of you who are absolutely not messing around. It's traditionally made with crusty bread, steak, onions, and mushrooms, but that's about where it stops in terms of tradition. Instead of simply placing the ingredients between two slices of bread, the Shooter's sandwich involves using an entire round loaf of bread. You slice off the top quarter of the bread, scoop out most of the insides of the loaf, then pack it tightly with steak, then a mixture of sauteed onions and mushrooms, then the other steak (yes, that's two full steaks for this one), then adding your favorite sauce (horseradish or dijon mustard are popular choices). Place the top of the bread back on, wrap the whole thing in greaseproof paper (like wax paper) and tie a string around it so it keeps its shape. Next, wrap it in foil and put a cutting board on top, followed by as many weights as you can find—some people use nearly 100 pounds of weight. Let the sandwich press in a cool place (but unrefrigerated) for at least six hours, then cut it like a pizza and serve as wedges. Sound pretty nuts? It is.