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On second thought, I’m not sure that salad can be the new sandwich. Sandwiches just cannot be replaced. I was reminded of this last week when we went to the new sandwich shop in Decatur, the 5th Earl Market. This place rekindled my love for sandwiches through its very name, a nod to the fifth earl of sandwich and its vaguely medieval theme. The sandwiches are suitably ingenious, hot and cold, and there is a respectable selection of salads (one with beets and blue cheese, so they know what’s goin on). They also have an awesome selection of beers and what looked like tasty baked goods (out of bounds). I was a bit disappointed with the quality of the bread, not that it was bad, but it wasn’t as exciting as one might expect for a serious sandwich shop. But next time I’ll ask and see if there are other options. (Or once again, I might be spoiled by Philadelphia food…a phenomenon I can’t really explain.)

In any case, in order to pay homage to the sandwich, making restoration for my earlier slight, I would like to here recite the sandwich song. The version that I quote here includes the well-known chorus by Bob King and verses that I think Gabriel wrote. According to wikipedia, it was actually the 4th Earl of Sandwich who is credited with creating the sandwich, but Gabriel’s version of the events are plausible, being that the 4th Earl of Sandwich was a naval man.

Sandwiches are beautiful, sandwiches are fine.
I love sandwiches, I eat them all the time.
You can eat them for your breakfast, you can eat them for your lunch.
If I had a hundred sandwiches, I’d eat them all at once.

One day the Duke of Sandwich
was leaving on a boat.
He wanted a bready meaty thing
something tasty he could tote.
Well the cook he was indignant
and the history books do note
he made the first bologna sandwich
and he shoved it down his throat.

Sandwiches are beautiful…

Orders for new sandwiches
from foreign countries poured
and the nobles they ordered sandwiches
that they could not afford
so the lords they started cooking
and the cooks became the lords
and they made up brand new sandwiches
whenever they got bored.

Singing, sandwiches are beautiful, sandwiches are fine.
I love sandwiches, I eat them all the time.
You can eat them for your breakfast, you can eat them for your lunch.
If I had a hundred sandwiches, I’d eat them all at once.