Potatoes on a Sandwich - OK or Not?

One thing I've noticed over the years it’s that people tend to have very strong opinions about food. One of these opinions I have found quite interesting is whether or not potatoes belong on sandwiches. I’ve come here to tell you today that yes, potatoes do belong on sandwiches – mostly.

Potatoes on a sandwich is by no means a new idea, even Elvis is rumored to have enjoyed this delicacy from time to time. I think though, what many describe as the problem with a potato-ed sandwich is that it’s just too starchy. The carb-on-carb structure is just too much for some people, too singular no matter what else accompanies it. Don’t get me wrong, if you are counting your carbs it’s probably something you shouldn’t do. We aren’t talking about health food here. But, if you have never tried it, or are just hating the idea for its own sake, I beg that you reconsider and at least try it once – your taste buds just might thank you.

Now, potatoes can’t be placed on every sandwich, and certainly not in every form. And when I say can’t, I mean probably shouldn’t (even though there may be some exceptions). There are though a litany of subs, hoagies, grinders and more that are elevated by the addition of the humble spud. For example: potato chips go perfectly on a number of American-style sandwiches like the roast beef, turkey or ham; French fries are featured on the famous NJ “fat” sandwiches; and a hash-brown on a breakfast sandwich like a bacon-egg-and-cheese is simply sublime. All of these examples are absolutely delicious, and the addition of the potato elevates the otherwise rudimentary sandwich to a new plane.

Potato chips on a deli sandwich add an extra layer of salt and crunch that vegetables alone just can’t provide. French fries on a fat sandwich somehow balance the texture of its meat constituents and hash browns on breakfast sandwiches should be a standard practice in my opinion, again due to the balance in texture. Now, as you probably have noticed, the key to the potato’s presence on a sandwich is it having been fried beforehand. I can say confidently that this is 100% the key to success. While I can imagine scenarios where the addition of mashed potatoes might be interesting, (say as a spreadable component on a thanksgiving sandwich) I feel like they are limited and very situational.

So, to those outside-of-the-box thinkers that have been consuming potato-laced sandwiches from day one, I salute you and your efforts to shy away from boring meals. To those who haven’t, what have you got to lose?

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