Sandwich, sanger, sambo or sando; the Aussie sandwich has become even more popular during isolation. Some of the countries top chefs, home cooks, bakeries and cafés have been creating out of this world gourmet sandwich creations using restaurant kitchen techniques, artisan bread and more.
In short, it has never been a better time for the sandwich. So without further delay, let's get stuck into the wonderful world of Aussie Sandos.
Toasty Tales
The pattern for nostalgic favourites continues with this next trend. A sando expose would not be complete without the humble toastie, jaffle, toasted sandwich. As ever there are comforting fillings as well as more adventurous takes such as mapo tofu, rainbow cheese and indulgent Australian truffle and cheese too. Catching our attention has been Shokupan Jaffle with chicken, pesto, semi- dried tomatoes, shichimi almonds, kewpie aioli & shiso by Hibiki (Melbourne); as well as Sydney's Estelle dishing up their famous Kimchi and Wagyu Bolognese Toastie, with the addition during lockdown of a new toastie which was just as indulgent - cheese and black truffle
Ham Sanger
With all that said about the humble ham sanger, it is still one, if not the go to sandwiches for Australians. Again, this lunchtime staple has evolved with different breads, garnishes and hams. Baguettes, ficelles, soft buns and even pastries are forming the outer, while specified air dried or artisan leg ham are top of the meaty bill. As for partners, cheese is still a favourite but so are pickles, no doubt following the rise in popularity of the French Jambon Beurre (ham, cornichon and butter-filled ficelle.) The smoked pork shoulder, mortadella, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles creation by Fancy Hanks BBQ in Sydney a great example.
Subset
Another bun that has been a favourite across Aussie sangers is the good ol' sub. This torpedo of tastiness is being filled with all sorts of goodies, from braised pork to lobster. But, without a doubt, the lockdown favourite has been the ever-popular meatball sub, with chefs refining this nostalgic creation with hot sauce, artisan meatballs and more. Rocco's Meatball Sub - with beef & pork polpette, sugo, salsa verde, Parmigiano from pop-up sandwich shop, Rocco's Bologna Discotec (Melbourne) an particularly tasty prospect.
To read our report on Aussie Sandos in full click here, or to find out about 'shifting the future of food & drink' and to join the TFP community visit www.thefoodpeople.co.uk