Now THIS is a sandwich!!

The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches (Random House) by Susan Russo and photos by Matt Armendariz

I am already a fan of Susan Russo since my experience with her bacon guacamole. Oh, my! That was one amazing dish. And now, she has a book with the super talented Matt Armendariz. And guess what: this one will make your mouth water like nothing else. It is a fun and fantastic collection of simple to whimsical sandwiches and is filled with trivia and fun facts. My eleven-year-old adores making sandwiches and this has become his go-to book for making dinner now ( I help when he lets me!) And we all are the beneficiaries of terrific meals.

So my favorites so far: the potato chip sandwich (it tastes as good as it sounds), the Nutella sandwich (if you know anything about me, you know that this is me) and of course, the classic grilled cheese with potato chips. I think I gained ten pounds the week I cooked from this book and they were all worth it.

Pound Cake Sandwich– The ultimate dessert sandwich.
By Susan Russo from her book, “The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches”

A pound cake is a buttery white cake with a golden crust. Its name was derived from the measurement of ingredients originally used: one pound each of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs, according to British and American cookbooks dating back to the 1750’s. As for the pound cake sandwich, it was most likely invented by ingenious moms and grandmas looking for ways to use up left over slices of cake. It is currently back in vogue thanks to celebrity chefs such as Gale Gand and Martha Stewart, who have offered their own sweet versions.

Recipe

Macerated Strawberries: 2 – 2½ cups fresh, ripe strawberries, thinly sliced
¼ cup granulated sugar, or to taste
3 tablespoons orange juice
The zest of 1 small orange
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

About 2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound cake, sliced thin
1 (8-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese or mascarpone

1. A few hours beforehand, prepare strawberries: In a glass bowl, combine all ingredients for macerated strawberries. Toss well. Let rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

2. Butter both sides of cake slices. Place on a hot buttered griddle; cook 2 minutes per side, or until golden. Remove from heat. For each sandwich, spread 2 tablespoons ricotta on 1 slice of grilled cake, top with a spoonful of berries, and close sandwich. Serve warm.

Makes 4 to 6, depending on the thickness of the bread.

Note: Frozen strawberries can be substituted for fresh; just reduce the amount of orange juice since frozen berries will release more liquid.

Photo for A life of Spice by the lovely Sala Kannan.

(The original version of this post was a giveaway. That giveaway is now closed)