I know you’re probably thinking, ‘Do you really need an online class for sandwich making?’ Well, I definitely came out knowing more than I did going in to this Zoom sandwich masterclass, which I didn’t expect!
This sandwich making class had me laughing non-stop for an hour with the other participants and Ben the sandwich expert. It is so nice meeting new people from all over the world when taking part in online experiences. I was joined by a couple from Germany, a father and son from Guildford and another couple, so it was very sociable and everyone got involved.
The class was run by an Australian man called Ben, who has been living in New York since 2016. He usually runs walking tours and travels to try different sandwiches, however due to lockdown he has had to improvise and spread his love for sandwiches online via Zoom by providing sandwich masterclasses.
Ben used to be a lawyer before he found his love for sandwiches, but he did admit that he isn’t a great chef. You don’t need to be a chef to put together a sandwich, but there is certainly a technique to it.
We began by introducing ourselves and all said our favourite sandwich. I love a chicken, bacon, and stuffing sandwich that you get in a meal deal from the supermarket. Ben couldn’t believe that we have stuffing in sandwiches all year round, and not just at Christmastime.
We started the class by making the New York Italian sandwich, which was originally created in Portland, Maine. The ingredients used for this sandwich include a baguette, prosciutto, spicy salami, mozzarella cheese, roasted peppers, olive paste and rocket.
However, before the session Ben sent me a list of substitutes in case I couldn’t find any of the ingredients or didn’t like them. I swapped the olive paste for pesto instead, as I love pesto and thought it would be a bit different.
When making a sandwich it’s all about layering it up with as many ingredients as you can possibly fit in; this does make the picture look great as well. Whenever I previously made sandwiches, I would just put the filling in and not think about it. After the sandwich masterclass with Ben, I now know how to make the tastiest sandwiches in town.
Firstly, I cut my baguette in half, and on the top side I put the pesto and roasted peppers (these are known as the “wet” ingredients). The wet ingredients go on the top, so that the juices gravitate down onto the dry side. On the bottom side of the sandwich, I put the meat first, then the cheese, and then the rocket. Once both sides were completed, I folded it together like a book and a yummy sandwich was formed!
You must be thinking ‘How does it take an hour to make a sandwich?’ Well, we all had a debate about whether a hotdog was a sandwich, and the conversation spiralled from there. We discussed whether wraps and burgers could be considered sandwiches. People had some crazy opinions, and I really enjoyed this part of the sandwich masterclass.
Finally, we went over photography tips for making your sandwich stand out from the crowd. When taking a photo of your sandwich, you stack it together with the bottoms touching so that the image is symmetrical. This was a great tip and I am proud with how my sandwich and photo came out!
Thanks for reading!
I would recommend this 1 hour sandwich masterclass with Ben, as it was only £11. I had a laugh with all the other participants, and learned some new skills along the way.
