Skip to content

The Life and Times of the Sandwich

Every biology book ever printed includes pen drawings of an animal lifecycles. They show the little creatures being born, evolving through a few brief stages of life and then dying. Biologists make these kinds of documentation out of devotion and wonder. Put on your biology hat, add a heaping spoonful of religious reverence and consider the most magical species of all: the sandwich.

I’ve identified 4 stages of the sandwich lifecycle:

  • Identification: Wherein the need for a sandwich is identified, usually via hunger, but occasionally out of pure hedonism. This stage usually goes by very quickly (often while reading a menu) and doesn’t get much attention.
  • Procurement: Wherein the tasty morsel is obtained, either through outright purchasing or by ingredient shopping and construction. This is the creative phase of the sandwich lifecycle: you can make any sandwich you want! The time taken in this stage will payback in spades in the next phase, so don’t rush it. Why settle for a peanut butter on bread when you could really indulge with some grilled sirloin and onions on a roll?
  • Consumption: Wherein the sandwich is consumed! Horray! This phase of the lifecycle naturally gets all the attention; This is where all the sandwichy aspirations are realized, the goods are delivered and belief in a just and sandwichy god is re-affirmed. This is the stage that everyone wishes would last forever, but is usually pretty short.
  • Celebration / Nostalgia: Wherein the sandwich is at once celebrated and missed. The sandwich is gone, all that remains is the fleeting memory of greatness (and potentially food-coma). This stage usually lasts the longest and is what brings the eater back to worship at the temple of sandwich.

The Sandwich Life cycle

One Comment

  1. Friend, I salute you. Your interest in and care for sandwiches is inspiring. I went out and ate a hot coppa today in your honor - using the counterforce when needed.

    As a fellow sandwich enthusiast, I recommend a topic to you: the saladwich (or sandalad.) Have you considered the possibilities? How about the Chicken Caesar Sandwich? Or the Cobb Sandwich? Dare i suggest the Nicoise Sandwich? Think on it, meditate, and post if you feel inspired.

    Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 12:22 am | Permalink

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared.