Club Sandwich

The club sandwich typically is composed of three slices of toast, spread with mayonnaise, that separate a filling of sliced turkey, ham, or chicken along with sliced tomato, strips of crispy fried bacon, and lettuce. The origin of the sandwich is unknown. The first recipe appears as Club-House Sandwiches in Sarah Tyson Rorer’s Sandwiches (1894). In the late 1890s it was a popular item at the casino owned by Richard Canfield, “America’s Greatest Gambler,” in Saratoga Springs, New York. The casino’s dining room was known for its fine cuisine and for its gambler’s buffet, which provided delicious food for those who wanted minimum interruption of their gaming pursuits. By 1896 the club sandwich appeared on the menus of such New York City establishments as the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and the Windsor Hotel. The club sandwich remains a ubiquitous item on restaurant luncheon menus.