Does a Club Sandwich Need Egg? Let’s Clear This Up.
Okay, let’s talk club sandwiches. That towering stack of deliciousness we all know and love. But here’s a question that pops up more often than you’d think: does a real club sandwich have egg?
Well, the short answer is no, not really. The classic club, the one you’d find on most menus, is all about the holy trinity of toasted bread, sliced turkey or chicken, crispy bacon, fresh lettuce and tomato, and a good slathering of mayo. Think of it as a carefully constructed edible skyscraper, often skewered with toothpicks to keep the whole thing from tumbling down. That’s your standard-issue club sandwich.
But here’s where things get interesting. Just because egg isn’t traditionally part of the deal, doesn’t mean it’s a culinary crime to add it! In fact, you’ll find plenty of variations out there that happily embrace the egg.
I mean, think about it:
- Breakfast is Served: Ever heard of a “breakfast club?” Sometimes, folks swap out the poultry for eggs, turning it into a morning masterpiece.
- Layer It On: Some people just like to throw in a fried or hard-boiled egg as an extra layer of goodness. Why not, right?
- Egg-cellent Spread: And then there’s the egg salad route. Smash up some eggs with mayo and seasonings, and you’ve got a creamy, dreamy spread that takes the club to a whole new level.
Now, if you dig into the history books, you won’t find egg mentioned in the original club sandwich recipes from way back in the day. We’re talking late 1800s, early 1900s. The earliest mention I could find was in The Evening World way back in 1889, and it was all about turkey or chicken and ham on toasted Graham bread. Apparently, the club sandwich really took off at places like the Union Club of New York City and the Saratoga Club in Saratoga Springs, New York. It even had a moment at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis!
So, bottom line? A club sandwich doesn’t have to have egg. The OG version is all about the poultry, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. But hey, cooking is all about experimenting and making things your own! If you’re an egg-in-your-club-sandwich kind of person, go for it! Just remember you are going off script.