Wanna bet on a sandwich?

Gambling has been an integral part of human life since the earliest periods of history, long before any written sources. The most prime time when people started gambling was in Ancient China. The Chinese ‘Book of Songs’ refers to a game called Keno. In Mesopotamia earliest six-sided dice date to about 3000 BC.

The Bible includes numerous mentions of the casting of lots to divide the property. One well-known instance is the casting of lots by Roman guards (which in all likelihood meant that they threw knucklebones) for the garment of Jesus during the Crucifixion. The enchanting appeal of gambling has obviously attracted people since time immemorial. But what has gambling got to do with sandwiches?

So, we could say that some kind of sandwich by its origin probably does not date much further than gambling. The preparation of food that was quick to prepare and easy to carry was certainly necessary for all historical periods. The man unquestionably put meat and cheese among slices of bread. It was a simple way for field workers and travelers to eat. However, the name sandwich itself has been waiting for a long time to enter the historical scene.

The first written record of the word “sandwich” appeared in Edward Gibbons (1737-1794), English author, scholar, and historian, journal on November 24, 1762. Gibbons is credited with being the first person to write down the word “sandwich” using its modern culinary context. Many of you may have already heard the story of the connection between the sandwiches and John Montagu. John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, was included in the American War of Independence and the discovery of Australia and islands of the Pacific Ocean. He supported Captain James Cook’s exploratory voyages, and his promotion of exploration led the English explorer to name the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) after him.

However, Montagu was a passionate gambler and usually gambled for hours, sometimes refusing to get up even for meals. Although the Sandwich Islands were named after him, his most lasting contribution to British culture is his invention of the now-familiar snack – the sandwich.

While he was at one of the marathon games, he asked a servant to put a piece of meat between two slices of toast. The sandwich allowed him to keep gambling with one hand while he ate with the other. Interestingly, sushi rolls were invented for the same reason. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a sandwich as “an item of food consisting of two pieces of bread with a filling between them, eaten as a light meal.”

Sandwiches are today in some form an integral part of almost all cultures around the world. States are no exception. Americans eat close to 200 sandwiches per year on average, so chances are big you have a favorite of your own. You probably have your favorite sandwich whose snacks you enjoy.

Inspired by this ancient way of preparing food we have included a waffle sandwich on our menu. If you have not tried it yet, we warmly recommend that you do so as soon as possible. Or choose something else from our menu that will definitely satisfy everyone’s taste.