National Sandwich week - Some thoughts on a ham sandwich

Building on from my previous post about Meat liquor and the upcoming review of the Delaunay in Aldwych, I thought I’d tell you about something very strange that happened to me on the same day I visited these venues.

It all started with a ham sandwich from Pret A Manger and I know where you think this is going but I assure you it isn’t (there’s no hidden finger nails in this cake).

Long story short I went into Pret and got a ham sandwich and I am deeply sorry to admit this but it was the most delicious thing I ate day.

I’ve been telling people to try Meat liquor for about 2 years now and I’d finally made the pilgrimage there only to find it trumped earlier in the day by a prefab ham and pickle sandwich made by a corporate monster. I should also point out that I had afternoon tea for 2 later that day at the Delaunay which came to £53 and none of the sandwiches on offer there came close to this baby.

I don’t know about you, but this bombshell has kept me awake recently. What kind of crack are they lacing the sandwiches with at Pret A Manger to make it taste better than a double cheese burger with a side of chilli cheese fries?

So let’s find out. I’ve been on the Pret website (yes I’m that sad, but I write a food blog so you knew this already) this is what they say goes in their sarnie:

• Malted Wholegrain Bread
• Wiltshire-cured Ham
• Pret Pickle
• Freshly sliced Tomatoes
• Free-range Mayonnaise
• Salad Leaves
• Pret Seasoning 

“Pret Wiltshire cured ham is hand filleted and slowly matured in a live Wiltshire cure, which gives it a deep tangy taste. The hams are then slow roasted and trimmed of fat before being sliced into this simple, delicious sandwich featuring our dark, sticky Pret pickle and our four leaf crunchy gourmet mix”

I can’t really describe what this sandwich tasted like to be honest, because it sort of crept up on me. I wasn’t expecting to be emotionally overwhelmed by this little morsel of bread and ham, so when it kissed me with its creamy mayo goodness I was for want of a better saying, caught with my pants down.

I’m not really sure where to take this post from here, I’m as baffled as you are that this sandwich was as good as I say it was. Maybe the planets aligned on that fateful morning or maybe I was just starving and a bit hung over, which worked in the sandwiches favour.

I do know one thing, if I’m ever to sleep again I’m going to have to march down to Pret A Manger in Leeds and buy of these sandwiches and take it