Sandwiches of History: The Cookbook: All the Best (and Most Surprising) Things People Have Put Between Slices of Bread

Enderwick, who runs the @sandwichesofhistory Instagram account, debuts with a thoughtful, funny, and refreshingly well-researched ode to sandwich making through the ages. Collecting recipes ranging from 1865’s Toast Sandwich (a piece of toast between two slices of bread) to 1974’s Surprise Sandwich (scallions, black olives, cheddar, and chili powder broiled on an English muffin), Enderwick includes source material citations, notes on each recipe’s merits or shortcomings, and historical context. Not content to merely play archivist, he annotates the often-outdated recipes “to make them friendly to the modern kitchen and grocery store,” adding standardized measurements, substituting difficult to find ingredients, and providing suggestions for flavorful tweaks. As a result, the collection manages to straddle the line between being a delightful object of curiosity, unearthing such oddities as a tomato-free ketchup recipe from 1727 that calls for “twelve or fourteen Anchovies,” and a usable cookbook with unusual but tested and recommended offerings such as 1912’s East India Lentil Sandwich and 1909’s Date and Orange Sandwich. History buffs and sandwich enthusiasts alike will delight in this quirky and accessible volume. (Nov.)