From Our Kitchens: Ode to Sandwich

Last time I shared a recipe, I talked about the never ending cycle of deciding what to have for dinner every night. Well, did I mention that’s a twice daily struggle? While I can skate by without breakfast, powered only by a strong cup of coffee and a York Peppermint Pattie — call it “girl breakfast” — lunch is a must. 

The Melody newsroom can attest that I frequently bring in salads, sausage skillet, leftovers or microwave meals. I packed sandwiches for some time, but I think I’ve gotten as much excitement as I can out of the basic “two slices of bread with cold stuff in between” formula. 

When my girlfriend comes to town we enjoy a good meal downtown at Macon Bagels or Piedmont Brewery, but we also make the sandwich recipe I’m about to share with you at least once every time she visits.

To call it a “sandwich recipe” seems a bit dramatic. Really it’s just a matter of assembling the various parts, but this recipe is so good you’d think maybe there is a culinary art to sandwich-making. If you’re willing to do the prep work, this sandwich might help you power through the Monday blues or an unnecessarily long work meeting, all while putting other packed-lunch sammies to shame.

My girlfriend first found this recipe on TikTok and all I needed to see was a five-second clip of gooey brie cheese combined with crisp bacon and perfectly caramelized onions to know that we had to make it. 

We have dabbled with different breads, jellies and varying levels of onion caramelization, but found that three things really matter:

• Don’t cheap out on the bread quality. You’ll want a crispy, crusty bread to hold the whole shebang together.
• You can’t rush the onions. Caramelization takes time and it won’t taste as good with sauteed onions. 
• Use pepper jelly. Other jellies will add that nice sweetness to round out the other flavors, but only pepper jelly provides the little kick that compliments the bacon and brie so well.

When I make this particular sandwich I don’t feel like a pseudo-adult who’s avoiding cooking but a sandwich connoisseur with a deep appreciation for the melding of flavors and the fine-tuned skill of ensuring each component shines individually while complimenting each other to create a homogenous sandwich experience. 

Ingredients

• Sourdough bread (or a relatively firm bread of your choice)
• Brie
• Bacon
• Onions
• Turkey slices
• Mayo
• Pepper jelly
• Lettuce
• Honey crisp apples

Directions

Cook bacon in a frying pan or in the oven and set aside. Chop up onions and caramelize either on the stove or in the crockpot. The trick is to take your time and cook on low heat. The onions should look golden-brown. While all this is cooking, cut thin slices of brie and honey crisp apples. Toast two slices of bread and spread a layer of mayo on one and pepper jelly on the other. Put the brie slices on the bread. The warmth from the toasted bread should soften the brie, but you may want to put it back in the toaster to melt it more. Add the rest of the sandwich ingredients in whatever order you prefer. I like to put the onions on top of the brie to melt, then a layer of bacon and apples.

 Cut the sandwich in half, marvel at its perfection and enjoy the first crisp, gooey bite.