The Bacon Lettuce & Tomato Sandwich

Photo byZachary SpearsonUnsplash

New York has given foodies something to cheer about for decades. Dishes originating in the state appear on menus the world over. The Waldorf Salad, Lobster Newberg, Buffalo Wings, and even General Tso’s Chicken originated in New York. Make room for NY Style Cheesecake while you are at it.

A bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich hold the lettuce and tomato. - Foodnetwork Chef, Alex Guarnaschelli

The Good Housekeeping Everyday Cook Book in 1903 included a special sandwich. A club sandwich featuring bacon, lettuce, and tomato- topped off with a little or a lot of mayo and a slice of turkey in the sandwich’s early days. The BLT was born!

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Where was the first BLT created? One can trace the origins of this classic back to the Saratoga Club in Saratoga Springs, New York. While no documentation proves the Saratoga Club as the sandwich’s birthplace, The Saratoga Club appears to get the credit. The potato chip first appeared in the same building. Who knew?

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The recipe printed in 1903 put the sandwich on the map for the first time. The BLT was here to stay. The club sandwich was a popular menu item in men’s clubs around the states.

Photo byWikipedia

I am sure you have enjoyed one at a deli or sitting enjoying a chicken tortilla soup. At the same time, your guest munches away on the perfected combo of bacon, lettuce, and tomato.

Crisp wood-smoked bacon. Thick slices of juicy, vine-ripened tomatoes. Leafy lettuce with a slather of creamy mayonnaise brought together on toasted sourdough bread. Who doesn’t love a BLT?- Author and BLT expert Michele Jordan

The BLT is a dominant player in the sandwich pecking order. All it took was someone to imagine this big three on toast. Not many sandwiches can compete with the taste and popularity of the BLT.

Thankfully, the back of the kitchen didn’t hear the server say HOLD THE MAYO.

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Douglas Pilarski is an award-winning writer & journalist based on the West Coast. He writes about luxury goods, exotic cars, horology, tech, food, lifestyle, equestrian and rodeo, magazine features, and millionaire travel.

Share your thoughts and stories at dp1@sawyertms.com.