O

I

n our post-truth world, food history

isn’t immune from the fake news

phenomenon. Take the story of the

humble sandwich, filled with mumbo

jumbo, spread with phoney “facts”.

According to legend – and I use the word

advisedly – the bread plus filling combo

was named after John Montagu, 4th Earl

of Sandwich, in the 18th century.

Apparently his valet served him meat

between two slices of bread so he could eat

with one hand and play cribbage with the

other. ‘The same as Sandwich!’ ordered

his fellow card players and the name stuck.

I find the story hard to swallow.

Then there’s the Italian tramezzino,

a dainty little sandwich made with two

slices of white bread, crusts removed.

I’d take its history with a pinch of salt,

too. In 1925, after emigrating to Detroit,

Angela Nebiolo and her husband

P

M

O

N

D

A I N

Pitta

ripiena