The Club Sandwich Cliffnotes

So you're sinking your teeth into this multilayer behemoth, the club sandwich, and you have no idea what you're getting into. You're thinking: it's a simple sandwich of deli meat, white Wonder Bread, some mayonnaise, and mundane thoughts. But it is a little more than that, being an American mainstay, royal favorite and hotly debated item. Here is some trivia that will change your perception of the club sandwich:

— Nicole Alvarez

· According to popular theory, the club sandwich originated in Saratoga Springs, New York in approximately 1894 at a members-only gambling house, the Saratoga Club.
· The story is that a member of the club invented it, and the casino subsequently adopted it, hence the designation of "club" sandwich after the gambling club.
· Another theory suggests the sandwich came from the U.S. railway system aboard double-decker club cars.
· The same theory of two-decker club cars implies that it was initially made with only two slices of bread – a fact that famous American chef and food writer James Beard corroborates.
· There is debate as to what ingredients make up an authentic club sandwich, but James Beard also contends that it should be made with chicken instead of the now-popular turkey.
· It is royal food: a rumored favorite of a former king of England, Edward VIII, and his spouse, Wallis Simpson.
· In 1907, the New York Times published this recipe for the sandwich: "Go to the club. Drink six toasts. Eat a slice of meat. Drink six more toasts."
· Geneva, Switzerland is the most expensive city to order a club sandwich in, and it will cost you roughly $30.45. (Paris, Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen follow closely at $27.45, 26.72, $23.12, and $22.33, respectively)
· The most "luxurious" club sandwich is in Hong Kong and features Beluga caviar, Wagyu beef, Iberico ham, Balik salmon, and Belgian figs. It will cost about $60.
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