Rant: Is Your Sandwich Bread Too Thick or Thin?

"The bread must be wafer-thin. It is nothing more than a vehicle to convey the filling to the stomach."
--The War & Colonel Warden by Gerald Pawle

The above quote is fhe sentiment of Winston Churchill, who had a hefty appetite for food and drink. , Dinner with Churchill, by Cita Stelzer, is a fascinating book that details how Churchill used dinner parties, picnics and other food & wine events to further diplomatic ends. The book also details some of his food and drink idiosyncrasies, likes and dislikes, from his great love of Champagne to his sandwich preferences.

Churchill preferred very thin bread on his sandwiches, his focus much more on the fillings, such as roast beef. That raises questions in my own mind. Is there a perfect size for sandwich bread? Does it depend on the type, size and nature of the fillings? Or is it all a matter of preference? How does a restaurant decide on the proper size of the bread, or one which will appeal to the greatest amount of diners, for their sandwiches?

Based on anecdotal evidence, it seems people are divided on the issue and it might be primarily a matter of preference. Some agree with Churchill that the fillings are most important and the bread should be very thin. I am in agreement with those who feel the type of bread is dictated more by the type of sandwich. For example, a grilled cheese sandwich, which might be thin on fillings, needs a thinner bread. Yet a thick cheeseburger needs a thicker bun but not too thick. 

There should be a proper ratio of filling to bread, and that ratio is somewhat a matter of preference. However, the size of the bread is only one factor and the texture of the bread is important too. A thin slice of a thick textured bread may work as well as a thicker slice of bread with a lighter texture.

Over the weekend, I tasted a Griddled Duck Confit sandwich and a Steak & Blue Cheese sandwich at a local restaurant. In both cases, the bread to fillings ratio seemed perfect, but the texture of the bread also played an important role. With the Duck Confit, the griddled bread added some crispy texture to the dish, while the soft, brioche-type roll on the steak and blue cheese was soft and buttery. 

Restaurants must find a way to please the vast majority of their customers with their bread to fillings ratio. That is probably a good reason why so many sub shops use a similar sized roll for their sandwiches. And it also probably why so many loaves of sliced bread have very similar sized slices. You can find thick and thin sliced breads, but they are more the exception than the norm. 

Some restaurants are more apt to take chances with their bread choices, which is riskier as they stand to alienate some sandwich lovers. For example, did they use too big of a roll for their hamburger? Or too little of a bun? Is their grilled cheese much more bread than cheese?

Do you prefer thin bread, like Churchill, or thicker breads? Does it depend on the type of sandwich?