Aclub sandwich, also called a clubhouse sandwich, is a sandwich consisting of bread (traditionally toasted), sliced cooked poultry, fried bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise.[1][2]
It is often cut into quarters or halves and held together by cocktail sticks. Modern versions frequently have two layers which are separated by an additional slice of bread.
The club sandwich may have originated at the Union Club of New York City.[3] The earliest known reference to the sandwich, an article that appeared in The Evening World on November 18, 1889, is also an early recipe: "Have you tried a Union Club sandwich yet? Two toasted pieces of Graham bread, with a layer of turkey or chicken and ham between them, served warm."[4] Several other early references also credit the chef of the Union Club with creating the sandwich.[3][5]
Other sources find the origin of the club sandwich to be up for debate, with several contemporaneous sources naming Danny Mears as the inventor.[9]
The sandwich appeared on U.S. restaurant menus as early as 1899.[10] The earliest reference to the sandwich in published fiction is from Conversations of a Chorus Girl, a 1903 book by Ray Cardell.[2] Historically, club sandwiches featured slices of chicken, but with time, turkey has become increasingly common.[9] An 1897 recipe has three layers, with the chicken and ham separated not by a slice of bread, but by a lettuce leaf.[11]
As with a BLT, toasted white bread is standard, along with iceberg lettuce, bacon, and tomatoes. The sandwich is usually dressed with mayonnaise. Variations on the traditional club sandwich abound. Some replace the poultry meat with eggs (a "breakfast club") or roast beef. Others use ham instead of, or in addition to, bacon, or add slices of cheese. Various kinds of mustard and sliced pickles may be added. Upscale variations include the oyster club, the salmon club, and Dungeness crab melt.[9][2]
In Hong Kong, the Chinese name of club sandwich (公司三文治) literally translates to "office sandwich". The regional version in Hong Kong consists of scrambled eggs, Spam, ham, tomato, lettuce and American cheese.
