African Vanielje on Sep 29 2007 at 6:54 pm | Filed under: Uncategorized
If you’re not South African you probably won’t recognise this strap line from a famous advert for cremora coffee creamer, but I used it nevertheless as my idea of a ’sarnie’ or sandwich, or even ’samie’ to us Suid Afrikaners, is not always something wedged between 2 stodgy slices. Bizarrely, much as I love baking bread, it is not always my first carbo-loading choice, which just means that I am fussy about what I do choose to base my sandwich on, and it needs to play a strong supporting roll. I also tend to lean towards open sandwiches – probably pure greed as simple engineering means you can fit more on.
This was the case with my entry for Marie’s ( A Year at Oak Cottage ) Show us your Sarnie event. It was a perfectly toasted slice of sourdough rubbed with fresh garlic and then piled with all things delicious. On this particular day they happened to be Serrano Ham, a gorgeously ripe Somerset Wigmore oozing local flavours, and the very last of our local English Strawberries. I made the precious two pounds of succulent fruit into ice cream ( a perennial favourite in our house) but did filch a few for my lunch, and I’m glad I did for they added the perfect counterpoint to the unctuous richness of the cheese and the intense richness of the cured ham.
My ’sarnie’ and variations of it are a staple quick lunch for me at this time of year. I love pairing fresh fruit with charcuterie, and soft, ripe cheese, bringing it all together with a sweet / tart balsamic vinegar. Thank you Marie, for reminding us how simply satisfying the good ol’ ’sarnie’ can be.
Hi..my first visit here…and I immediately recognize the ” not inside, on top” line, even though it has been many years.
Your samie looks delicious, as does your previous salad.
great blog, great food!
Ronelle
hi Ronelle, love getting new visitors. Feel free to stop back anytime and join us for a cup of coffee and a chat. There are some great bloggers to meet, so check out my tasting menu
That looks scrumptious – our strawberries are just starting and mulberries too and I can imagine they’d go well with salty-sweet ham …now I just need to lay my hands on some!
kit I love mulberries. we used to have a tree and feed the silkworms on mulberry leaves. You get beetroot coloured cocoons!
OMG, now THAT’S what I call a sarnie. Beats Tesco tuna and sweetcorn every time… And I still remember that Cremora strapline well
Jeanne, when I was 17 and a London first timer, I worked in Carnaby street. On a below minimum wage salary I lived on a snickers bar for breakfast, two packs of camel a day (the guy in the tobacconists was very cute) and a tuna and sweetcorn bap from the sandwich bar around the corner for lunch. Not much variety but it was filling and fitted my bedget. I still eat tinned tuna and I still eat mielies, but never together – eeeuugh! How our experiences make us…….!