S ANDWICHES - A TASTE OF WHAT ' S NEXT Americans eat about 45 billion sandwiches a year. No wonder were always looking for something new. The news: More.

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SANDWICHES-A TASTE OF WHAT'S NEXT

Americans eat about 45 billion sandwiches a year. No wonder we’re always looking for something new.

The news: More personalization –have it your way is more

important than ever Changing the classics from mundane to exciting-

nothing is worse than a same old/same old; keeping it interesting

Borrowing from a variety of cultures.

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GRILLED CHEESE

Whether it’s the neighborhood diner or the Grilled Cheese Truck in LA this mundane American staple has become the epitome of personalization.

Brie cheese has become common in grilled cheese offerings.

Peppery and spicy cheeses are also a given

Gruyere and Provolone are as common as Cheddar

Many fresh veggie options Bread variations that don’t stop

Cheesy Mac & Rib from the Grilled Cheese Truck- macaroni and cheese with sharp cheddar, bbq pork, caramelized onions

From Laura Werlin, author of the Cheese Maximalist Cookbook in Food &Wine 4/11, grilled cheese with andouille sausage, cheddar

and Monterey jack on sourdough.

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PULLED PORK Have you noticed that every

casual restaurant has a signature pulled pork sandwich on the menu right next to its house-made hamburger? Yes, it's that important.

For years, restaurants bragged of having the best Southern authentic pulled pork.

Now its about changing up the classic to newsworthy.

We find: Pulled pork wraps Pulled pork seasoned with

chipotles Pulled pork sliders Lots of Mexican variations

not carnitas Several root beer variations

Susan Feniger at her Street Restaurant serves:

VIETNAMESE PULLED PORK SANDWICH --slow roasted pork shoulder seasoned with licorice root, anise, and peppercorn spicy kaffir lime sauce, pickled vegetables and served with a side of fried plantains

Bourbon Mango Pulled Pork-Allrecipes.com

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FRIED EGG SANDWICHES Want to make any sandwich

trendy? Add a fried egg!   Whether the hamburger at

Kuma's Corner in Chicago, The Stammer Max in the April issue of Saveur or the Croque Madame, it's the egg that make it all worthwhile.

The homey fried egg sandwich has made a comeback.

Fried eggs are seen on burgers, grilled cheese, paninis

Only sandwich without an egg -- PB&J!

Grilled cheese and fried egg sandwich- Bon Appetit 4/11 -Pancetta, provolone, egg and basil on sourdough.

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PIADINA Let’s face it. The name is cute.

Sounds like it could be an opera diva. But a cute name isn’t the only reason we think this sandwich will catch on.

It’s fresh, quick, versatile and as with pita and foccacia and naan, it’s all about the bread. In truth, piadina refers to the flat, griddled bread, ideally but not exclusively prepared with lard, that is integral to the sandwich.

Best eaten when freshly made, the piadina can hold anything from proscuitto to cheese to salumi and even Nutella.

Whatever. Just think of it as an Italian quesadilla

Prosciutto-Cheese Piadina and Butternut Squash Pecorino Piadina Food & Wine January 2009

Italian Flat Bread (Piadina) with Fontina and Prosciutto - Food Network, courtesy of Giada De Laurentis

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TORTA Torta, on the other hand, is

trickier. You hear torta and don’t immediately think sandwich. That is unless you are eating Mexican where the meaning is quite clear.

Again, the bread is the secret. The torpedeo-shaped bolillo or the round telera are the crusty rolls that are a must for tortas.

They are cooked in a press similar to a panini and often served hot.

Fillings are as varied as the imagination.

Rick Bayless’ Choriqueso at Xoco Chicago Tribune March 31, 2011

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CROQUE MONSIEUR Ham. Cheese. Bread. Hot. The

Croque Monsieur and its American cousin the Monte Cristo suggest endless possibilities to these three ingredients and preparation.

There is no single way to prepare it. But it should guarantee decadence and the very finest ingredients.

The best are eaten with knife and fork, or at the very least a very large napkin.

The Croque Madame topped with an egg salutes the fried egg craze mentioned earlier.

The revival of the Croques will go a long way to reintroducing the 20-something generation to the wonders of French eating.

Croque Monsieur Bon Appetit March 2011

Croque Madame Saveur April 2011

Monte Cristo Nancy Silverton’s Sandwich Book

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