Five Global Flavours: One Two Culinary Stew shares Cambridge’s best sandwiches

One Two Culinary Stew blogger Pina Broccoli Anaia has been making the Cambridge food scene a tastier place for more than 10 years. In her regular column for Velvet, she takes us on a world food tour. . . right on our doorstep. On the menu this month: sandwiches

As a food writer I’m often asked, “What’s your favourite meal?” and my answer is invariably, “the humble sandwich”. My bases are pretty much covered in that response as any dish with fillings nestled in a bun, bagel or two slices of bread, stuffed in a pitta, rolled into a wrap or tucked in a taco shell, I consider it (perhaps controversially) a type of sandwich. And besides, sandwiches really are the most perfect and versatile food.

Beyond their obvious convenience and portability, sandwiches offer many tasty and creative possibilities but one thing remains the same: the layering of ingredients for optimal bite, balance and structure is the key to a sandwich’s feast of flavours and textures. Favoured around the world, practically every country has its own national sandwich. There’s a host of names for the beloved sandwich: sarnie, sammie, sanga, sando, sub, panini, toastie, butty, croque-monsieur… the list goes on as it travels the globe. With bread as their canvas for cultural and culinary expression, here are five local food businesses putting the love into their global sandwich creations.

King’s Dough: At the aptly named King’s Dough restaurant, located on Cambridge’s King Street, the chef expertly crafts Italian panuozzo sandwiches with bread made from pizza dough. Combining the best of both worlds – pane (bread) and pizza – to make a Neapolitan- inspired pizza sandwich, panuozzo’s dough is stretched out into a long oval shape, baked until soft yet crispy, packed with a variety of premium ingredients from Italy, then briefly placed back in the oven to melt any cheeses, infuse all the delicious flavours and provide maximum crunch. In a clever twist, each panuozzo on their menu is named after kings, like the Richard (aubergine parmigiana with smoked provola cheese and basil) and William II (16-month cured Parma ham, buffalo stracciatella, Genovese basil pesto, sundried tomatoes, rocket, Parmesan shavings and balsamic glaze). Buonissimo!
kingsdough.co.uk / @kings_dough

Bread & Meat: Cambridge institution Bread & Meat inevitably springs to mind when craving a satisfying sandwich in the city centre. The Philly cheesesteak on their menu may not be for the purists, but their delightful interpretation captures the flavours and textures of the classic American sandwich invented in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 1930s. Bread & Meat’s version features British beef brisket, cheese curds, green peppers, onions, homemade roast garlic aioli and optional jalapeños, all layered into an oven-fresh, artisan sourdough ciabatta. This hearty sandwich is served warm where the cheese melts into the tender beef slices and caramelised vegetables. The bread, with its crisp crust and soft airy interior, encases the tasty ingredients and soaks up their juices, turning each bite into a mouthwatering experience.
breadandmeat.co.uk / @breadandmeat

Ellimatta: Tucked away in Chesterton’s Victoria Avenue, Ellimatta is a charming Aussie-themed café owned and run by Amanda and Shane who moved to Cambridge from Sydney. With sandwich devotees all over Australia, Ellimatta’s main offering consists of epic sandwiches named after its suburbs, such as Five Dock, Bronte and Carlton. Their fresh fillings are made with locally sourced ingredients layered into freshly baked focaccia sliced lengthwise. Popular choices are the Stanmore (roast pork, white bean, fennel, cabbage, rocket, salsa verde, bacon fries), Campsie (eggs in curried mayo, landcress, Bombay mix) and Fitzroy (aubergine, cauliflower, pomegranate, cabbage slaw, mint) but the menu changes to reflect the best of what each season has to offer.
@ellimatta.cambridge

Azahar: Cambridge’s Azahar serve up artisan Spanish fare from their cheerful Citroën H street food van, most notably bocatas (also known as bocadillos) using baguette-like bread that’s crusty, firm yet soft inside. These Spanish sandwiches, with their top quality fillings, are as varied as they are delicious. Azahar’s sandwiches, which lean towards simplicity with only a few main ingredients, feature traditional fillings such as chorizo, grilled lomo (marinated pork loin), chistorra (Basque style chorizo), Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (ham from acorn-fed pigs), pollo ajillo (chicken thigh cooked in garlic and white wine) and tortilla de queso (omelette with manchego cheese). Some bocatas are lightly seasoned with sauces and spreads like aioli, smoky mayo or chipotle – kept to a minimum to let the fillings and bread shine.
@azaharfoodvan

The Grey House Gnawtybites: In the pretty village of Hemingford Grey in Cambridgeshire, Sian of Gnawtybites joined forces with quirky coffee shop The Grey House to serve a variety of brunch options, including jaffles – pressed toasted sandwiches with sealed edges that are made in a sandwich press or jaffle iron (first patented by an Australian in 1949). These pockets of toasted goodness are especially popular in Australia and South Africa where they are square and circular, respectively. Inspired by Sian’s time in Melbourne, her savoury jaffle menu mainly features cheese paired with ingredients like ham, beans, macaroni, Bolognese sauce, tuna or sausage for a melty inside, a crisp outer layer and caramelised edges. The pretzels served on the side complete the meal on a salty, crunchy note.
gnawtybites.co.uk / @thegreyhouse_gnawtybites

For more reviews and recommendations, follow @one2culinarystew or visit onetwoculinarystew.com