Top 6 Western American Sandwiches

French dip is a Californian sandwich that, despite its name, doesn't have much to do with France, except for the fact that it is served au jus, a French expression meaning with juice/broth. The sandwich consists of thinly sliced roast beef (alternatively, roast pork, leg of lamb, turkey, or ham), black pepper, mustard, and horseradish on a long white French roll (or a baguette) that has been dipped into pan juices or gravy. Sometimes, Swiss, American, Monterey Jack, or blue cheese is added to further enhance its flavors. The usual accompaniments include coleslaw, potato, and macaroni salad, hard-boiled eggs, sweet or sour pickles, black olives, and yellow chile peppers. The sandwich was invented by Philippe Mathieu, the owner of an L.A.-based deli and sandwich shop called Philippe the Original, who unintentionally dropped the sandwich into a roasting pan full of drippings and served it to a hungry policeman. The policeman returned the next day and brought his friends along to try this new delicacy, and the French dip sandwich was born. Today, it is so popular that it has spread across the country, all the way over to beef-mad cities such as Montreal, New York, Toronto, and Wichita.Expand

Monte Cristo is an American sandwich consisting of two sliced of white bread filled with a slice of cheese, and ham, turkey, or chicken meat. The combination is dipped in beaten eggs and fried in butter, resulting in a delicious, calorie-packed concoction that is crispy on the exterior while tender and custardy on the interior. It is believed that the first Monte Cristo was served in the 1950s in southern California, but some people claim that the sandwich is just a variation on the classic French Croque Monsieur.Expand

Avocado toast is a dish consisting of a piece of toasted bread topped with a combination of mashed avocados, salt, pepper, and (sometimes) citrus juice. There are many varieties of this dish, so it can be enriched with ingredients such as salmon, tomatoes, onions, eggs, garlic, cheese, olive oil, or red pepper flakes. Although the dish is quite simple and straightforward, the location of its origin is not – some claim that it is an Australian invention, while others proclaim that Los Angeles is the place where it was born. Regardless of its origin, avocado toast started its modern-day revival on Instagram, and it has been trending across the globe ever since.Expand

Patty melt is an American sandwich consisting of Swiss cheese and an onion-topped hamburger patty between slices of grilled rye bread. The flavorful sandwich was invented in California in the late 1940s by Tiny Naylor, the owner of Biff's and Tiny Naylor restaurants. It is believed that the dish served as an inspiration for the famous tuna melt, using tuna as a substitute for the hamburger patty. Most often, patty melt is served with French fries, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and a Thousand Island dressing on the side. Today, it can be found in many diners and fast-food restaurants across the country.Expand

Also known as Western sandwich, Denver sandwich is a combination of two slices of bread and a Denver omelette in between. The omelette is traditionally made with scrambled eggs, onions, ham, and green peppers. Although there are many claims about its origin, the famous food writer James Beard believes that it was invented by Chinese chefs who used to cook for railroad gangs in the 19th and the 20th centuries, and the sandwich probably evolved from a dish known as egg foo young.Expand

Fool's gold loaf is an American sandwich consisting of a hollowed-out loaf of bread that is filled with peanut butter, blueberry jelly, and bacon. What makes this sandwich so unique is that it is prepared with the contents of whole jars of peanut butter and jelly, and the bacon content should weigh about a full pound. Although the sandwich was invented by the owners of the Colorado Mine Company restaurant, it was popularized by Elvis Presley, who consumed 30 of the sandwiches with his friends in just two hours.Expand