British food has often been the punchline of jokes, but thanks to celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver, the country has experienced a “food renaissance.” Still, one dish that’s considered “the most tasteless sandwich in existence” is still promoted by culinary greats. The toast sandwich is a slice of toast compressed between two pieces of bread. That’s right, not even the name is original. The uninspiring dish can be traced back to 1861, when Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management — an extensive guide to running a Victorian household — was first published. The recipe in the book reads: “Place a very thin piece of cold toast between two slices of thin bread-and-butter in the form of a sandwich, adding a seasoning of salt and pepper.” The dish was resurrected in 2011 in the UK by The Royal Society of Chemistry, which pronounced it as the country’s cheapest lunch, available at a cost of just 7.5p (10¢). Before Americans get on their high horses, just remember the sugar sandwiches of the 1950s — white bread with granulated sugar on top.
