Pilgrim (sandwich)

Pilgrim
Sandwich
Alternative name(s):
Puritan
Place of origin:
United States
Main ingredient(s):
Bread slices or bap
Recipes at Wikibooks:
Pilgrim
Media at Wikimedia Commons:
Pilgrim

A Pilgrim or Puritan is a sandwich which has connotations with the American Pilgrim Fathers and Thanksgiving Day. It was a traditional a way of using up leftover food from Thanksgiving Day and thus is composed essentially of bread slices or a bap, into which are placed sliced roast turkey, cranberries or cranberry sauce and cheddar cheese. There is an enormous variation in its composition with a huge range of ingredients being employed in some sandwiches and a great variation of ingredients between recipes. At its most basic it can be two slices of bread with slices of turkey, herb stuffing, cranberry sauce and some gravy.^[1]

More sophisticated versions of the Pilgrim sandwich include store-bought corn muffins, crusty hoagie, French bread, ciabatta rolls, extra virgin olive oil, butter, chopped apple, chopped onion, celery, flat leaf parsley, Thousand Island dressing and sliced/chopped pickled gherkins for topping.^[2][3]

A well known international magazine poll reported it to be one of America’s favourite sandwiches, the version illustrated included Muenster cheese and lettuce in addition to turkey, stuffing and cranberry chutney.^[4]

Paul Simon mentions pilgrims (and po' boys) in his song Graceland from his 1986 Graceland album.

References