Perfect Sparkling Wine To Pair With A Club Sandwich

10th June 2022

Fox & Fox and Club Sandwich

If you haven’t tried a club sandwich, then it is defiantly something that should be on your list of ‘foods to eat before I die’ but today we are taking it one step further, we are going to pair the flavoursome club sandwich with an award-winning Sparkling Wine.

A classic club sandwich, otherwise known as a clubhouse sandwich, is made of a triple-decker of lightly toasted bread, turkey or chicken with bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, it is normally cut into quarters, placed upright and held together with a cocktail stick in each quarter and served with a side of fries, other delicious additions to the sandwich might include egg and avocado, which are great for a vegetarian substitute.

Where, When & Who Created The First Club Sandwich?

When looking for the origins of this amazing sandwich, there are three major theories, but what is most agreed upon is that the sandwich was first made in America, which honestly surprised me, we enjoy it so much in England, that I thought it was an English creation.

The first and probably most known possible origin of the club sandwich comes from the Union Club of New York City, stating the first written reference to the sandwich was in The Evening World on November 18th, 1889, the article also contained a recipe for the sandwich, which reads as follows ‘Have you tried a Union Club sandwich yet? Two toasted pieces of Graham bread, with a layer of turkey or chicken and ham between them, served warm.’ There are also a couple of other references that credit the chef of the Union Club for creating the first club sandwich

If you go back just a couple of years, to 1894, we find ourselves at the Saratoga Club in Saratoga Springs, New York, right after Richard Canfield purchased the club and transformed it into the Canfield Casino, the second theory suggests it was first created here.

The third theory suggests the creation as far back as 1897 when the meats were separated by lettuce rather than bread, it’s said to appear in U.S. restaurants in 1899 and the earliest reference is in form of published fiction, from the book, Conversations of a Chorus Girl, written by Ray Cardell in 1903

The Sparkling Wine

Jonica Fox and her husband Gerard Fox planted their first vine in 2004, it was Gerard that inspired Jonica to get into the fizz business after he tasted some English Sparkling Wine at an event in London in 2003 and by 2009 they had started producing their own Sparkling Wine. They currently own 30 acres and grow the following grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

As well as offering enjoyable Sparkling Wine, Fox & Fox also offer bespoke wine tastings, either hosted by Jonica or Gerard, it’s perfect for any group of friends or even a birthday party, if you would like to find out more, just click here.

If you like the sound of this English Sparkling Wine, then you can check out more of their history and their Sparkling Wines in this article: Fox & Fox – Award Winning English Sparkling Wine

Fox & Fox – Inspiration 2014 – Tasting Notes

Aroma 👃 “Crisp ripe green apples, lemon and lime, English country garden, freshly cut garden, herbs and ready salted crisps on the aroma.”

Flavour 👅 “Crisp, zesty, creaminess, green fruits, yellow fruits, lemon, lime and more on the palate.”

This English Sparkling Wine Won a Gold Medal in the Creamy Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021

Pairing Notes

Pairing Notes – “You get a lovely youthful burst of citrus and yellow fruits, you lose no flavours from the Club Sandwich, still achieving the meaty flavours from the chicken and bacon and still getting toasty, tomatoes and egg flavours. The English Sparkling during the mid-length until the close infuses itself into the club sandwich, adding orchard fruits, sweet citrus and yellow blossom notes.”

A wonderful Pairing with the Fox & Fox and the Club Sandwich, it’s not the first time their Inspiration label has paired well with food, you can see how well it did paired with Pizza in this article: Battle of The Bubbles – Pizzaland

 

Information Credit: WikipediaFoodTimeLine

Oliver Walkey

Champagne and Sparkling Wine Writer, Focused on Bringing the Exciting and Fascinating World of Bubbly to You.