'WICHCRAFT - CRAFT A SANDWICH INTO A MEAL
BY TOM COLICCHIO AND SISHA ORTUZAR

Review by

'wichcraft - craft a sandwich into a meal - a meal into a sandwich
(Clarkson Potter) ISBN 978-0609610510 0609610511

Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortuzar share their 'wichcraft sandwich shop recipes. Learn how to make cool and hot sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. The 208-page sandwich cookbook also includes recipes for party sandwiches and open-face sandwiches. 'wichcraft shows you how to combine a variety of breads with fillings, salads, condiments and garnishes to create delicious sandwiches.

Sandwich ideas

Most recipes make four sandwiches. In each sandwich recipe introduction, Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortuzar explain why they selected specific breads, meats, cheeses, spices and herbs to flavor each sandwich. Many of the hot sandwiches use a sandwich press or oven for heating. Sandwich making instructions are straightforward.

Chapters on bread, salads and the history of sandwiches, provide information and tips. For example, 'wichcraft states that bread freezes well. To freshen a frozen baguette, moisten the crust, wrap it in foil and heat it in the oven.

More than 100 color photos by Bill Bettencourt illustrate 'wichcraft. Each recipe has a large image of the finished sandwich. The index compiles a small image and a list of basic ingredients for each sandwich.

Dessert sandwiches

Dessert sandwich recipes, like chocolate cream'wich, taste better than Oreos. For an ice cream sandwich that is tastier than the commercial variety, try the recipe for banana bread with caramel ice cream and pecan brittle.

'wichcraft includes several tips for making sandwiches. An example? For sandwiches with a marinated salad, cut the bread so the bottom is thicker to soak up the marinade.

In the Pantry chapter, Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortuzar tell readers how to make flavored mayonnaise (black chile, black olive, lemon), vinaigrette (lemon, parsley, pistachio), pickled recipes (mustard seeds, pepper relish, red onions, vegetables), pesto (spinach basil, walnut) and other condiments.

Sample sandwich recipes

Breakfast sandwiches: fried eggs (with bacon, gorgonzola and frisée), kumquat rosemary (with goat cheese) and stewed apricots and fennel (with ricotta, pistachios and black pepper).

Cool sandwiches: boucheron (with grapefruit and crispy olives) and smoked salmon (with avocado, green mango and basil).

Warm sandwiches: roasted asparagus (with red onions, basil and vacherin), roasted pumpkin (with mozzarella and hazelnut brown butter) and slow roasted pork (with red cabbage, jalapenos and mustard).

Sweet sandwiches: gingerbread (with rum ice cream and poached pears) and devil's food cake (with vanilla ice cream and sour cherries).

'wichcraft

Contents

  • 'wich menu
    • Why a sandwich cookbook?
    • More than chewing the fat
  • Breakfast sandwiches
    • Sandwich architecture
    • Bread basics
  • Cool sandwiches
    • On buying
    • Salads
  • Warm sandwiches
    • The fresh air fund internship program
    • Less really is more
    • The evolution of the sandwich
    • Party fare
  • Sweet sandwiches
    • Sweets for the sweet
  • Pantry
    • Pantry provisions
Resources
Index

Authors

Chef Tom Colicchio is head judge of the TV show, Top Chef, and owner of the Craft restaurants, including Craftbar, Craftsteak and 'wichcraft.

Sous chef Sisha Ortuzar initiated the idea that started the 'wichcraft sandwich shops in New York, San Francisco and Las Vegas.


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