When we’re entertaining, Bob and I start the same way every single time – by brainstorming the menu. We can have epically long discussions about what to serve for Thanksgiving dinner while sitting on a boat in the blazing hot sun in July. But right now, the earth is melting. It’s actually threatening to melt at any minute, at which point the floor will literally turn to lava and we’ll be undone. It is so hot this summer! While I’m loving it, I basically don’t want to cook. Ever. We’re living off sandwiches, salads, watermelon and big jars full of ice water in our house and I have no shame. Even standing over a grill sounds entirely unappealing. Short of ordering pizza delivery, which is an entirely valid option, this sandwich board is your answer for your next party! You don’t have to cook, you barely have to prep anything. It’s the very definition of life saving when you have a party coming up and the earth is melting.
There’s not a lot of instructions here because all you’re doing is putting together a spread so friends can mix and match to make their own dream sandwich. Below I’ve listed my recommendations for how many kinds of bread, cheese, condiments and toppings you might want to consider, but you can improvise here however you’d like. As a vegetarian my dream sandwich includes loads of roasted vegetables so that’s what I served here – roasted eggplant, zucchini, portobello mushrooms and bell peppers. If you’re an omnivore, load it up with your favorite meats pre-sliced for easy stacking. Slice things like tomatoes and onions in advance, transfer condiments into cute bowls and serve everything up on platters or boards for a presentation that’s super chic while also being really easy.
A Make Your Own Sandwich Board Checklist
- Two to three kinds of bread (I chose pretzel rolls and marble rye bread)
- Three to four kinds of cheese (I chose provolone, swiss, pepper jack, and colby jack)
- Veggie toppings like onions, leaf lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and avocados
- Three to four condiments (I chose mayo, hummus and a couple kinds of mustard)
- Roasted veggies (Eggplant, zucchini, portobellos and bell peppers)
- One to two sliced meats (optional)
[Concept + art direction by Cyd Converse | Video by Inspo | Photos by Alice G. Patterson.]