Expat Cooking... MacDonald's Midnight Sandwich

My wife is a wonderful cook. But with each year I long more for the American and Scottish food of my youth, as well as that cooked by expatriates in the States.

Larissa told me at breakfast that making a midnight sandwich is unheard of in Russia. I bet, though, that a lot of expat Americans everywhere enjoy putting together something scrumptious in the wee hours of the morning! This activity is very soothing and often leads to sleep... but only if you are careful not to make a heavy sandwich... which will keep your stomach awake, and you too!

Use the best ingredients and sharpen your paring knife. I load the kitchen table with all that I'll need from the cabinet and refrigerator.

Bread................. strong dark or rye
Sour cream......... skip salty mayonnaise
Tomato.............. or a bell pepper, for flavor and color!
Onion................. red is best
Cheese................. Russian or import
Mustard.............. I love strong sharp flavors!
Lettuce................ anything but iceburg

Sit at the table with a large work plate or cutting board, a small plate on which to build your sandwich and something for scraps.

Slather sour cream on your foundation slice of bread
Slice some of the tomato and onion very thin... actually shave off pieces
Thin slice the cheese, cover with mustard and put it face down
Use lettuce as a topping to hold everything together
If you add a second piece of bread, cover the inside with more sour cream
Cut in two

I try to make sandwiches with not too much protein and fat... but with lots of the flavors of tasty vegetables, cheese, and mustard. Even if you are frugal, don't buy cheap vinegar, olive oil, and mustard but be generous, especially to yourself in small things!

So, don't just long for recipes of your past. Make them now! Expat Cooking can be a great way to feel good about some of your memories, and better about being far away in time and space from your home country.