Old-Time Bar Lunch Sandwich

In honor of Andy Smith's discussion of the beginning of lunch in America, here is the sort of sandwich you could have put together at one of those beer bar buffets. Picnics and lunch boxes are natural homes for this one.

Ingredients

• 1 large hard roll, or other chewy roll

• Dark mustard

• 5 to 6 thin slices salami (summer sausage, Italian, German, or Hungarian)

• Thinly sliced mild or hot pickled peppers, drained and patted dry

• Thinly sliced extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

• 2 tablespoons chow-chow pickles, or 5 slices bread-and-butter pickles, drained and patted dry

• Mayonnaise

Instructions

1. Halve the roll and slather both sides with mustard. Arrange salami on bottom half of roll, top with several slices of peppers, then overlapping slices of cheese. Top with the pickles, a light film of mayonnaise, and the other half of the roll. Press sandwich together and slice in half. Both halves could be secured with toothpicks.