Great Sandwich

Years ago, when I used to go to the Paris Air Show, there was the Paris version of fast food which was sold from stands at the show. This was the most wonderful sandwich. It was wonderful crusty French bread in the form of a baguette.

Then it had a very, very thin layer of unsalted butter with another very thin layer of Grey Poupon-style mustard. Then, unlike the US where we'd have 1/2 pound of meat, there was one perfect slice of ham. It was heavenly. They'd sell the sandwich for $3 in a white paper bag with the end twisted.

I remember one year where I actually had my own car and driver that I bought one of these sandwiches, feeling like Queen of Sheba, in my car and laughing at myself as I gnawed away at this perfect sandwich.

Today I came about as close to sandwich as I could. Got this demi-baguette in the grocery store -- it's a commercial bakery, but a fancy one. Ok, so I didn't use real butter, but I did make it thin, and had Gulden's instead of Grey Poupon.

When I buy any deli meat, I have come to learn that if I say "sliced very thin" -- well, I'm just another whiny, demanding customer. So instead I say "As thin as you can do it, please" -- now, the good counter guys see this as a challenge, and when I unwrapped my ham, it was a work of art -- paper thin slices, no thinner than paper thin -- just perfect.

Really, is there anything better than a perfect sandwich?