A Question of Great Importance

[Diceomancer]

There is a debate that I have learned rages frequently and intensely among the students and at least one professor in the department I graduated from fairly recently. I inadvertently caused a flair-up of this debate, and the passion it invoked was very entertaining. I now present that question to the playground:

Is a burrito a sandwich?

[Tvtyrant]

Yes, except for breakfast burritos.

[InvisibleBison]

I wouldn't call a burrito a sandwich, and I'd be surprised and confused if someone else did. So no, I don't think a burrito is a sandwich. That being said, there is no source of authority over the English language to rule definitively one way or the other on this issue, so all anyone can say is their usage. Thus, if there is a place or culture or whatnot where everyone agrees that a burrito is a kind of sandwich, they're not wrong per se, just likely to encounter some confusion when dealing with people who are not part of their group.

[Peelee]

There is a debate that I have learned rages frequently and intensely among the students and at least one professor in the department I graduated from fairly recently. I inadvertently caused a flair-up of this debate, and the passion it invoked was very entertaining. I now present that question to the playground:

Is a burrito a sandwich?

Define "sandwich." Part of my definition would stipulate that the bread used to hold the filling would need to be two separate pieces (so a hot dog would not be a sandwich, unless the flap was broken, for example). Also, if you're in MA, then no need for the debate, a burrito is legally not a sandwich.

[Aedilred]

If a hot dog isn't a sandwich, I don't see how a burrito can be.

[Imbalance]

I've been lead to believe that a sandwich just isn't a sandwich without the tangy zip of Miracle Whip. By that definition, a burrito cannot ever be a sandwich for me, personally. Also, despite having enjoyed countless dishes wherein bread serves as a container for layers of meat, cheese, and/ or veggies along with myriad condiments, I have apparently only consumed a sandwich once. Once.

[Iruka]

I think we should first figure out wether a burger is a sandwich.

[Razade]

I think we should first figure out wether a burger is a sandwich.

We've done that. The answer was yes.

A burrito however is not a sandwich. It's a wrap. A quesadilla however is a sandwich.

[Otomodachi]

I think we should first figure out wether a burger is a sandwich.

I think we need to dig deeper-

What is bread?

[Iruka]

I think we need to dig deeper-

What is bread?

Should we not verify that we need bread for a sandwich before going down that rabbit hole?

[Otomodachi]

Should we not verify that we need bread for a sandwich before going down that rabbit hole?

Are you suggesting a pile of lunchmeat and cheese on a plate might qualify as a sandwich, or are were going to explore the Double-Down conundrum?

(p.s. I bet the comments on that link have some great relevant comments, haha)

[Peelee]

Are you suggesting a pile of lunchmeat and cheese on a plate might qualify as a sandwich, or are were going to explore the Double-Down conundrum?

(p.s. I bet the comments on that link have some great relevant comments, haha)

Sandwich or not, that was dang tasty.

[Iruka]

Are you suggesting a pile of lunchmeat and cheese on a plate might qualify as a sandwich, or are were going to explore the Double-Down conundrum?

(p.s. I bet the comments on that link have some great relevant comments, haha)

Exactly, I think we should work that out first. If we can agree on the inclusion of some dough based product, we can move on to which are permissible and if they have to form the outer layer.

[Dragonquetra]

I would say that it isn't.

[Otomodachi]

Exactly, I think we should work that out first. If we can agree on the inclusion of some dough based product, we can move on to which are permissible and if they have to form the outer layer.

Oh yeah, I do personally think a sandwich needs to include bread of some kind, sliced, a roll, whatever. So a burrito in a flour tortilla counts as a sandwich for me (tortillas are flour and water, it's really just a very flat flatbread) but a corn tortilla burrito wouldn't.

Also lasagna might be a sandwich.

[Peelee]

Oh yeah, I do personally think a sandwich needs to include bread of some kind, sliced, a roll, whatever. So a burrito in a flour tortilla counts as a sandwich for me (tortillas are flour and water, it's really just a very flat flatbread) but a corn tortilla burrito wouldn't.

Also lasagna might be a sandwich.

I would argue that eating the food with your hands is required of a sandwich.

[Otomodachi]

I would argue that eating the food with your hands is required of a sandwich.

Here's where I point out that unless it's too hot or literally soup, I can probably eat it with my hands. ;)

On a more serious note, what about a couple fried eggs on a piece of toast? I COULD eat it with my hands but a fork and knife is a bit easier and that's what I usually do.

[Tvtyrant]

Speaking of fried: is fried chicken a sandwich?

[Peelee]

Here's where I point out that unless it's too hot or literally soup, I can probably eat it with my hands. ;)

On a more serious note, what about a couple fried eggs on a piece of toast? I COULD eat it with my hands but a fork and knife is a bit easier and that's what I usually do.

Even soup you can eat with your hands. The question is, do you?

Also, eggs on toast could be argued as an open-faced sandwich.

[Otomodachi]

Speaking of fried: is fried chicken a sandwich?

Personally I think breadING is similar but separate from bread, so no.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Speaking of fried: is fried chicken a sandwich?

Obviously yes, if you own a bar in a certain US state which requires alcohol to be served only if sandwiches are in the menu.

No, I don't know what state that would be. It came up in a recent (maybe last weekend?) Wait Wait Don't Tell Me.

Also:


Grey Wolf

[Vizzerdrix]

Either everything is a sammich, or nothing is.

[Otomodachi]

either everything is a sammich, or nothing is.

only a sith sandwich deals in absolutes! :)

[Vizzerdrix]

only a sith sandwich deals in absolutes! :)

White or honey oat. Their is no rye.

(Woot another mainer! Greetings from Bangor)

[ve4grm]

Even soup you can eat with your hands. The question is, do you?

For a technical definition of sandwich, eating with your hands isn't even the sole thing. We need to go back to the inventor, the Earl of Sandwich, who requested a snack that he could comfortably hold in, and eat from, one hand while playing cards with the other (or while working at his desk, depending on the story).

So soup? Not a sandwich.

Fried chicken? Too greasy.

A burrito? Depends on how full/messy of a burrito.

Heck, under this definition, even some burgers wouldn't be sandwiches. Neither would sloppy joes (most of the time eaten with a knife and fork anyways), or philly cheesesteaks.

Also, eggs on toast could be argued as an open-faced sandwich.

As could a pizza.

[Otomodachi]

For a technical definition of sandwich, eating with your hands isn't even the sole thing. We need to go back to the inventor, the Earl of Sandwich, who requested a snack that he could comfortably hold in, and eat from, one hand while playing cards with the other (or while working at his desk, depending on the story).

The WORD sandwich is *NAMED* for that one dude, probably, but the concept of what a sandwich *IS* is much older. People've been scooping stuff onto bread and eating it one-handed for a hecka-long time, I think.

Nitpicking left alone, the one-handed-relatively-cleanly rule is NOT a bad one for definition.

White or honey oat. Their is no rye.

(Woot another mainer! Greetings from Bangor)

Wut wuuuuuuuuut, I'm down on Mount Desert Island, wassup? :)

[ve4grm]

The WORD sandwich is *NAMED* for that one dude, probably, but the concept of what a sandwich *IS* is much older. People've been scooping stuff onto bread and eating it one-handed for a hecka-long time, I think.

Nitpicking left alone, the one-handed-relatively-cleanly rule is NOT a bad one for definition.

Interestingly, though, this means that a lot of things traditionally thought of, or even referred to as, sandwiches would not technically be sandwiches under this definition. Most open-faced sandwiches, for example, and even many sub sandwiches.

[Tvtyrant]

Obviously yes, if you own a bar in a certain US state which requires alcohol to be served only if sandwiches are in the menu.

No, I don't know what state that would be. It came up in a recent (maybe last weekend?) Wait Wait Don't Tell Me.

Also:


Grey Wolf

I'm pretty far down and to the right. Breakfast burritos are hard because letting them in means a crape is a sandwich, which seems too far.

[Peelee]

Interestingly, though, this means that a lot of things traditionally thought of, or even referred to as, sandwiches would not technically be sandwiches under this definition. Most open-faced sandwiches, for example, and even many sub sandwiches.

Imean, if we want to talk about it seriously, culinary terms by and large work on the "i can't describe it but I know it when I see it" school of thought. For example, vegetables are defined as a plant or part of a plant used as food, which includes a TON of things that aren't normally thought of as vegetables - fruits, nuts, spices, herbs... hell, tea is effectively vegetable water. But we don't call fruits vegetables, or nuts, or spices and herbs and tea leaves and whatnot. By the same token, if someone asks, "would you like a sandwich," you would not expect a burrito or eggs on toast.

I, of course, would not like to talk about it seriously. Now, I think we can all agree that a hot dog is a regional variant of a taco, yes?

[Otomodachi]

Interestingly, though, this means that a lot of things traditionally thought of, or even referred to as, sandwiches would not technically be sandwiches under this definition. Most open-faced sandwiches, for example, and even many sub sandwiches.

You think so? I do open faces all the time, although almost always toasted, that way you can perch it in one hand pretty well. Subs, just cut it in half. I can palm the crap out of a 6 inch sub.

I'm pretty far down and to the right. Breakfast burritos are hard because letting them in means a crape is a sandwich, which seems too far.

Eh, for me sandwiches still need bread where bread is "mostly flour and water" and crepes are milk all the way, baby, right?

I, of course, would not like to talk about it seriously. Now, I think we can all agree that a hot dog is a regional variant of a taco, yes?

Nah, it's a poor man's calzone executed badly. Everyone knows taco meat should be ground or shredded. ;)