flipBrown-bag tuna sandwich
Brown-bag tuna sandwich
Why this dish? During the long days at the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, time was short: a sandwich prepared in the morning, slipped into a kraft paper bag, could be eaten quickly between two code runs, accompanied by a coffee from the cafeteria.
The quintessential American sandwich: canned tuna mashed with mayonnaise, a little celery for crunch, between two slices of white bread. Practical, filling, perfect for someone without a minute to spare.
You know, at the lab we counted hours the way we counted bytes — there was never enough. So in the morning I'd open a can of tuna, mash it with a fork with a big spoonful of mayo and a little celery for crunch, and into the paper bag it went. At noon I'd pull it out without even looking up from my printouts. A good sandwich, a paper cup of black coffee, and I'd go back to re-reading my code before the next run.
- •Canned tuna in oil — 1 can (main filling)
- •Mayonnaise — a few spoonfuls (binder)
- •Celery stalk — a piece (crunch)
- •White sandwich bread — 2 slices (base)
- •Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Brown-bag tuna sandwich
The quintessential American sandwich: canned tuna mashed with mayonnaise, a little celery for crunch, between two slices of white bread. Practical, filling, perfect for someone without a minute to spare.
Why this dish? During the long days at the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, time was short: a sandwich prepared in the morning, slipped into a kraft paper bag, could be eaten quickly between two code runs, accompanied by a coffee from the cafeteria.
You know, at the lab we counted hours the way we counted bytes — there was never enough. So in the morning I'd open a can of tuna, mash it with a fork with a big spoonful of mayo and a little celery for crunch, and into the paper bag it went. At noon I'd pull it out without even looking up from my printouts. A good sandwich, a paper cup of black coffee, and I'd go back to re-reading my code before the next run.
Ingredients (period version)
- Canned tuna in oil — 1 can (main filling)
- Mayonnaise — a few spoonfuls (binder)
- Celery stalk — a piece (crunch)
- White sandwich bread — 2 slices (base)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Canned tuna, drained — 140 g (1 can) (main filling)
- Mayonnaise — 2 tbsp (binder)
- Celery, finely chopped — 1 small stalk (crunch)
- Whole wheat or white bread — 2 slices (base)
- Lemon juice — a few drops (freshness)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Drain the tuna and mash it with a fork in a bowl.
- Add mayonnaise, chopped celery, a few drops of lemon juice, salt and pepper; mix.
- Spread the mixture on one slice of bread, close with the second.
- Cut diagonally in half and wrap in paper — ready to go.
How it was made : Canned tuna became a staple of American kitchens after the war: cheap, long-lasting, an instant source of protein. The brown-bag lunch was the standard lunch for employees and schoolchildren in the 1960s.
The contemporary twist : A spoonful of Greek yogurt instead of half the mayonnaise and a few capers: lighter, with a tangy twist.
Margaret Hamilton · Charactorium
