sandwiches
standard walking sandwich
- toasted everything bagel
fillings in order
- vegan mayo¹ spread on bottom of bagel
- three slices of cheddar (mature) to cover entire bagel
- pickles² sliced to similar thickness to cheddar and placed in same orientation
- coarse freshly ground pepper
- french mustard spread on top side of bagel
oxford creamwich
- toasted white (preferred for the improved toasted crispness and glaze) or wholemeal bagel (better energy for long excursions)
fillings in order
- garlic aioli³ spread on bottom of bagel
- crisp lettuce (one or two leaves organised to cover the bagel hole)
- thinly sliced tomatoes (be wary of adding too much liquid contet)
- thinly sliced cucumber
- finely sliced red onions⁴
- fresh basil, torn
- cream cheese spread on top of bagel with fresh coarse ground pepper
other things said
- hellmans brand is the best. in my opinion, it is the only good vegan mayo; in fact it is better than any non-vegan mayo, because of its vinegary and slightly sour flavour profile, and its consistency is superior for sandwiches because it does not make the bread soggy. i have heard that home-made regular mayo is far better than store-bought, but i have never tried it.
- ideally sandwich pickles, but cornichons and the like will also work fine. this is actually a context in which a sweeter pickle works well. if you are using a more sour pickle you could consider adding something a bit sweeter (this is a good use case for a sweeter soft-pickled red onion). chutney-style pickle such as branston also works well here.
- best to just make it yourself with vegan mayo¹, fresh lemon juice, a little zest, grated garlic, a splash of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper. this is all to taste but make sure not to make it too runny because that will make your bread soggy (the main enemy of a good sandwich)
- some people don't like this, so it's quite optional. also works well with soft pickled red onions, which is something like 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 cup of water, heated to dissolve a few tbsp of sugar, maybe a tbsp of fine salt (both to taste). i usually continue to let it heat until just under boiling, since the heated pickle broth helps to process the onions more quickly. this will give you enough for a 1 litre jar with 3-4 finely sliced red onions. i also add mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and chilli flakes. if you don't use pickled onions on the sandwich you may want to add a little salt.
- if you slice the bagels in half you can fit two sandwiches perfectly into one of those deep tupperwares. for the standard walking sandwich, halve the sandwich in the direction that bisects the cheese/pickles.
- i strongly dislike when sandwiches use bitter dry herbs. it just doesn't make any sense. there is a cafe where i live which i went to once, and only once, on account of an incident involving a large amount of dried oregano and basil. powdered spices are appropriate in some cases, but likely best integrated with a sauce.
Yesterday :: Thursday, 23rd April 2026 (1)