Of all the meme blogs we’ve seen on the Internet, this one takes the cake, or is that sandwich? Have you ever wondered where you can find pictures of Tom Selleck, enjoying a cool dip in a waterfall, graced by a hovering sandwich? Over at the Selleck Waterfall Sandwich tumblog you can!

Who is the deranged (genius) person behind all of this? We’re upset there is no contact information to allow us to send in our own Selleck Waterfall Sandwich photos. If you have more information about how this blog came to be, or know the author, please let us know in the comments! Maybe you want to make your own Selleck Waterfall Sandwich photo and post a link to it? We’d be cool with that too.

Kids are notoriously picky eaters, and no measure of pleading, bargaining or reasoning can convince them to taste something they’ve decided they don’t want to eat.  Some kids are placated by simply removing the crust from a sandwich; others need a little extra cajoling.  Enter Mark Northeast, a web designer and dad in the UK who has come up with a delightful and creative solution that has kids and parents looking at food in a whole new way.

Mark made his first Funky Lunch in May after picking up his son from pre-school.  There’s nothing like a rocket-shaped sandwich to transform a grumpy kid from “I don’t want to eat,” to “More please!”  As the weeks went on, Mark’s lunch creations grew in scope and complexity.  His sandwich art now includes animals (giraffe, lion, pig, caterpillar), cartoon characters (Hello Kitty, Spongebob, Nemo, Sid), Pac-Man, and even a grand piano.  Funky Lunch is now on Facebook and Twitter, and Mark has been contacted by publishers looking to expand his vision and bring his incredible sandwich creations to a broad audience.

I’ve become a bit obessed by it all and believe I can actually do some good with it.  My mind starting racing thinking of not only new sandwich ideas but also how I can mass market this in a positive way. My son now eats tomato because of Funky Lunch, he ate Spongebobs Tie and is now happy to eat tomatoes, provided they don’t look like a tomato (ok so we can work on that)!

Some people think I’m a bit mad at the idea of creating these sandwiches especially with the effort that goes into some of them, but I believe even the simplest ones will have an effect on a child not wanting to eat, so why not try.

Funky Lunches are adorable and brilliant, but clearly a labor of love and not for the average mom or dad who can barely spread the peanut butter on bread fast enough.  But if you are looking for a way to get your kid to try new foods, look no further than Funky Lunch for inspiration.  But be warned: your kids may never eat a regular sandwich again.

Funky Lunch Sandwich Design

According to a recent article in the New York Times Magazine, the sandwich is the most popular meal in America, at both lunch and dinner. (Just one of the reasons why America is awesome.)

There’s no doubt that Philadelphia has a deeply rooted sandwich history. The Philadelphia Inquirer highlights two of the reasons for that trend: the cheesesteak and the hoagie.  Hoagies, Hoagies, Hoagies and Steaks & Cheesesteaks are featured collections of the Inquirer’s sandwich reporting over the years. Some interesting tidbits include an investigation into the history of the hoagie, a look at the ever growing popularity of seeded rolls, and Craig LaBan’s cheesesteak project, where he recruited four high school students to find the perfect sandwich (they crowned John’s Roast Pork the victor).

We’re glad to see that Philly.com has offered the growing number of sandwich enthusiasts a look inside their archives of hoagie and cheesesteak reporting.

Hoagies, Hoagies, Hoagies [Philly.com]
Steaks & Cheesesteaks [Philly.com]

A sandwich can say a lot about a person. Think about it: we choose our favorite meat, cheeses, produce, and condiments. They are completely customizable and tailored to our personality. In a quest to slap their name on everything sandwich related, Hellmann’s Mayonnaise has conducted a study of 2,700 people to determine how their sandwich choices reflect their emotions and behavior. Administered by Dr. Alan Hirsch of The Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation (yes, it’s real), participants were put through rigorous psychological testing and then asked to pick their favorite sandwich from a platter put before them.

Dr. Hirsch compares the very generalized test to a food version of the Rorschach ink blot. You can read the full article (in all of it’s hokeyness) over at the Chicago Tribune, where writer Phil Vettel adds his own commentary and even conducts a seemingly scripted interview with the good doctor.

Your Sandwich Choices May Reveal Personality, Compatibility [Chicago Tribune]

Tonight begins Passover, the yearly ritual retelling of the Jewish story of Exodus.  But mostly, it’s about eating.

A central element of the traditional seder dinner is eating a Hillel sandwich: a scoop of fruity-nutty-chutney called charoset and a spoonful of horseradish between two pieces of matzoh (unleveaned flatbread.)  This sandwich, we believe, is the very first sandwich to be recorded and preserved through history.

Born in Babylonia but “the man” in Jerusalem, Rabbi Hillel was the preeminent figure of Jewish study in the 1st Century BC (BCE.)  As a centerpiece of the Passover seder, he thought to combine the three major symbols of the meal into one compact bite: matzoh, bitter herbs and roast lamb.

Wait.  What’s that about roast lamb?

The modern Hillel sandwich is a far cry from the sage Rabbi’s original creation.  Over time, charoset has taken the place of the roast lamb, likely out of necessity and availability.  Even matzoh, the iconic “bread” of Passover, has taken on a form that is likely quite different from the original Bedouin flatbread.

So tonight, as Jews eat their Hillel sandwiches, consider this: how badass could a real Hillel sandwich be — roast leg of lamb and chopped horseradish wrapped in a wood fired flatbread?

Tell us about your perfect Hillel sandwich in the comments.

Charoset Recipe:

Yield: 3 cups

* 6 peeled apples, coarsely chopped
* 2/3 c chopped almonds
* 3 tbsp sugar, or to taste
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* grated rind of 1 lemon
* 4 tbsp sweet red wine

Combine all, mixing thoroughly. Add wine as need. Blend to desired texture- some like it coarse and crunchy, others prefer it ground to a paste. Chill.

Source: “The Jewish Holiday Kitchen” by Joan Nathan 1988

Seems like we stirred the pot pretty good with a little debate here on the site over the past few days.  Our post elicited a fabulous comment which kicked off a firestorm of people jumping in.  It’s even spilled over to other blogs and reddit.

Is a burrito a sandwich?  Most people say No Way.  But maybe, in a way, it is.  Read the ongoing debate and join in.