My Ideal Sandwich

During the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to interview for more than a few jobs.?At the end of one recent interview, ?the?hiring ?manager said she was sending me an email with one final interview question and I could answer and reply when I got home.

?Much to my surprise, this was the question: Describe your ideal sandwich and why. (I love this!)

?My reply follows:

?My ideal sandwich I’ve eaten many times in my life, but it was only when I was?younger. It’s a sandwich I can never have again, but am so thankful I did. It was a sandwich that was more about people, place and a special time, than the sandwich itself–though the sandwich was exceptionally delicious. Let there be no doubt about this.

?The sandwich was a turkey sandwich at Thanksgiving time. The turkey was, of course, leftover from Thanksgiving dinner the day before–an unforgettable meal, planned and prepared for weeks, and shared with a minimum of 25-35 friends and family, including my six siblings.

?The bread for this memorable?sandwich was baked by my Grandma Dora in Oklahoma. Each year, for most of my childhood, she baked loaves and loaves of gorgeous, fragrant homemade bread and shipped it to us for Thanksgiving. This was the best bread I’ve ever had in my life. It always will be. This melt-in-your-mouth, old-fashioned soft white?bread that smelled like honey and butter, was delicious and no?doubt, made with so much love.

There was one additional?ingredient on my ideal sandwich and it was the Kosher cranberry relish I made for my family every year at the holidays. Driving home from school one late fall evening, I heard the recipe on an NPR segment and memorized it on the the drive because it sounded so delicious. I made it that year, and every year after, for decades. It’s dynamite on a turkey sandwich. The right bread, like your Grandma’s, makes it even better.

?My siblings and I would wake up on Friday after Thanksgiving and gather in the kitchen for coffee, leftovers and lots of conversation. These were some of the happiest?mornings of my life–sitting at the table with my brothers and sisters, eating my ideal sandwich and having so much fun.