Thread by @MyDoncaster

We feel like people could do with some good news to focus on this week, so what INCREDIBLE timing that today is #NationalSandwichDay.

Did you know about Doncaster Council’s little-known, incredible connection with the sandwich, though? Let us tell you more.

Can ANYONE honestly say they don’t love the humble sandwich? Whether meaty, fishy, cheesy or salad…y, you simply can’t go wrong.

Well, we're betting not many of you know that people across the world have Doncaster Council to thank in part for the creation of this staple dish.

Sadly, since the influx of Instagram influencers has made everyone TERRIFIED of carbohydrates, the sandwich has suffered a bit of a PR problem.

Confirm our theory before we go on – sandwiches are still the best, right

That was the thinking of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich after whom the dish is reportedly named. He asked his cook to prepare him a meal he could eat while playing cards, and the rest is delicious history.

(Doncaster has since perfected the art of the sandwich, but more on that in a minute.)

Council social media accounts such as this one are required to provide ACCURATE historical information when talking about sandwiches (it’s the law), so we must point out that people from other cultures had been eating this kind of dish for ages before the Earl of Sandwich.

Had the people in the Middle East, who had been putting meat between softened bread for hundreds of years, heard the Earl take credit for the idea, they’d have been rightfully ticked off.

No, it was doubtful that the Earl of Sandwich was the first person to have the idea to create the dish, but it was his name that became attached to this beautiful object for the rest of eternity.

Part of the early appeal of sandwiches, after knowledge of the Earl’s lunch became more widespread, was that members of the aristocracy often ate them.

Being able to afford the lavish meats and fillings was considered a sign of wealth, and soon the dish swept the upper classes.

In fact, believe it or not, sandwiches were so popular that for a time they became the absolute centrepiece of any luxurious banquet and were even served to visiting royalty.

The invention of the sandwich rocked the world.

(‘Invention’ is probably pushing it a bit. Sandwiches are hardly as sophisticated as the aeroplane, but can you buy an aeroplane from Greggs? Exactly.)

Of course, as soon as the sandwich became considered a symbol of wealth, people were desperate to start making their own.

Sandwiches were soon a staple of diets across the United Kingdom, with all manner of weird and wonderful fillings being tried out.

(We know you’re waiting to hear about where Doncaster Council comes in to this story, but please be patient)

Just as the sandwich became more popular and accessible to the lower classes, someone came along and gentrified the dish again. That’s right, the canapé was born in late 1800s France.

Love them or hate them, canapés once again changed the sandwich game – apparently the idea of making a popular dish 5 times smaller was mind-blowing. The aristocracy once again had some posh nosh to be proud of.

Eating sandwiches was the absolute standard lunchtime snack by the turn of the 20th century.

In 1932, Cooplands of Doncaster was born – and anyone with any connection to our town will be filled with pride (and hunger) at the mere mention of that name.

Them being a local company, Cooplands soon became the bakery of choice for local people. Their freshly baked bread is still an integral part of a good Doncaster sandwich to this day.

(Sorry to everyone who made a sourdough during the last year, but you need to face reality. Cooplands is just better.)

To any good Doncastrian, Cooplands will conjure up memories of their childhood.

Chocolate Concrete from the famous bakery has been so popular over the years that, at one time, it was the closest thing to a second currency that Doncaster had ever experienced.

‘Have you forgotten that you promised to tell us about Doncaster Council’s involvement in the invention of the sandwich?’, we hear you cry. No, of course we haven’t!

Wasted opportunities to brag about the council permanently changing global cuisine are NOT our forte, so it gives us great pleasure to finally reveal this secret after years of hiding it.

Your favourite dish, the humble sandwich, was born right here

Time to FINALLY reveal all. Go back to the top of this thread and read the first word of each tweet – we THINK you’ll be blown away by what you read.

#nationalsandwichday