Kitchen Bootcamp 4: Sandwiches

This month for Kitchen Bootcamp, Jen challenged us to try something different with sandwiches.  It just so happens that I was challenging myself to make a recipe featuring the fabulous Fred’s Bread and trying to recreate a very special dish from way back when I was just discovering my foodie tendencies.


Let’s talk for a minute about Fred’s Bread though shall we?

One of my earliest memories of moving to Canada 10 years ago was searching for decent baguette.  I had been living in Paris for nearly 6 years and had become accustomed to good bread being readily available on every corner.  My first few weeks in Toronto, I despaired.  At some point, I discovered Fred’s Bread.  I remember the first time I found it I was so excited to find “real bread” that I bought a baguette and another loaf, excitedly planning a wine and cheese dinner with the baguette I proudly toted home pretending I was back in Paris.  Problem was, my eyes were bigger than my tummy and by the time I had polished off the baguette, I couldn’t tackle the other loaf.  I find that’s always the problem buying good bread – one gets greedy and then one is faced with the age-old dilemma of what to do with the day-old bread.  This particular recipe used Fred’s Yellow Flax Bâtard but you can use any day old loaf.  I like the texture of the flax seeds in this one.

This is my version of a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich for adults.  It’s based on a dish I first ate at the legendary Uraidla Aristologist restaurant (in the Adelaide Hills, where I was fortunate enough to dine a few times when I was way too young to really appreciate it).  According to the State Library of South Australia website, The Aristologist was an innovative restaurant using fresh local produce ‘Tuscan style’ in the Adelaide hills in the 1980s and early 1990s, with chef Jennifer Hillier and Michael Symons, who wrote the interesting One continuous picnic: a history of eating in Australia (Adelaide: Duck Press, 1982).

What I love about these is that they look way more complicated than they really are.  Anything that looks like I have spent ages in the kitchen when I haven’t is a winner dish in my book!

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66 thoughts on “Kitchen Bootcamp 4: Sandwiches”

  1. I think I just drooled a little on my keyboard… excuse me…

    Ok, now that I’m cleaned up – WOW! Once I have access to an oven again… I’m actually having a little party this weekend for some friends, and this recipe is making me consider taking a friend of mine up on her offer to move the party to her place just for access to her oven!

    Reply
  2. Grilled cheese and tomato has to be one of my top 5 favorite things of all time. I love the way you did this! So unique and it looks delicious!

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  3. First, thanks for sharing Fred’s bread with your readers. You know I’m heading there soon, right? I’d love to try out this recipe. My little one will enjoy all that cheese and those funky shapes!

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  4. Brilliant: both the recipe, and the story. This is what I love. Personal stories attached to the food you create. And, what a creation. Love the idea. Truly, a labour of love to be made for that special occasion. It would be a very tasty amuse bouche, too. I will definitley make this. And, I learned about your 6 years in Paris that I would have forgotten, too… I was wondering if you were from the Adelaide area… our Slow food Convivium Chair is from their (love her sweet accent) and our best friend’s brother lives there.
    🙂
    Valerie

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  5. How creative! When I saw the first picture I was so confused, but then seeing that there are little cavities in each cube of bread- I love it! Now I just need to find some good bread!

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  6. Mardi these look incredible. We’re off to a night picnic tonight, I’m going to make these. Wow.., they’ll go down a treat. I’m with you about producing stuff that looks like I’ve spent hours in the kitchen 🙂

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  7. What a great idea! I imagine that the filling will just burst into your mouth when you bite in and completely surprise your guests. Looks delicious – thank you for sharing!

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  8. Gosh! What a fantastic twist on the grilled cheese and tomato sandwich – one of my favorites, by the way! Great idea and will be trying it soon. The bread sounds fabulous!

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  9. wow. could you please come and make those for me, right about now? they look ahhhh-mazing. beautiful too. nice work!

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  11. These look utterly amazing! I love that they are small bites, yet very rich and satisfying. Beautiful!

    Best,
    Veronica

    Reply

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