In the elegant art of sandwich making, there are a few nonnegotiables: Match the kind of sandwich to the appropriate style of bread, generously slather said bread with the condiments of your choosing, and pick exactly the right ratio of toppings to bread size so that the whole thing doesn’t teeter and topple over. (Few things are worse than a sandwich for which you have to hyperextend your jaw.) One element, though, can be forgotten in the mix: Did you take the time to season your ancillary sandwich ingredients? No? Big mistake.
Let’s say you’re making a tuna sandwich layered with sharp cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, and arugula. Your tuna salad — whether homemade or store-bought — is likely heavily seasoned, with pepper, salt, some sort of acid and oil, maybe cayenne, paprika, curry powder, it’s got flavor for days and we’re all so happy for it. Cheddar cheese: divine, a powerful legend. Dijon mustard, spicy and pungent, amps up the flavor of any sandwich by at least 50 percent. But that arugula you threw on at the last minute as a gesture toward health? You’re just going to let that sit dry and wilted and flavorless on top of all that goodness?
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