Egg Salad Sandwich
Creamy chopped hard-boiled eggs with mayonnaise and mustard on soft white bread.
Origin Story
Egg salad sandwiches became widespread in the United States in the early 20th century as refrigeration made egg storage practical for everyday households. The recipe is a natural descendant of European egg mayonnaise, transplanted to the American sandwich format and served on the soft white bread that defined American eating from the 1920s onward.
Cultural Context
The egg salad sandwich is a staple of American lunch culture — the church picnic, the deli counter, the brown-bag lunch. It occupies that territory of things universally recognisable but endlessly customisable: some people add celery, some add dill, some use Dijon instead of yellow mustard.
Recipe
Hard-boil 6 eggs, peel and roughly chop. Mix with 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, white pepper, and chopped chives. Spread thickly on white sandwich bread. Serve on soft white or wholegrain bread with crisp lettuce.