First, thanks to all for your participation in this boating thread.
Participation in Part II (Fried Egg) was up 100% over part I (Reuben.)

The Cold Ham Sandwich is a laid back food, so everybody just relax.
Today we toss aside the recipe GPS, the recipe charts, and just cast
off, navigating by taste bud alone.

No worry about rushing to the boat with warm food.
No concern about planning ahead for the drive to the launch ramp.
All you need is the makings, a cooler, some ice, and a boat.
You have hours to spare before the Cold Ham Sandwich suffers in quality.

But that in no way means the Cold Ham Sandwich itself does not deserve
the respect and consideration it has earned.
So let's hit a few of those considerations, from my viewpoint as a
long-time boater and Cold Ham Sandwich eater.

I'll hit the most important aspects.
We'll call them the Cold Ham Sandwich Lucky 7 just for the pizaz of it.
Try it my way, and your boating experience is sure to improve.

1. Ham. West Virginia Smoked ham. Butt, not shank. Baked.
C'mon now. You got 30 big ones in the boat.
Let's not worry about the price of good ham for a sandwich.
Forget about that deli or packaged thinly sliced ham.
It's garbage. Wet soggy stuff with no real ham taste.
Makes for a soggy sandwich too.
Slice your WV Smoked Ham 7/32" thick, give or take 1/64".
If it's glazed, get a bit of that crust on your slices.

2. Bread. Mild Rye or Pumpernickel. You want some caraway in there.
American white bread is only good for French toast.
Yep. It's Frenchie food.
If you disagree with that, you're a commie and we'll never get along.

3. Dressing. Lightly coat the bread with real Mayo or leave it alone.
Mayo helps if the bread is dry, but I'm adding an option below for that.
Mustard overpowers ham.
Save it for hot dogs, which need to be overpowered so you don't have to
taste all the crap they pump into them.

4. Lettuce. Take your pick. They all taste the same. Like water.
You want fresh lettuce for the moisture it provides when crunched by the
teeth, and for how it insulates the ham from the bread.
Lettuce is needed on ALL cold sandwiches not immediately eaten.
Even pretty "dry" ham can make the bread soggy.

5. Tomatoes. Nope. They have no value on a Cold Ham Sandwich.
Besides, they're just an invitation to a soggy sandwich.
Tomato juice will quickly work around the lettuce and penetrate the
bread. If you insist upon tomatoes, slice them on the boat.

6. Cheese. A slice won't hurt if you use a variety that compliments the
ham, but doesn't overpower it. Mild Swiss or Lorraine can work.
Make sure it's under the lettuce.
Except for that, I don't want to talk about cheese.
Sensitive subject because when I was 6 years old my dad was murdered
right in front of me by a cheese maker who had escaped from a Wisconsin
prison cheese farm. That's where most cheese in America comes from.

7. Seasonings. Good ham needs no salt.
Pepper from the pepper mill I keep in the console goes on all my
sandwiches just before I eat them in the boat.
Besides that, fresh oregano is the king of sandwich seasonings.
That's all the excuse you need to set aside a garden plot.

Even the best Cold Ham Sandwich can be a bit dry and hard to go down,
especially if you don't many teeth to grind it up without making chewing
a bite an all-day event. Just considering all the boaters here.
Love 'em all. If that doesn't apply, no offense intended.
This is where the "option" I mentioned comes in.
I recommend it even if you have ALL your teeth.
Always bring some sliced mild dill pickles in a sealed plastic bag
to the boat along with the Cold Ham Sandwiches.
Not those salty vinegary dills. Good mild dills.
Moderation in all things is the rule to remember.
If your mouth gets dry just pop one of those puppies in there.


Jim - An eager boater always working to improve the boating lifestyle.
What better place to do that than here?