Season 2 (Episode 1): Who Really Invented the Sandwich?

Welcome to the official kickoff of Eating History Season 2! This week, Adrienne and Stephen tackle one of the most famous origin stories in the culinary world: Did John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, really invent his namesake meal to keep his hands clean during an all-night gambling bender? Join the hosts as they explore how an ancient, practical way of eating evolved into a distinct cultural category, and why one 18th-century English aristocrat still gets all the credit.

In this episode, we explore:

• The legendary myth of the gambling Earl and why the story has survived for over 250 years

• A 14,500-year-old archaeological discovery in Jordan that proves bread predates agriculture itself

• How ancient cultures around the world utilized bread as a plate, spoon, and wrapper

• Why the ancient "Hillel sandwich" and the Asian bao were brilliant culinary solutions, but not intentional "sandwiches"

• The "iPhone Analogy": How John Montagu didn't invent the meal, but helped create the cultural category that sparked endless culinary innovation