The Sandwiches I’m Packing for Every Summer Picnic

Welcome to Sunday Reset, where we share how we’re unwinding and what we have planned for the week ahead. This time, Isabelle tells us about her search for the perfect sandwich.

Good morning! What’s your sandwich sun, moon, and rising?

Your taste in sandwiches can say a lot about you. Heroes, hoagies, subs, wraps, paninis, grinders… Particularly in the summertime, whether your vibe is the beach, the park, or your fire escape, a sandwich hits every time.

I recently made the move from Brooklyn to Manhattan, which, if you’re from Brooklyn, know what a major adjustment that can be. The energy is crazier, the buildings are taller, and the natural light is… more scarce. But on a positive note, I now have easy access to one of the most iconic natural spaces in the world: Central Park, aka the ultimate sandwich-eating location.

It’s been a mission of mine to find the perfect “Central Park sandwiches for summer.” (I really should trademark that brilliant name.) Here are some of my top choices that I’ll have on rotation this month.

• If you’re a tuna person, we should be friends. This is an absolutely stacked tuna sandwich on a French baguette. Not a tuna person? I have a vegetarian version for you!

• The classic muffaletta is a newfound love for me. I recently visited the beautiful city of New Orleans, and this sandwich nearly changed my life. Even though it’s a pretty simple recipe, no part of it is lacking whatsoever.

• Sometimes, less is more, especially when it needs to fit between two pieces of bread. I love a simple sandwich that almost requires no thought—just bread, mayo, mozzarella, and speck. If you’re looking for the same simplicity with a little more oomph, there’s always this option.

All of the aforementioned sandwiches, plus a can’t-miss Cubano Mixto.

Lukas Volger stopped by our Test Kitchen to bake up Cardamom-Spiced Monkey Bread from his new cookbook—and trust us, it’s as good as it sounds.

Watch the video here and get the recipe here.

What's your go-to picnic sandwich?