Food etiquette expert responds to Americans putting butter on top of sandwiches

16 May 2023 , 15:11

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Eileen believes sandwiches to be 'a staple part of afternoon tea' (Stock Photo) (Image: Getty Images/Tetra images RF)

For British Sandwich Week, a professional afternoon tea expert has opened up about what she thinks about the now-infamous buttered sandwich that left foodies shuddering.

For those who've yet to learn about this divisive sarnie, a British person travelling in the US recently shared a snap of the baffling lunch his father was served when he asked for his sandwich to be buttered.

Now, the majority of us in the UK would naturally assume this to mean the sandwich would be buttered on the inside, creating a handy moisture barrier between the bread and the ingredients.

In this case, however, the sandwich was served with a thick layer of glistening butter on top, a sight that one horrified Reddit user declared to be "a crime against humanity".

Some have declared the buttered sandwich to be a 'monstrosity' (r/CasualUK / Reddit)

To get a professional opinion on the sandwich some have dubbed a "monstrosity", the Mirror spoke with the Afternoon Tea Expert Eileen Donaghey, who firmly believes sandwiches to be "a staple part of afternoon tea".

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Considering the buttery sarnie in question, Eileen said: "My thoughts and prayers are with that person. Butter on the outside is unnecessary. Unless you were going to turn it into a toasted sandwich then it is not needed."

Those who enjoy a lunchtime toastie may well add some butter on top, both to create a crispier, crunchier texture, and to ensure they're not scraping and scrubbing at their toasted sandwich maker forevermore.

For a regular sandwich, however, butter on top may well end up getting a bit messy, and will perhaps appeal more to those who adore the taste of butter so much they could eat it straight out of the packet.

Eileen always makes sure to butter both sides of her bread when making a sandwich (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Of course, butter in sandwiches can be a contentious issue. While some smear it on with gusto, loving the rich, creamy flavour it adds, others will spread a barely-there smidge to keep everything in place.

With this in mind, Eileen went on to explain: "The reason why butter is used in sandwiches is to act as a seal to prevent the filling from seeping into the bread and making it soggy.

"Personally, I butter both sides of the bread so that my sandwich keeps its shape for longer. In terms of how much butter, you want it to act as a seal rather than for its taste so lightly butter each side ensuring the corners are reached."

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Julia Banim