This Crunchy Topping Makes Ham Sandwiches Taste Like Simpler Times - Tasting Table

A balanced dish uses sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami, along with bright, fresh ingredients and sometimes spice. Strong flavor and aroma matter, but texture is equally important and often overlooked. Crunch can transform a simple ham sandwich into something more memorable, and potato chips provide that texture. People share nostalgic “chip sandwich” combinations built on ham and cheese, including Cheddar Sour Cream Ruffles. Others use mortadella, soft white bread, and Doritos, or pair mayo with barbecue chips. Some favorites extend beyond ham, such as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with sour cream and onion chips smashed into it.

"A perfect dish has a few specific flavor elements: the balance of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Based on this formula, every dish should bright, fresh ingredients and even something spicy. The more a dish engages your sense of taste and smell, the better. But texture is just as important, and it's often overlooked. The right textural choice won't just make a dish delicious. It can evoke a sense of nostalgia that elevates the meal to a whole new level."

"Potato chips are a great way to add crunch to a sandwich. Reddit users have shared their favorite combos, reveling in the nostalgia of eating them as a kid and then recreating them as an adult. Ham and cheese are a popular base, and one Redditor kicked off his culinary nostalgia trip by suggesting the addition of Cheddar Sour Cream Ruffles. "It tastes like I'm 12 and out on my best friend's parents' boat in the middle of the summer," they said."

"Other users made their sandwiches with different ingredients and shared some favorites. "We called it a Chip Sandwich. Mortadella, soft white, and Doritos," said one Redditor. "Would've went with the barbecue chips for this one! The combo of mayo and barbecue is delicious," suggested another poster."

"Potato chips aren't just a ham sandwich thing. Julia Roberts told Stephen Colbert on "The Late Show" that her favorite sandwich as a kid was a PB&J with the unexpected twist of sour cream and onion chips smashed into it. The audience reacted with surprise, and Roberts acknowledged that people would probably hate the combination. She clarified it was a favorite as a kid, and her tastes grew as she"

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