What defines a sandwich? WNYC’s ‘All of It’ dares to ask.

Legend has it that in mid-18th Century England, the Earl of Sandwich was such a heavy gambler, he didn’t want to leave the card table for meals, so he ordered a servant to bring him some roast beef between two slices of bread.

Thus was born the eponymous sandwich, which would become a culinary icon the world over.

But almost 300 years later, the question of what defines a sandwich continues to flummox chefs, foodies, philosophers and world leaders.

The brave team at WNYC’s ‘All of It’ dove headlong into the debate last week by asking: Is a hot dog a sandwich? We’ve selected a few highlights below in the conversation between guest host Kousha Navidar, comedian and writer Josh Gondelman, and our listeners, as food for thought about food thought.

You can listen to the entire conversation here:

The selections below have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Kousha Navidar: First of all, how do you define a sandwich?

Josh Gondelman: You know, the dictionary definition that I looked at is at least two pieces of bread, sandwiching some kind of filling.

And so I think that that is a good starting point for what is technically a sandwich. Although, I think what is spiritually a sandwich can be different, right? Because I think a lobster roll is spiritually a sandwich even when it’s in a hotdog bun.

Can you unpack the spiritual part that you’re describing? What do you mean by that?

I think there’s something to be said for bread or a roll with a filling. You hold it in your hand. You eat it that way. When we’re talking about a burrito or a wrap, I think there’s another word for that. Once you’re squeezing it together, that does have sandwich-like properties.

Hmm. We have a text from a listener: “Under legal/technical definitions, a hotdog could be considered a sandwich, but no normal person would consider it such.”

Josh, response?

I do think the legal definition, while it’s not invalid, I don’t think it gets to the core of this…