Richard Gorra Discusses the Qualities of a Perfect Sandwich

When Richard Gorra first began working for an esteemed restaurant, his goals were very clear: hone his craft to create the best caliber dishes possible. This lifestyle proved rewarding for quite some time, but eventually began to wear down on him. Richard Gorra discovered during this period of his life that, while he was a perfectionist in both his personal and professional life, he was also someone that saw immense value in keeping things simple. As Richard Gorra aged and switched his career to a path that he felt was more sustainable in the long term, he also found that he was someone with a vested interest in staying as stress-free as possible.

Richard Gorra of the present is a man that still enjoys some of the finer things in life but, even so, he has adapted his philosophies just a bit and acknowledges that life’s simpler pleasures go a long way for maintaining a happy and healthy mental space. We often fall into routine and cease experimenting with qualities of our lives that make us feel comfortable, especially after practicing enough to have honed our crafts, however, Richard Gorra notes that with even a little thought even the simplest of experiences can be amplified and elevated while still ultimately remaining simple by design.

In this article, Richard Gorra discusses one of his favorite foods- the sandwich. Richard Gorra, even with his culinary industry expertise, has always believed that sandwiches are one of the best foods on the planet. They are portable and beloved by people regardless of their status or acclaim, as even seasoned culinary professionals cannot deny that sandwiches are flexible, delicious, and able to be elevated to suit even high-quality pallets. Richard Gorra hopes that his insights help amateur chefs while also having enough flare for to have value for practiced individuals as well and offers this article to highlight important qualities for the perfect sandwich.

You Need Moisture: When making a sandwich, it is important to consider adding moisture in some capacity. In his experience in restaurants, Richard Gorra found that many sandwiches that he had tasted were almost objectively delicious, albeit lacking a component to tie everything together smoothly. While many disagree about a variety of the common condiments to include on a sandwich, the bottom line is that there must be some source of moisture within your sandwich to keep it from being a chore to eat. Mayonnaise, mustard, sriracha, ketchup. etc. are all worthwhile condiment additions to a sandwich. Additionally, the more diverse the sandwich the more out of the box you can go with the condiments you can add. Richard Gorra fondly remembers the 1980s when sriracha and, subsequently, sriracha mayo had first hit the culinary scene and people doubted its marketability as a condiment. In the current culinary landscape, mixed condiments often find their way into many sandwiches and can be the perfect step for elevating it. It is important to consider that, when you believe you do not like a certain condiment, you may have never had all the alternate or high-quality versions of the food in question. For example, some do not like the yellow mustard but are surprised to find that they enjoy whole-grain or spicy variants of the condiment. Use light experimentation with the motivator of achieving that perfect sandwich you are after while simultaneously elevating it, is Richard Gorra’s advice on the subject.

You Don’t Need Sogginess: Every sandwich aficionado knows that the enemy to any good sandwich is sogginess. Sogginess can quite easily ruin the structure of your sandwich by making your chosen bun wet and weak, making it almost impossible to eat without a mess ensuing. Richard Gorra has noted during his years in the culinary industry that there is a very simple way to avoid this pitfall. He states that the best way to ensure your sandwich stays solid is to toast the bread either with an oven or by using a non-stick pan. While a simple addition to the sandwich, it proves as an undeniable asset in the industry that many do not think about doing themselves at home. If you want to feel as though you are enjoying one of the finer parts of the human experience, a simple hot pan with some butter can keep your sandwich crisp while adding necessary fat and richness. Not only will your sandwich taste better, but it just may stay together as you eat it.

Consider Fresh Elements: While Richard Gorra was participating in tastings during his time in the culinary industry, he had the misfortune of eating a plethora of sandwiches that were almost great but ultimately missing a crisp, fresh element. A fresh element can go a long way to adding a zing to your sandwich’s flavor. Not only does lettuce and tomato add a necessary roughage to your food, but it also helps to cut the natural richness of some other ingredients you may use. Richard Gorra notes that if you are truly trying to elevate your sandwich to the upper limit, you may want to go with an equally fresh albeit less omnipresent fresh component. If you feel like spicing things up beyond the classic lettuce and tomato, feel free to add anything from avocado, peppers, spinach, to fresh herbs.