scotland café sandwich

This one is inspired by—you guessed it—a sandwich I ate in a café in Scotland. It was a cute little place in Fort William, with a street of shops and churches on one side and the train and the hills on the other.  

If you know me in person, you already know about the spectacularly terrible (and long-lived) knee injury I got on that trip. If you don’t, suffice it to say that I could barely bend my knee for weeks, and over a year later I still have trouble. Did I mention this happened on the second day of the trip, during which we planned to do a lot of walking?

Anyway, by the time my roommate and I sat down in that café a week later, we were very tired. We’d traveled on a lot of trains and buses, slept in some questionable hostels, and hiked about fifty gorgeous, rainy, misty miles.

I ordered this sandwich because I am passionate about Thai sweet chili sauce, and it did not disappoint. Fluffy focaccia, melty mozzarella, sharp red onion, and sweet chili sauce. It was marvelous. It cheered me up immediately. Clearly, I’ve thought about it ever since.

I’ve stayed mostly true to the original, aside from the addition of cilantro and giving up focaccia in favor of sliced sandwich or French bread. I use leftover chicken, and rotisserie would be great here. You could add some greens, if you want them. I don’t have many notes for you, because this one is so straightforward. Assemble sandwich. Make. Eat. Be happy.

directions

1. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Spread sweet chili in a layer over the other side of two pieces. How much is really up to you. Remember that if you don’t get enough, you can always use it as a dip.
2. Divide mozzarella, chicken, red onion, and cilantro and layer them on the sweet chili half of the bread, and then top with the other.
3. Heat a pan over medium-low, add the sandwiches, and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side, or until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown.