It is the staple at any 24-hour coffee shop, bistro or fast food restaurant. The club sandwich is the ultimate comfort food, generally the safest thing to order from the menu because it?s tough to go wrong with a classic club sandwich?the classic consists of tomato, lettuce, bacon, chicken or turkey slices, mayonnaise and mustard. Some eateries will add egg, but the taste is pretty similar anywhere in the world. What differs is the price. According to a recent worldwide survey conducted by Hotels.com, the most expensive club sandwiches are to be found in Paris, while the cheapest are in New Delhi. The survey developed what was called a Club Sandwich Index (CSI). The Club Sandwich Index was calculated by taking into account the real price of the club sandwich paid by guests in 30 hotels in the capital cities of the 26 countries surveyed. The research was conducted in 750 hotels, which fell under the five-, four- and three-star categories. The French capital outshone everyone with its mindboggling prices. In Paris, you would probably pay an amazing ?33.44 for a club sandwich in a five-star hotel. Staying at a two-star hotel will cost you ?13.72. The average cost calculated for a club sandwich in Paris is ?20.43.
In fact, Europe dominates the Club Sandwich Index. Geneva sells the second-most expensive sandwiches at ?20.10 followed by Oslo, the capital of Norway, where the sandwich will cost you ?18.83. London was the tenth-most expensive behind Hong Kong, Berlin and Amsterdam. The world?s cheapest club sandwich is available in New Delhi, where the average cost is ?5.91 at a five-star hotel. Meanwhile, a debate still rages over the origin of the dish and its ingredients. There is no argument about the fact that it was invented in America, but exactly where and by whom is still debatable. What we know is that the oldest recipe for the club sandwich was published in Good Housekeeping Everyday Cookbook in 1903. The recipe states: ?Toast a slice of bread evenly and lightly butter it. On one half, put a thin slice of bacon which has been broiled till dry and tender. Next a slice of white meat, either turkey or chicken. Over one half of this, place a circle cut from a ripe tomato and over the other half, a tender leaf of lettuce. Cover with a generous layer of mayonnaise and complete with the remaining piece of toast.? It clearly hasn?t changed much in 110 years.
