Sandwich Loaf!!!

 

SANDWICH  LOAF !!!!

I have been enjoying this scrumptious American staple for most of my life. My grandmother, mother, and her sisters usually made this for special occasions, such as wedding and baby showers. I decided it was high time I learned how to make it myself. I spent Easter this year in Illinois with my family, staying at my mother's house for a week, so I figured this was the perfect time to learn! I decorated the loaf with bunny parts for Easter! It was dee-lish!! 

The difficult part is finding a bakery that still has the antique molds used to make the specialty bread. The loaf is quite long, and it is sliced horizontally, rather than vertically. My mom found a bakery in Mt. Prospect, IL. This can be made one day ahead and must be refrigerated. HERE WE GO!

STEP 1: Gather the ingredients:

*Pullman loaf, sliced - order ahead of time

*Salad fillings (egg, tuna, chicken, olive, ham, pimento cheese, whatever you like!). You can make these yourself, or buy pre-made at your favorite grocery store. This saves alot of time! I bought the small deli containers of each salad. Mom made the egg salad. I made the pimento cheese salad. Recipe at bottom.

*Mayonnaise, approx 1 C

*Cream cheese, three 8 ounce packages, softened

*Whole milk, approx 3/4 C, enough to thin the cream cheese

*Cardboard tray covered in tin foil for sturdiness

*Serving tray

*Off-set spatula (see link at bottom)

*Electric beater

STEP 2: Cut the ends off the previously frozen, but slightly thawed, bread.

STEP 3: Spread the mayonnaise thinly on the slices of bread.

STEP 4: Add the salads to each slice of bread, one salad per slice. 

STEP 5: Building the layers

STEP 6: Final layer - do not spread mayo on the very top.

STEP 7: Frosting the loaf - use a thin layer of cream cheese on the whole loaf.

STEP 8: Wooden skewers help to hold it together.

STEP 9: Wrap for storing overnight.

STEP 10: Be sure to have an empty shelf in your refrigerator! The Pullman loaf is 14" long!

Sliced view - YUM!!

Me and my mother with our Easter bunny sandwich loaf 2022!

I hope you will try to make this classic American specialty! Post your photos in the comments below!

If you'd like to learn more, please see the links below.

Background on the sandwich loaf

Pullman loaf pan

HOW TO BAKE WITH A PULLMAN BREAD PAN (Pain de Mie)!

History of Pullman train cars  Why is the loaf called a "Pullman?"

Pimento Cheese recipe

Off-set spatula

~Chitown Gal, Anne