Split Toast Sandwich and....

Sainsbury's Breakfast Sausage
Described as: A cured cooked and lightly smoked pork sausage.


As a child I remember shopping on the High Street, with my mum. She used The International Stores for general groceries that were delivered by van to our home once a week, but we had to go to settle the account once a month.

There was a row of large cube shaped tins all the way along the front of one counter, each containing a different type of biscuit. The last one contained the broken biscuits from all the other tins and I was allowed to select one piece.

Next we went next door to Boots the Chemists where mum would tell me to stay by the door while she sidled up to the counter, whispered to the assistant and came back clutching a large white paper bag.
Finally we would go to J Sainsbury. (Pre supermarket,when it was a butcher's and grocer's).
This was my favourite for two reasons, firstly the panels of tiles on the walls in cream and maroon, with images in the centre of each section relating to the items for sale, sheep, cattle, pigs, cheese. The second was the Sainsbury's Breakfast Sausage.
I would plead with Mum to buy some. It's very expensive she would tell me, as the butcher took down the large salami style sausage from the hook and sliced it very thinly with a huge knife.

When we got home she would make me a split toast sandwich wrap it in a re-used white paper bag (courtesy of Boots) and send me off out to play, explore, disappear until tea time.

The merits of a split toast sandwich have to be sampled to be appreciated and to date I have yet to met anyone else who has any knowledge of this culinary delight.

Here's how to make one:

1. Toast a slice of bread (White in those days, wholemeal now). It works best with thick sliced, but medium will suffice.

2. Cut the slice of toast in half, and then, use a sharp knife to split each half, from the cut edge, towards the long crust. Stop cutting when the knife starts to meet the resistance of the crust, so that both layers remain joined like the spine of a book.

3. Lift the top layer up and spread the inside with lashings of butter.

4. Tuck in a couple of slices of breakfast sausage, and close the top down firmly to stick it all together.

5. Repeat with the other half slice of toast, either with the same filling, or something jammy if you have a sweet tooth!

The Merits

1. The hinged end stops the sandwich from falling apart and the filling from escaping.

2. The ratio of filling to bread is of course halved and the lavish layer of butter stops the toast from going soggy.

3. A split toast sandwich fits perfectly into a pocket. Ideal for any day out.

Sainsbury's still produce Breakfast Sausage, although it comes pre-sliced and pre-packed and the slices are smaller than they used to be.

I still love the slightly smoky, peppery porky, bacony, flavour and at 95p for 18 slices it's not much of a luxury item by today's standards.

In fact I treated myself to one for breakfast. Perfect with a mug of good coffee.
but a delicious snack at any time of the day, or night.