** The giveaway is now closed. Click here to see who won! **
It’s GIVEAWAY time!! Run, tell all your panini-loving friends!!
From the time I started this blog, I have wanted to give away a panini grill. You all know how I love my Breville and have grilled everything from chicken to peaches to brownies in record time on it. Having made almost 50 different panini on this grill, I can attest that it’s incredibly easy to use and it produces excellent results. It was one of Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2007 and one of mine in 2008! Well now, thanks to the wonderful folks at Breville USA, I’m pleased and excited to give away the Breville Panini Grill ($99.95 value) to THREE lucky readers!
TO ENTER: Leave a comment on this post, describing the best sandwich you have ever had (grilled or otherwise). What was in it? What did you love about it? Where did you have it? Be sure to enter your e-mail address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you’re one of the winners. The giveaway closes on Monday, September 1 at 12 PM PDT. The random.org integer generator will select three winners! One entry per person – apologies to my international readers, we can only ship the grills within the U.S.
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Panini Happy, online since 2008, is more than just a sandwich blog. Here, you'll find hundreds of my original 
My favorite sandwich was my first ever Croque Monsieur, which I ate at a café in the Quartier Latin on my second day in Paris. I’d never imagined a sandwich could be so rich and flavorful and decadent, and I still associate the look and the taste and the trying to convince the waiter we wanted tap water instead of expensive bottled water with the joys of Paris.
My all-time favorite panini sandwich is made with fresh mozarella cheese, tomatoes and pesto.
It is best on ciabatta bread. It is delicious!
My favorite Panini was actually my first. It was at a restaurant in NC. It was a Turkey Arichoke panini with carmelized red onion and crumbled feta cheese. It was so awesome it sparked my inner-entrepuenuer. This grill would be great for me and my new endeavor!
I am a huge chicken fan so my fav (so far) would have to be alfredo sauce with chicken, green onions and a little parmesen cheese.
After an eight hour flight to Germany we were forced to eat in the airport. Being a very picky eater I was less than thrilled. To my delight I saw an Italian food counter that sold Margarita Paninis. I fell in love right then and there! It had fresh mozzerella, fresh basil, fresh tomatoes. It was heaven! I love this panini with rotisserie chicken and pesto too!
I would definitely have to say an italain pannini, filled with cheese too….salami, procitto, ham, and mozz cheese…I actually had the first one at Kennedy airport and have been hooked….
This might sound a bit boring to some, but the best sandwich I ever had happens to be a grilled cheese made at home. The bread for this particular sandwich came from my very first successful loaf of homemade sourdough. I sliced it thick and filled it with slices of extra sharp cheddar then buttered both sides and grilled it in my cast iron skillet. Perhaps it was the significance of finally creating a great loaf of sourdough bread that left such a lasting impression, but to this day I can remember exactly how that sandwich tasted and I don’t think anything else will ever compare!
My favorite: sliced granny smith apples (or other tart apples) with blue cheese brie and smoked turkey on whole grain french bread.
I’m a big fan of grilled cheese on whole wheat bread with some very thinly shaved slices of turkey meat. Just love it. This panini grill would be so awesome! Thanks for offering it.
My Alltime favorite is a Reuban sandwich which I’ve enjoyed since I was a little girl. I usually just do it like a grilled cheese in the skillet and keep smushing it down with a spatula. When the cheese starts oozing from the sides I know my favorite sandwich is ready!!
I’m a simple girl. I like gooey cheddar and tomato…maybe a little basil? I’m dreaming of upping the ante though with a little brie and ham. What a great giveayway! Fingers crossed!
Oh my. I don’t think I can choose! Sandwiches have been one of my favorite foods since childhood. Of course, my tastes have expanded since then but I still love all my old favorites too. There is nothing like a good, simple grilled cheese or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with bananas (I always ate mine toasted in the toaster oven!). Now, I enjoy all types of sandwiches– a simple brie and baguette from a good french bakery, a cilantro-filled bahn mi from the local vietnamese restaurant, a chicken torta loaded with salsa and pickled jalapenos, and an italian ciabatta with parma prosciutto, reggiano, arugula, and truffle oil. I love to see how amazing each culture’s version of the humble sandwich can be. And boy, do I enjoy them all.
It was a strawberry/nutella/marshmallow sandwich with choc chips. Served with a strawberry milkshake on he side. Heaven!
Well I think it is no secret that my favorite sandwich ever is your Superbowl Buffalo Chicken Panini! I crave that sandwich on a regular basis!
My favorite Pannine is made with chicken breast, bacon (crispy), romaine lettuce, tomatoe slices, Monterey Jack cheese, red onion, fresh spinach leaves and more Jack cheese or Danish Havarti on Ciabata rolls with a few drops of Ken’s Olive Oil and Red Vinagar dressing.
Capicola and very thin soppressata, provolone, peperoncini, small amount of tapenade on one side, mustard on the other, good crusty bread. I’m hungry.
First, I want to tell you how much I enjoy your blog. I have gotten so much inspiration from you since my husband and I opened our own café a few months ago. Right now, we are the only place in our small town that serves paninis, and people love them! When developing our menu, I went looking for panini ideas on the web, and that’s how I ran across your blog. I’m now a subscriber and enjoy it immensely!
My favorites are two are on our menu that I came up with (being the vegetarian in the family)…a roasted eggplant panini, with red onion, roasted red peppers, provolone, and tomato. Also, the panini caprese, with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, tomato, and olive oil. We serve all our paninis (panini?) on rosemary foccacia. Yum!
My favorite panani is in Logan Utah at Great Harvest bread company. It is called the Rachel and is with turkey, coleslaw, onions and cheese. So delicious.
I love you blog thanks for always sharing recipes with us.
What a generous give away! Shiny, new, pretty oohhhh ahhhh!
I’d have to say a Cuban panini, but for the life of me I can’t remember where I had it. I guess the panini was so good I blocked everything else out!
My favorite sandwich is called the Lucky Luciano at a little store near where I grew up, it has marinated mushrooms, peppers, and eggplant with other fresh veggies and provolone cheese. Yum. I hear they just bought a panini grill at that place and look forward to trying them!
Thanks a lot for your blog, it’s one of very few that I have a subscription to!
It’s a toss up: there was a roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomato and chevre panini (they called it the daVinci) at Java U on Sherbrooke in Montreal (Westmount) and a carmelized onion and chevre panini with housemade ketchup for dipping (spicy good!) at Olive et Gourmando in Old Town. Yum!
My favorite sandwich was a glammed up BLT. Soft butter leaf lettuce, gourmet aioli spread, crispy apple wood smoked turkey bacon, crusty french bread, heirloom tomatoes and some slices of haas avocados. Yum!
I absolutely love turkey with cranberry and a little bit of cheese (muenster is my current favorite)!
A good old fashioned caprese panini does the trick every time. Especially on thick, crusty, rustic italian bread with roma tomatoes, thick sliced mozzarella,dried oregano, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil.
my favorite sandwich:
whole grain bread with pesto on one side, and filled with avocado, a fried egg, some lettuce, and roasted turkey/chicken. I then top it with a slice of cheese (i like it with pepperjack) and then toast it in a fry pan because i don’t have a panini maker!! 🙂
My all time favorite sandwich is grilled shrimp with mixed lettuce, tomato and avocado on a baguette. It’s dressed with an aioli mayo. I used to splurge on these sandwiches when I worked in SF but can only enjoy them on my now occasional trips to the city. However, you’re inspiring me to try one at home, add a little brie and “paninize” it!
Favorite panini — hmmm, so many to choose from. I think, maybe sliced chicken, Danish fontina, baby spinach leaves, and sun-dried tomatoes, though I’m going to try it this year with my own slow-roasted tomatoes, which have garlic, thyme and salt to add to the flavor.
I’m hoping it will be the one I am planning for dinner tonight:
The rare roast beef I made the other night, on asiago/peppercorn bread, with provolone, homemade, homegrown oven roasted roma tomatoes and oven roasted garlic, with a schmear of homemade pesto, also from my garden. My husband might like some pepperoncini layered on his as well.
I think I’ll make some oven fries to go along with it.
wow… i don’t think i can really choose a single favorite sandwich! i love pretty much all sandwiches. I did have what I am willing to say was the BEST restaurant hamburger i’ve ever had in my life this weekend:juicy and cooked to a medium perfection with arugula, gruyere, maytag blue cheese, caramelized onions, and aioli from Father’s Office in Culver City. Hamburgers are at the top of my favorite sandwich list and seriously… that was one damn good one!
I’m boring. I love really, really fresh multigrain bread with sliced turkey breast, savory honey mustard and sharp cheddar cheese. Optional: fresh cranberry sauce or sliced Granny smith apples.
I firmly believe that no matter what you’re eating, sandwiches always taste better when someone else makes it for you!
I love, love, love a soft crab on soft bread!!
The best sandwich I’ve had out was at La Brea Bakery… roasted zucchini/eggplant/red pepper with an artichoke spread on rosemary bread. Yum…
At home I always like making grilled mozzarella, tomato and pesto!
Add melted cheese to anything and you can’t go wrong! But I am partial to a panini at Prolific Oven – “chicken breast, fresh basil, tomatoes and Mozzarella cheese with Sun-Dried tomato pesto on sourdough.” Yum! Thanks for the offer!
Yummy, that’s what this panini of fresh mozz.,and basil, tomatoes, roasted red pepper, herb evoo, S&P. Grill…Enjoy with your fav. wine and Dino singing in the background.
The best sandwich I’ve ever had is from a bagel shop, and it’s called a Tasty Turkey. It’s smoked turkey breast, chive cream cheese, tomatoes, cucumber and sprouts, and truly amazing. That was my first experience with cream cheese on a sandwich, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Gosh, that was over ten years ago in a Washington DC suburb! Luckily I’ve been able to recreate it rather successfully here at home.
The best sandwich I’ve ever had was at a restaurant when I went there for a breakfast buffet. They have the most amazing brown rye bread. So slicing that, I add scarmoza, cheddar or emmenthal or a combination, black and green olives, pickled onions, a teeny bit of country mustard and a few slices of smoked turkey. Or make that as many as can fit 😀
email: purplefoods@gmail.com
please note: I also have a US shipping address.
Thank you so much!
The best sandwich this summer is my take off of my fave “summertime salad”: Panzanella…It’s pretty much a “deconstructed panini” but it takes so long to make so, I find this sandwich version a perfect fast fix. It translates to thinly sliced tomato, red onion, cucumber, roasted red & yellow peppers…coarse salt & cracked pepper…topped with fresh basil leaves, capers with a champagne vinaigrette (garlic/champagne vinegar/dijon mustard/extra virgin olive oil) on ciabatta bread. I throw in sliced fresh mozz because cheese is goooood and I cannot imagine a sandwich without cheese. 😉
i’ve thought long and hard about this, and i’ve finally decided that the best sandwich i ever had was this: a black bean pattie, topped with a slice of yellow tomato, topped with pepper jack cheese, topped with guacamole, all on a massive whole wheat bun. what made it extra special (aside from that combination of all my favorite flavors) was that i ate it with my family after not having seen any of them for several months. 🙂
My favorite pannini type sandwich ismy MoJo brkfst sandwiche with Italian bread(fresh) , egg, tomato, bacon, ketsup,hot sauce,mayo, and onion. It’s an adaptation from a small eatery called MoJo’s. I just sent my pannini griddle to NYC with daughter,who recently moved for a new job. I miss it(and her)!!! Stephanie
Seeded bread, pesto, smoked turkey, fontina, spinach leaves tucked inside. Yum!
Cuban sandwich: roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mojo, and pickles on homemade Cuban bread. I used a griddle and a brick wrapped in foil as a weight.
A month before Katrina hit New Orleans, I was there attending a convetion of the American Personal and Private Chef Association. Susan Spicer of Bayona was one of our guest speakers and she demonstrated one of her dishes as well. Then served all of us asandwich that was made on a wonderful NO Whole Grain Bread.
This was without a doubt the best sandwich I have ever eaten in my life! And I have had sandwiches all over the world. While not a panini, this sandwaich had it all.
This wonderful bread was first spread with a very thick layer of Cashew Butter on one side of the roll and a thin layer of butter ont he other side. Then a layer of micro greens and sprouts, topped with a layer of smoked duck that had been seared and then sliced, then spread with a layer of Hot Pepper Jelly. Served with an Celery Apple salad that was equally good.
Truly a sandwich experience of a lifetime!
The “best” sandwich is one that someone makes for you! ….Now, philosophy aside, my favorite sandwich (although I cant remember where I had it the first time) is tomato and mozzarella with pesto on a fresh french baguette. The sweet of the tomato with the garlic and basil of the pesto go perfectly, with soft, unctuous mozzarella to round it out. YUM! Grilled or plain, this is the one for me.
I love a local eatery’s grilled roast beef, cheddar, tomato and avocado on sourdough sliced bread.
My favorite sandwich (currently) is the “Portobella” from a local cafe here called Cornerstone. It is on fresh baked asiago herb foccacia bread, has the best marinated portobella mushrooms, delicious provolone cheese, slices of red onion, (no red peppers for me thanks) and this amazing “sauce” that I have no idea whats in it. I get it once a week at least- it’s that good!!!
Pick me! I have ordered a great roasted vegetable panini from ther Pop Shop that is just fabulous. It is tippped with melted cheddar and grilled carmelized onions.
What a great giveaway!
I always enjoy a roasted red pepper/goat cheese panini at my local cafe but prior to this summer never made any at home.
When visiting my cousin in June at her Truckee home near Lake Tahoe we made those paninis with a panini maker for lunch and it was fun.
have been using a cast iron skillet with a smaller version on top to weigh down paninis at home while i continue to research what model to purchase.
a win would end my search and spend my time with new creations
thanks
wintkat
I adore a fresh mozzarella, cantalope and basil sandwich. It sounds odd, but the catalope is so nice with the soft cheese, and I occasionally punch it up with a squeeze of lemon. Yum!
Oh goodness, how to pick a favorite?
If I was forced to pick one, and only one, it would have to be Thomas Keller’s BLT with fried egg and cheese.
Close seconds include the bahn mi from my neighborhood Vietnamese store (like Ellen), and the burger with Roquefort at The Spotted Pig in NYC.
The best sandwich I have ever had was a Reuben from Slyman’s in Cleveland, Ohio, an inner city deli. I can no longer get these sandwiches as I have moved to Tennessee over 10 years ago. What I wouldn’t give to have that sandwich again! First off, it is HUGE, but not too HUGE…The corned beef is seasoned and cooked as if it came from corned beef heaven. The balance between the swiss, sauerkraut and dressing is absolutely spot on. The rye compliments the sandwich as no other could. Their dressing is not your run of the mill Thousand Island but a sweet and sassy homemade dollop of perfection. It is grilled just to the exact sublime point of melty cheese and slightlty crisp bread. The pickle is that nice, big, fat Kosher dill just plucked out of the barrel. I never have, and don’t expect I will ever have a Reuben like Slyman’s. It brings a tear to my eye…
Jane
My favorite is mozzarella, tomatoes, oregano and basil! Thank you for the giveaway!
I’m somewhat new to panini, but I haven’t had one yet that I didn’t like. My current favorite is a roast beef French dip panini with an au just dipping sauce. This has some sliced roast beef, Vidalia onions and fontina or provolone cheese – absolutely delicious!
Wow – what a fantastic giveaway!
I recently made a roast beef, grilled pepper, onion, provolone and garlic concoction. I think I could eat it each and every day!
My favorite sandwich, can’t recall where I had it, was a grilled portebello mushroom with grilled onions, fresh mozzerella cheese, tomato, balsamic vinegar, on a french baguette. I also love Champagne Bakery’s Hot Chicken Pesto sandwich…mmmmm.
I was 19 years old, on a college biology field trip to Florida. After the wilds of central Fla. (very very interesting, btw and I hope it’s still as pristinely wild ) , we drove to Key West (more laid-back at that time, but still jumpin’ and full of variety!) for the sub-tropical sea life.
My Mom never, ever made a great sandwich, as my Dad prefers ‘square meals’, so the Cuban Sandwich I was told to try was the best thing, literally, since sliced bread! Wonderful tastes happenin’ in a sandwich! Mojo; no mayo; no sandwich press.
I remember the face of the man who made that sandwich, and he returned my happy surprised smile. I was not aware that a “mere” sandwich could be so fulfilling, not just filling. This is still my absolute favorite sandwich.
I knew then that Cuban Moms and Dads LOVE their families, by that first entree to Cuban food. I learned as much about the world of people on that trip as I did about trees and sharks.
(written by a Scottish-heritage, Presbyterian-raised, now much better-traveled, now older and wiser, woman_whose kitchen is very small yet very big, where she bakes all kinds of yummy bread)
This is a tough question, but all my favorite sandwiches are in Chicago. There’s nothing better than a pulled pork sandwich at a summer street fair! (Mmmm, I’d love to see what you do with pulled pork on PaniniHappy. Or have you done that?)
Best sandwhich ever was from THE CHEESE SHOP in Williamsburg Virginia. Roastbeef with havarti cheese on a baguette with house dressing. Not sure what the magical house dressing was. Mayo, horseradish and I’m not sure what else.
Idea for a panini – how about a tuna melt panini? Tuna melt is our house favorite (also known as dinner in 20 minutes from a can)
Oh gosh I’ve had so many good sandwiches over the years, but my favorite right now is a mock egg salad. I use firm tofu, drained and crumbled, mixed with a little mayonnaise, salt, pepper and curry powder. Then I slather that mixture on toasted rye bread with fresh tomato and avocado slices. So good!
Maybe I’ll have to make one for lunch now 🙂
My fave panini is pretty simple. A fresh, hearty country bread spread with olive oil on the outside; a little mayon on the inside, then layered with fresh, juicy tomato slices, fresh basil leaves, some lovely goat cheese (also fresh!), a sprinkling of kosher salt & some black pepper, then grilled until golden brown. It doesn’t get better than that in my book!
My favorite sandwich is the simple bacon and tomato sandwich when the tomatoes are perfectly field ripened. I have been enjoying them a lot lately.
I made a sandwich one day with leftover chicken, bruschetta and fresh mozzarella. Oh, and leftover bread. It was a leftover sandwich and there might have been some pesto on it. FABULOUS.
My favorite is a chunk of sourdough bread, cut in half, then put your favorite italian dressing on each side of bread. Then ham, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles. Grill open-faced under the broiler, til the cheese is gooey. YUM!
THE GARDEN PRESS! from MUNCH in Asbury Park NJ….
Roasted eggplant, zucchini, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzerella, and pesto sauce. All on a Pitta then pressed!!!
I am addicted to this sandwich! The ridges and pesto the fresh mozzarella….
Simple simple goodness!!
My favorite sandwich is a reuben from a local coffee shop called The Ugly Mug. It is your typical reuben (spelled roobin) panini but it has a spicy sauce on it that is different than the thousand island you usually see with a reuben. I have tried to duplicate it at home but fail every time.
My favorite is a grilled steak sandwich with cheese adn green and red pepper.. im addicted!!!
My favorite panini is a turkey panini with red onions and a thyme mayo with a wonderful cheese. All grilled to perfection when the cheese oozes, and the mayo thyme mix seeps out when I bite into the sandwich. So yummy! My friend up at West Point made this for me.
The best sandwich I have ever had was a MASSIVE Muffuletta down in Jackson Square in New Orleans. Despite the size of this thing, I simply could not stop eating it even though I was full. The meat on it was from heaven and the olives must have been prepared by greek gods. I live my life trying to find something that compares or attempt to recreate this sandwich….typically I fall short in both categories.
sweets&sweats.wordpress.com
My favorite panini would definitely have to be very very thinly slied turkey, coleslaw, provalone cheese, monterey jack, and tomato, its amazing!!! I get it at Gracie’s diner 🙂
My favorite panini is tri-tip, smoked cheddar and carmelized onions on ciabatta……yummy!
This spring I began my first garden in my first home. I don’t know if it was the TLC I gave my growing tomato’s and basil or the fresh mozzarella and warmed ciabatta bread, but that Caprese panini was heavenly!
I love a chicken parmesan panini with just the right amount of marinara!!
My favorite panini is a Reuben. YUMMY!!
The best sandwich ever has to be grilled cheese, any kind of cheese with avocado. Actually any sandwich with avo is a favorite of mine….what I also love are large portabello mushroom, some seasoning, topped with spinach and feta, that would probably work really well on the panini grill, and would cook really fast…..YUMMY!
It was a Chicken Pesto with Mozzarella on Ciabatta. YUM!
Kathy
My favorite sandwich is made at Crest Deli Liquor in Pacific Beach California. It is a Corned Beef on Rye with Swiss cheese. Then browned on a huge sandwich press. I promise to practice every day if I win the raffle for the Breville Panini Gril. Or at least until I master this sandwich.
I waitressed for years at a Big Boy and have a weak spot in my heart for Slim Jim’s.
Favorite lunch or dinner panini: fresh tomato, basil, mozzarella
Favorite breakfast (or anytime!) panini: peanut butter, Nutella, banana
You’ve got me craving a nice panini now!
My favorite sandwich ever? At a local shop… fresh baked bread, ooey-gooey mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and sliced tomatoes. So good!
I was in high school, and my soon-to-be-stepdad made cold Italian subs with sauteed peppers and onions. I had never had sauteed peppers and onions, and had never tasted olive oil. (what can I say, I grew up in the midwest and I guess my mom wasn’t a very adventurous cook)
I still remember that luscious flavor of the veggies in olive oil, and asking him all kinds of questions about how he had cooked them.
Such a simple pleasure!
hmmm, one of my favorite sandwiches is a crusty baguette with green apple, brie and a little drizzle of honey.
Or basil and tomato with mozz, olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic.
Elephants Delicatessen in Portland makes one of the best (in this area) Croque Madame on their panini press… what makes a Croque Monsieur or Madame the best sando is the gruyere… Mmmm… 🙂
My fave sandwich is a wrap, though the shop will make it a sandwich if requested. Pan-seared tuna, sprouts, arugula, red peppers and wasabi mayo, mmmm…
I really like grilled chicken on a hard roll with tomato and onions and a little lettuce. Some honey mustard with that is the finisher. This is making me hungry….
Without a doubt and no hesitation, the best sandwich I have ever had was at the Creperie in Beverly Hills. It’s really similar to the way I make a BLT (pseudo BLT since there is also cheese in it) at home – with burrata. This sandwich had pancetta, burrata, arugula and some flavored mayonnaise and was absolutely to die for. I was sitting there eating it with my boyfriend and still had to profess my love for the chef. I think I may have offered to have his children, which the waiter unfortunately overheard. I’m pretty sure he headed back into the kitchen to let the entire staff know because for the rest of the meal servers, dish washers and everyone else was coming out on the patio to see the crazy lady who told her boyfriend she’d sleep with the chef because of a sandwich.
My favorite sandwich is definitely the Turkey Caprese from Tuscan Sun deli in Encinitas. It has sliced turkey, caprese, basil and pesto mayo. It is amazing!!! Their pesto mayo is better than any store bought I’ve had.
Old school “panini” – Grilled Cheese with Havarti – from the downtown SD location of the Cheese Shop.
Watch from a comfortable wooden bench booth as your “panini” is pressed on a seasoned grill – creating a perfectly crispy buttery sourdough top and bottom, which encases a melted “just so” creamy Havarti. Shredded lettuce and sprouts take away the guilt and the extra pickle on the side is the just right palate “cleanser”.
Make it even better with a side of fries and cold diet coke!
My husband’s “Bagel Sandwich” rates up there as one of my favorite sandwiches.
This is an open faced sandwich: One half an ‘everything bagel’ is topped with turkey, pepper-Jack cheese, Colby-Jack cheese, and red onion slices. Then it’s toasted until the cheese has melted and is that slightly, yummy brown around the edges. Mmmm… Then the sandwich is topped with a few tomato slices and ground pepper.
Sooo good!
I used to live in SF and would walk to Chinatown to pick up a grilled pork sandwich on french baguette with mayo, garlic chili sauce, lime juice, onions, sliced carrots, cucumber & cilantro. It was the BEST sandwich I’ve ever had! It was a great deal too at a $1.75, especially since I was also a working college student.
Yum – I think my favorite grilled sandwich I bought at South Street Under in downtown Leesburg, VA.
It was Turkey, Fontina, Spinach with basil Mayo!
My favorite panini of all time was the first I ever had, in Virginia at a local grocery store called Ukrop’s. It was sliced, marinated, grilled London Broil with roasted peppers, carmelized onion, sauteed mushrooms and a cheese with some kind of spread on a really great bread. I wish I had paid more attention at the time because this was probably 7-8 yrs ago and they have since stopped making it. Yum!
The first “this is the best sandwich ever” experience I had (there have been several since and I am unable to rank them in order of priority) was at the Gambier Deli in Gambier, Ohio. It was a chicken salad sandwich on toasted multigrain bread with bacon, havarti, and a pretty mustard-y honey mustard dressing. A weird combination of flavors, but it worked.
My best ever was made on a Forman grill in the apartment I used to live in. It was peanut butter, strawberry jam, and a sliced banana. Mmmm…..
Without a doubt the best sandwich I’ve ever eaten would be a homemade BLT with fresh tomatoes from my garden, Jack Spratt bread, grilled bacon, and real mayo. Fabulous.
The best panini I ever had was actually only 2 weeks ago! I made focaccia for the first time at culinary school and had tons leftover, so I had to come up with different ways to use it. The first thing I made was a turkey, ham, and cheese panini……..and it was so utterly delicious! It had turkey, ham, sharp provolone cheese, mayo, and dijon mustard with extra mustard seeds. The focaccia was made with sage and it was the PERFECT texture and “breadiness” for a panini.
I’ve always been a fan on peanut butter and jelly. I bet if I fried it, that would be pretty good too!
I have exceedingly fond memories of a panini I had while we were snowed in during a recent trip to Minneapolis. Only one restaurant was open within walking distance of our hotel — and we were fortunate that it was a good one. I ordered a panini made with smoked turkey, sliced pears, brie, and walnut-honey-butter. I can’t describe how good that warm sandwich tasted.
Sitting in the restaurant, watching the snow fall, and enjoying a bit of quiet repose with something delicious… it turned out to be the best vacation ever!
I used to hate sandwiches, so much. The fact that they were cold and sitting in my lunch box all day turned me off to them completely. I even had my mom send me to school with crackers in one bag and peanut butter in another container so that I could have my sandwich separated.
Then I was introduced to panini’s…I fell love with two pieces of bread stuffed full of everything and anything pressed, warmed and grilled. My favorite are grilled veggies, a little cheese (fresh mozzarella) and a dash of balsamic vinegar. Yum! Now everywhere I go the first thing I look at in the menu is the sandwiches and if there’s a grilled veggie panini, my mind is set.
My most favorite sandwich, the Monte Cristo, is a heart stopper but so worth it!!
I first had this sandwich at the now closed Magic Pan restaurant. I was pretty young but hooked on the gooey cheese, warm ham and turkey. Most recently I enjoyed one while at Disneyland! They are harder and harder to find on menus but whenever I see it on, its a must have!!
I absolutely love sandwiches, I would probably them everyday if I didn’t absolutely love lots of other types of food as well. But one of my favorite sandwiches is the Reuben over at Mustards Cafe in Orange ( http://www.mustardcafe.com/ ). The house reuben sauce they put on it is to die for. I can’t even explain what it tastes like.
wow never heard of a panini I am 59 my niece 23 turned me on to the best sandwich..She just threw stuff fron fridge to her panini maker yum..I wanna experiment too
Pesto grilled chicken, buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes roasted in olive oil and honey, basil
Hands down favorites are the triple decker grilled cheese with herbs and 4 different cheeses, or the chicken pesto panini mmmmmm
What a generous giveaway! I just found your site recently and love all your panini recipes. I’d have to say the best sandwich I had was a vegetarian panini from a little shop that has since gone out of business. It had artichokes, thinly sliced tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and a sun-dried tomato sauce that I’ve never been able to duplicate!
Lately though I’ve been addicted to a simple turkey with Havarti panini on rustic bread with just a hint of garlic sauce on it.
I’m not sure if this is the best sandwich EVER, but it’s the best sandwich I’ve had in a long time. I recently went to TasteBuds in Costa Mesa and had a Steak Frites Sandwich. The ribeye steak was marinated in red sea salt and fresh citrus juice. It was served on a fresh baguette with crispy french fries. It was amazing! I bet it would have been good as a panini too!
I don’t know if I can name one favorite sandwich, but I love sandwiches made with leftovers from other meals.
Monte Cristo is my favorite. My oldest daughter introduced me to them in a little (now closed) sandwich shop in Olympia, WA. I was hooked from the first bite. The part that made them even better was the fresh Blackberry Preserves they made daily and served with their sandwiches.
Keep up the great work on your Blog. Everything is just Yum!!
While I know I do not qualify to win because I am your sister, PK 🙂 I wanted to share my favorite sandwhich with you anyways. When I lived in Atlanta, my favorite ice cream store made the best sandwich Fried Green Tomato Sandwich: fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese (a homemade kind), onion relish and bacon on whole wheat bread. I do not remember if the bread was just toasted or if they made it into a panini, either way, it was REALLY good. Between the sandwhich and the homemade ice cream, I was in heaven!!
My favorite so far is corned beef, saurkraut,and swiss cheese with honey mustard…YUMMY!!!!!
LOVE your site…keep up the good posts!!!
As a mother of 7 and a grandmother of 17, I have made many grilled sandwiches. However, I have never had a true panini. I am renovating an 1840 one room school house in rural Indiana and this would be a multi-purpose appliance for me. I’d love to win.
The best sandwish I’ve eated was at the little cafe in Buenos Aires airport. Very simple with ham and cheese and grill to perfections. By the way thans for your comment at my blog. I just love your site!
I LOVE grilled reubens! I keep trying to make a good one at home but my bread always turns out soggy. I think this appliance would help!!
I am another one of those who say how can I possibly decide?! Depends on day, mood, time of year. The easiest comfort food sandwich for me is probably peanut butter, honey and banana on really good wholegrain bread– yummy and healthy. And I do love quesadillas with interesting fillings (fig/apple/walnut; crab/black bean/avocado).
Hmmm, it’s hard to pick a favorite! I love a panini with just mozz. cheese, tomato and fresh basil on it, also some great deli turkey sometimes. Anything with melty cheese is GREAT! But I’d almost have to say peanut butter/banana/honey combo just might have to be my absolute favorite! Love your blog.
My favorite panini sandwich would be the one I had with turkey, avocadoes, tomatoes, and swiss cheese.
Roast beef, russian and cole slaw on a Portugese roll. Yummm.
second Doner kebab sandwich from Turkish place down the street.
My favorite comes from an Italian deli at the Public Market in Milwaukee. Grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzerella and red wine vinegarette. It’s soooo yummy.
I have yet to find my favorite sandwich. That is why I have come to your blog. I am in search of….
What a great giveaway! My favorite sandwich is the one that kept me going through college when I was too busy (or lazy) to cook. Just a simple turkey and cheese sub from this great place near my apartment called Substation. They served it with pepperocini and carrots. Simple and delicious!
I love all sorts of sandwiches, I don’t think I could list just one – caprese, eggplant parm, grilled chicken with bacon & blue cheese, egg & bacon…the list could go on, but I don’t want to take up the comments section. 🙂
Tomato, basil, fresh mozzerella and olive oil…mmm yummy!
The inspiration for my favorite sandwich/panini came from the “Panini” cookbook by Carlo Middione and Ed Anderson. It is simply a panini with prosciutto and cantaloupe. It was so good. Since then, I’ve added some goat cheese and red onion to the sandwich and served it with an arugula salad. I love sandwiches/paninis!
Think I’m a panini freak too – though my time in Europe drove me to Spanish meats – Iberican Ham, Spicy Chorizo, Manchego Cheese…My most favorite was a little stand at the Borough Market in London. I believe their name was Brindisa – Lines would take over half an hour to enjoy a chorizo link sandwich on a soft roll. YUM!!!
I love a layered flavor sandwich, but at heart I’m a simple girl with simple tastes. I think the best sandwich I’ve ever had was Grilled Cheese Plus – made with thick sourdough slices, gruyere, proscuitto, and tomato slices, grilled to perfection!
You did say that it didn’t have to be a panini, so my favorite sandwich is a Primanti Bros sandwich. Your choice of meat, provolone, fries, coleslaw, tomato all on the best italian bread ever. Yes, I did say it ALL went into the sandwich, there are no sides 🙂
I made my first panini about two weeks ago, and I have to say that I loved it as much or more as any I’ve had out. I used onion-flavored ciabatta rolls for the bread, and since my DH has simple tastes, I just added mesquite smoked turkey and havarti cheese. I lightly buttered the bread, then grilled them in my grill pan and placed a foil-wrapped brick on top (sadly, we don’t have a panini grill). My DH said it was the best “grilled cheese” sandwich he’d ever had!
I’m glad you commented on my blog because I can’t believe I’ve been living without yours! I’m panini-crazy and I can’t WAIT to look through all of your fabulous recipes!
My favorite is the most simple. Fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomato!
I must admit my fav is not a panini… it comes from a Hebrew deli in Montreal (Schwartz’ Deli)… it is the best smoked meat sandwich in the world. And I’m not talking pastrami here. It’s true smoked meat on rye bread with yellow mustard – dill pickle and a Cott’s cherry cola on the side. Heavenly! I had my first one at about 5 yrs old and was hooked.
Grilled ham and cheese…I would love to try making it on a panini grill. (I love sandwiches!)
Make mine brie and ripe tomato slces on crusty bread.
Living in Southern California, years ago I had abandoned the bread of the sandwich in favor of the glorious tortilla. That being said, my favorite sandwich is one I found recently at the Memphis Cafe in Newport Beach – the meatloaf sandwich. Last night’s meatloaf in between two thick slices of homemade bread with onion strings and some french’s yellow mustard. mmmmm
I am old school and love some of the traditional sandwich’s Panini style, my favorite is a “Panini Reuben”. I also do a mean BLT.
One of my recently discovered favorites is a nutella sandwich, with pound cake as the “bread.” If you want to be a bit more traditional, though, a crab cake sandwich will always capture my heart. Yummmmmm!!
My favorite panini is made with melted mozzarella cheese, artichoke hearts, sundried tomoatoes and turkey, then you throw in some yummy fresh romaine and purple onions. You have to start with really yummy bread, that’s the anchor for everything in life 😉
I just got into making paninis and have been quite creative with both my make-shift press and panini itself. My latest favorite consists of a olive tapenade- made with kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, basil, evoo and balsamic-deli sliced chicken and sliced fresh mozzarella on a hoagie. There is such an array of good flavors and is enjoyed best while looking out on a gorgeous so-cal beach day! mmm mmm mmm
So many sandwiches, so hard to choose.
I’d have to say my favorite sandwich came from a little restaurant in the Appalachian Mountains called “The Log Cabin Restaurant.” Perched in the foothills, they served the best egg salad sandwich ever…perhaps because it came on thick slices of homemade bread.
I never thought I’d say an egg salad was my favorite, but it was. Not only was the simplicity of this sandwich divine, but so was the atmosphere of this down-home restaurant. Thinking about it just now makes me long to go back there, and that was nearly 13 years ago!
Hands down, my favorite sandwich is the Chicken Artichoke Panini from Paradise Bakery. Now I just need the panini press to make my own at home. Great givaway, Ihope I am lucky!!!
My fav sandwich is the classic Turkey on wheat -all the fixin’s -warm or cold. The Ole’ Piper a local pub in Minnesota has a great Turkey Hoagie …..
Wow! What a generous company to let you giveaway a grill! How fun. I’ve been looking at panini grills lately at Costco. It’s one of those things that I know I’m eventually just going to get but I keep putting it off!!
Let’s see… favorite sandwich ever…well in general I happen to love a good Monte Cristo sandwich. But I did have a breakfast sandwich at a restaurant in Vegas recently that was just outside of amazing… it was French Toast Panini with Italian Ham, Gruyere and Baked Egg pressed between two slices of Brioche French Toast. It was delicious dipped in a little maple syrup. I’d love to try and re-create it sometime!
I have lots of favorites. My favorite Panini (so far) is peppered or smoked turkey, havarti cheese, tomatoes and avocado. It must be on fresh bread brushed with REAL butter before grilling. After reading everyone’s favorites, now I’m REALLY hungry! I am going to go make myself a Panini right now … oh, no! I don’t have a Panini Grill!
Nice panini grill!
Best sandwich I ever had was at a little restaurant I frequented in Bogota, Colombia. It was a small sub with roasted chicken, caramelized onions, and guacamole. So simple, and yet so good. Now I have to make one…
Wow, Kathy! What a lot of comments. I am sure I will never win. But here goes.
While I have to say my favorite sandwich is eating a Croque Monsieur in a cafe in Paris or an Italian Panini strolling the streets of Florence, there was one night…. I had a very boring, very annoying prom. I had conceded to go with my old boyfriend and didn’t have any other date lined up. He and his friends were unorganized and didn’t have dinner reservations. They were running so late that we didn’t have time to eat. We missed the prom dinner and afterward were so tired and over it all that we still didn’t eat. I was mad and irritated. When I got home, I slid into cozy pajamas, made a salami and cheese sandwich on sourdough and watched an old movie. It was the best part of that night. That was over 20 years ago and I still remember it being the best salami sandwich ever!
The best sandwich I ever had was a Tuscan Chicken Sandwich on focaccia bread with pesto Mayonnaise.
It was the first time I had actually had focaccia bread or pesto and it was love at first taste. Sadly, I’ve gone back to try and get it again, but since that one time they’ve never had it again. The flavors of the sandwich melded together really well. I think it was one of the best I had.
this summer, i took a trip to montana to visit a family friend. we spent a day in glacier national park where we enjoyed a picnic of sandwiches we had picked up at a local shop earlier. i ordered the grilled veggie sandwich, and it was… the most wonderfully delicious sandwich i’ve ever tasted. it had artichokes, olives, spinach, mushrooms, and red peppers on a simple focaccia bread with some sort of chipotle mayo. i ended up stopping by that shop two more times before the vacation was over!
The best sandwich ever would have to be homemade roasted red peppers, turkey breast, havarti, and arugula with hummus spread. Yummy! I am excited – I Love to cook and experiment a panini maker would be fun to have!
I am excited I found your blog! My favorite sandwhich is a simple kind of panini – sun dried tomato spread, mozzarella, basil, and grilled chicken. I get it at Cosi and also make them at home and add spinach and grilled onions.
Add mine as another vote for fresh mozzerella, tomato & pesto! Also yummy to add some chicken & red peppers. River Rising here in MT does a good one!
I vote for the grilled swiss cheese sandwich at Bob Cat Bite in Santa Fe, NM. It’s the best ever and perfectly grilled!!
My favorite sandwich is a panini made at a small coffeehouse in Altoona, Iowa. It is made of turkey, cream cheese, and cranberry chutney. Delicious!
My favorite panini is tandoori chicken, green mint chutney and manchego cheese on sourdough.
The greatest sandwich of all time is one I discovered at the North Market in Columbus, Ohio at a restaurant called “Best of the Wurst” (they specialize in sausage, hot dogs, and panini). This panini is on sourdough bread and it’s comprised of turkey, roasted red peppers, and a sweet, creamy Norwegian cheese. This sandwich is amazing!
My favorite sandwich ever was one I made with fried green tomatoes, spinach and bacon using my first-ever-homemade lemon-basil aioli, using basil and tomatoes from my first garden. It was amazing!
Congratulations to the winners! Even though the giveaway is over, I want to leave a comment about my favorite sandwich memory because I an amazed how after searching the recesses of my mind for a best-tasting sandwich, I channeled great memories from 18 years ago of my after school job in high school over. I had the wonderful opportunity to work at Planetree Health Resource Library on Webster Street in San Francisco with an amazingly nurturing group of women ( Tracy, Roz, Elizabeth, Lori, Nadia, Beth are you out there? )
In between filing health-related articles, and helping the lay patrons find information about their health interests, I would occasionally be asked to make a sandwich run down to The Cheshire Cat cafe. Being a picky eater in high school, I was excited to have discovered the teriyaki chicken sandwich. It was simply marinated thigh cutlets cut into 1-2 inch pieces, in between two pieces of wheat bread. The marinade was brothy-clear, not saucy, and chicken was juicy. I would order that sandwich so many times, I finally became averted, but I’m ready to try to make it myself now.
Kathy, Thanks for the question and the reason to ponder it. I feel like a winner, for bringing back the memories of working at Planetree. What a great site and community you have going! It was nice to have met you and your family at Robbie’s big day last week. Take care!