What if we told you that sandwich wraps were invented by a baseball player when his electric toaster broke down? It may sound far-fetched, but it’s true! Well, it was actually Bobby Valentine, the ex-manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, and the toaster was owned by his restaurant. But the real question is, how does the manager of a hugely successful baseball team end up serving sandwich wraps instead of major league wins?
The answer involved some quick improvisation on Valentine’s part when a diner ordered a toasted club sandwich right after the toaster broke down. Fortunately, there was a pile of tortillas within reach, so Valentine wrapped up the sandwich filling, topped it with melted cheese and called it the Club Mex. Needless to say, the customer walked away happy, and Valentine’s restaurant added a nouvelle option to the menu.
And wraps really are the best thing since sliced bread. After all, they are healthy, easy, portable and delicious – even leftovers get an extra inning when wrapped up in a soft tortilla with some salad and hummus. However, until Valentine subbed out the sliced bread in the heat of the moment, wraps were mainly consigned to Mexican cuisine, and the most common form of the Western sandwich was two trusty (but somewhat dull) slices of bread encasing a few well-known ingredients.
With the creation of the sandwich wrap, horizons broadened and wraps evolved exponentially. Now they pop up everywhere, from executive catered luncheons to food trucks at the ballpark. While the first wraps were made from basic flour tortillas, inventive bakers have given us a broad spectrum of choices, such as whole wheat or spinach and herb flavours. The fillings have also expanded, with variations now including breakfast wraps, crispy seafood, or vegetarian tofu.
Whatever the contents though, there are a range of tips that will help you knock it out of the park every time. First and foremost, don’t start with a cold tortilla! Even the freshest tortilla will tear or crack when cold, so warm them briefly in the microwave. Then, spread a tasty foundation. Whether it’s hummus, softened cream cheese or refried beans, this acts as the glue that holds the wrap together. Once that’s done, you’re ready to load on your preferred filling, but don’t forget to leave some space for wrapping. Roll tightly, tucking in the bottom of the wrap to avoid losing your stuffing all over your plate.
Thanks to one baseball manager’s quick thinking, we now have a new spin on an old favourite, packing big-time flavour into convenient, mitt-sized packages.
