seventeen mile sandwich
through all the hikes i’ve tackled, this sandwich has been my tried and true secret weapon for when things take an unexpected turn. most recently, it helped us power through when we took the wrong path and our casual 8-mile hike turned into a very scenic 17-mile struggle.
we didn’t realize our mistake until we arrived at the wrong lake (which looked more like a swamp than the crystal clear one we were expecting), 2.5 miles from the fork in the road where we should have gone the other way. we had already clocked in 6.5 miles, and going to the other lake alone would take another 5 miles, not to mention the additional 5 miles back to the trailhead from there. as we ate these sandwiches in the shivering cold and took in the reality of the wrong lake, we resolved that we had not driven 3 hours for this disappointing view and had to go big before going home. although we barely made it back by sunset, it was well worth it for these views and the accomplishment of tackling our longest day hike ever. oh, and the glorious bratwurst & pretzel dinner at munchen haus. the last time i visited leavenworth/munchen haus was two years ago right after our first backpacking trip in the enchantments. though so much has changed since then both on a personal and global scale (including the fact that we couldn’t chase the bratwursts with an icy cold beer on tap), the hot dogs and sauerkraut were just as delicious as i remembered. the constant through all these experiences has been good company, and i’m grateful for the friends who have stood by my side through showers and accidental seventeen mile hikes.
this s.t.a.a.t. (sun-dried tomato, avocado, arugula, & turkey) sandwich is my go-to for long hikes because it’s hearty, fresh, and holds up well over many miles. a friend commented that the sun-dried tomato in it basically tastes like you’re enjoying tomato soup with the sandwich - it’s a refreshing change from grazing on granola bars, bananas, and jerky. i usually go for a big loaf of ciabatta at trader joes rather than using sliced bread because it won’t flatten or get soggy easily. i don’t toast the bread unless i’m eating it immediately because it gets all styrafoamy when you eat it later (but mostly because i’m usually assembling this sandwich before we leave for a hike at the buttcrack of dawn and too tired to be bothered).
staat AKA seventeen mile sandwich
ingredients:
1 loaf of sturdy bread, sliced
(i prefer sourdough or ciabatta)
sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
mayo
1 avocado, sliced
arugula
sliced turkey breast
instructions:
prepare the sun-dried tomato aioli: chop up the sun-dried tomato then place in a small bowl (i usually get lazy here and just cut it directly in the bowl with kitchen scissors) and mix with equal parts mayo.
assemble the sandwich: spread the aioli on one side of the sandwich, then top with avocado slices. pile a small mountain of arugula on top then add a few slices of turkey, then place the other slice of bread on top.
