Are tacos and burritos sandwiches? A judge in Indiana says yes, sparking a carb kerfuffle. Bread purists vs. tortilla toasters are arguing the point.
According to the NY Post, a recent Indiana court case has reignited the age-old question: can tacos and burritos be classified as sandwiches? The ruling has the internet wrapped up in a snack debate.
The presiding judge over the tacos/burritos/sando debate declared that "Mexican-style sandwiches," are legally a thing, greenlighting the nomenclature. This verdict has social media foodies in a frenzy. Bread traditionalists argue a true sandwich demands two slices of bread and that wraps are a different animal. But tortilla fans point out that the core concept of a filling nestled between carbs applies equally to tortillas for sandwich status.
The dictionary definition of a sandwich is "two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between." While tortillas aren't technically bread, they do function similarly, cradling a food-filled center. This argument ain't new. New York City, for example, includes burritos alongside croissants, hot dog buns, bagels, and gyro pitas under their "sandwich" tax umbrella but not every state or city feels the same way.
History whispers a different tale. The sandwich humble supposedly originated in 18th century Europe, attributed to the Earl of Sandwich, who desired a convenient, one-handed meal he could munch conveniently between gambling sessions, resting between slices of bread. But pita, lavash, tortillas, naan, and a ton more carbs have cradled meats, cheese, and veggies, so why are we arguing about whether the carb comes in two pieces?
One thing's for sure: this judge's decision doesn't mean anything as we wrap our food between everything from ramen noodles to chicken cutlets. Bottom line, a sandwich is whatever you want it to be.