The Fried Egg Sandwich

There is something incredibly comforting about a simple fried egg sandwich . It doesn't pretend to be anything more than it is; warm and nourishing. It reminds me of my childhood.

There were very few occasions that my grandfather was left in charge of making us "dinner". Most often he'd prepare a hot dog...boiled. However, he'd sometimes be persuaded to venture out and get the frying pan. He would inevitably make us this fried egg sandwich. Maybe his mother served it to him during the Depression. Maybe he learned to love it in the Navy. I wish I thought at the time to ask him where his creation came from.

two perfectly fried eggs per sandwich  

Grandpa served it with toasted bread (wheat of course) slathered in butter and a healthy dollop of ketchup.  It was so out-of-the-ordinary from anything my mom or grandma would make us. My younger brothers and I looked forward to these rare moments with him, praising the meal like it was the best prime rib (not that we knew what that was at the time)! The egg had crispy edges and was generously salted. The toasted bread was chewy and kept the sandwiches from falling apart under the heat of the egg. This would've been wonderful on it's own, but it's the ketchup that was the star! The cold tanginess kept you coming back for another bite.

The ketchup is the best part! 

I realize in hindsight, each time I made this sandwich either for myself or my family, it was at a time where I was in need of comfort: a long day at work, a stressful time at school, after the loss of a beloved friend. This simple meal reminds me of treasured times, quiet moments in the past and that the future is always brighter than the present may seem.