A pie iron—also called pudgy pie iron, sandwich toaster, snackwicher, toastie maker, that consists of two hinged concave, round or square,
cast iron
Cast iron is a class of iron– carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impur ...
or
aluminium
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...
plates on long handles. Its "clamshell" design resembles that of a
waffle iron
A waffle iron or waffle maker is a utensil or appliance used to cook waffles.
It comprises two metal plates with a connecting hinge, molded to create the honeycomb pattern found on waffles. The iron is heated and either batter is poured or dou ...
, but without that appliance's honeycomb pattern. Pie irons are used to heat, toast and seal the
sandwich
A sandwich is a food typically consisting of vegetables, sliced cheese or meat, placed on or between slices of bread, or more generally any dish wherein bread serves as a container or wrapper for another food type. The sandwich began as a po ...
.
Name
The most common type in most countries are electrically heated counter-top models, and names vary from place to place. In the United Kingdom, the pie iron is referred to as a "toastie maker" or "toasted sandwich maker"; in Australia and South Africa, it may be called a "jaffle iron", "jaffle maker".
Origins
In the U.S., the ''Tostwich'' is possibly the earliest toasted sandwich maker, dating back to before 1920. However, it was not patented until 3 March 1925 (applied for on 26 May 1924). It was invented by Charles Champion, whose other inventions include a corn-popping machine for the mass production of popcorn.
The original Jaffle brand jaffle iron was designed and patented in 1949 by Dr Earnest Smithers, of Bondi, Australia.
Operation
Modern versions of the pie-iron are commonly more domestic, if not necessarily more refined, with subdivisions allowing pairs of bread slices to be clamped together around fillings to form pockets or stuffed sandwiches. A combination of heat and pressure seals the bread at the outer edges.
Campfire versions are still made of cast iron and can be cooked over coals, open flames, or a stove, but lightweight aluminium stove-top versions are made, generally being coated with a
non-stick surface
A non-stick surface is engineered to reduce the ability of other materials to stick to it. Non-stick cookware is a common application, where the non-stick coating allows food to brown without sticking to the pan. Non-stick is often used to refer ...
both as a cleaning aid and to allay fears regarding aluminium in the diet.
Once the device is hot, the sandwich can be assembled "inside-out", where the buttered side of the bread faces outwards against the metal plates and the filling sits inside. This produces a crunchier toastie and helps prevent the bread from sticking. Alternatively, bread can be placed inside unbuttered, which produces a chewier toastie.
Regional variants
*Rights acquired by John O'Brien for Australian cookware company
Breville
Breville is an Australian brand of small home appliances, founded in Sydney in 1932.eponym
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
ously to describe both the device and the toasted, sealed sandwich product.
*In the UK, the appliance is notorious for being little-used. A survey in 2005 suggested that 45% of British adults own, but do not use, sandwich toasters.
*In India, open flame toasters are used to toast sandwiches. They are often called "Bombay sandwiches" in
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
.
See also
*
Croque monsieur
A ''croque monsieur'' () is a hot sandwich made with ham and cheese. The name comes from the French words ''croque'' ("crunch") and ''monsieur'' ("mister").
History
The dish originated in French cafés and bars as a quick snack. In the earl ...
*
Cuban sandwich
A Cuban sandwich ( es, link=no, Sándwich cubano) is a variation of a ham and cheese sandwich that likely originated in cafes catering to Cuban workers in Tampa
or Key West,Panini
*
Toast sandwich
A toast sandwich is a sandwich in which the filling between two slices of bread is itself a thin slice of toasted bread, which may be buttered. An 1861 recipe says to add salt and pepper to taste.
Victorian recipe
A recipe for toast sandwiches ...
*
Toaster
A toaster is a small electric appliance that uses radiant heat to brown sliced bread into toast.
Types
Pop-up toaster
In pop-up or automatic toasters, a single vertical piece of bread is dropped into a slot on the top of the toaste ...
*
Waffle iron
A waffle iron or waffle maker is a utensil or appliance used to cook waffles.
It comprises two metal plates with a connecting hinge, molded to create the honeycomb pattern found on waffles. The iron is heated and either batter is poured or dou ...