The Simple Sandwich Julie Andrews Loves Involves An Unexpected Boiled Ingredient

Sometimes simple, resourceful recipes are the ticket for a fast lunch or for nursing an afternoon craving. Beloved songstress Julie Andrews had the right idea when she revealed one of her favorite comfort foods to a reporter. "Have you ever had a boiled potato sandwich?" she asked George Christy of Good Housekeeping in 1966 (via Julie Andrews Online). "Slices of boiled potato between French bread, plenty of butter, salt, and pepper. Delicious with a cup of tea." The "Sound of Music" star's love for "squashy and gorgeous" boiled-potato sandwiches also made it into Time Magazine later that same year.

The potato sandwich has been around for some time and appears as early as 1909 in "The Up-To-Date Sandwich Book." In this recipe, boiled potatoes are put through a ricer and mixed with egg yolks before being spread across lightly buttered brown bread. This alone might yield a bite that is lacking in taste, but, as Andrews once suggested, adding copious amounts of butter, salt, and pepper can spruce up the sandwich.

"Haven't you guessed yet that I'm nuts about potatoes?" the actress admitted. Of course, she wasn't the only one. Gene Kelly, too, was known for his love of mashed potatoes spooned onto buttery, salted French bread. His "Man Sandwich" was also adorned with mayonnaise, thin slices of red onion, and salt and butter. Perhaps the two entertainers shared this kind of lunch while they were on the set of "The Julie Andrews Show" television special in '65.

Similarly to the sandwich praised by Andrews, folks in the 1930s presented a sandwich packed with potato salad, should you want a bit more filling in your dish. Alternatively, in India, potatoes are generously spiced when added to aloo sandwiches. This meal is enhanced with chutney or ketchup for a flavorful recipe that can be enjoyed any time of the day. Throughout the U.K., slabs of crispy fried potatoes are shoved between sliced bread, with cooks putting their own variations on the recipe. Adding onions and cream cheese and switching up the kind of bread used can enhance the sandwich.

As it turns out, Julie Andrews is a fan of all things potatoes. The "Mary Poppins" star also revealed that she enjoyed french fries shoved between pieces of fresh, crusty bread (not unlike her favorite potato sandwich). Additionally, she praised a "baked potato in its — jacket — with spaghetti spooned into it and swimming in spicy meat sauce." When presented alongside Andrews' favorite 2-ingredient highball cocktail, you'd certainly have a presentation that is guaranteed to drum up conversation among house guests and friends.