Andrew Zimmern's Favorite Bread For Sandwiches Has A Key Ingredient

Chef Andrew Zimmern believes some of the best sandwiches are made on fresh Vietnamese baguettes. It's no wonder why — with a stretchy texture and a satisfying bite, these short baguettes (also known as bánh mì) deliver both a satisfyingly crispy crust and spongy interior that can be easily sliced and used for lunch and dinner menus. Whether you're preparing sandwiches to enjoy alone or want to serve one of the best soup and sandwich combinations your guests have ever tasted, for Zimmern to recommend this kind of bread, you know it must be good.

The delicious stretchiness of these flavorful baguettes is a result of one particular ingredient in the bread's dough. It's rice flour, notes Zimmern, and he encourages home chefs to experiment and try using rice flour too, particularly for loaves that will be used later on to make sandwiches.

Rice flour is known as a suitable gluten-free baking alternative, as the high starch content of this flour helps build a stretchy texture that is akin to bread made with wheat. From cookies to bread loaves, the inclusion of rice flour can take an average baking project to new chewy bites.

When purchasing rice flour for your culinary projects, know there are different kinds of rice flour available in markets. Both white and brown rice flour can lend a stretchy texture to doughs, and it is possible to blend rice flour with other kinds of flour so that the texture and consistency of your bread are perfect for the weight of your sandwich ingredients. Adding a spread of Zimmern's umami mayo will help you put together sandwiches that will quickly become crowd favorites, and you may be reaching for more rice flour the next time you visit the store.