So how would a sandwich look like in post-Brexit Britain? That is if there’s no deal. Well, how about two pieces of bread, a slice of meat and some pickles. What! No tomatoes or lettuce?
As a BBC Newsnight programme showed recently, most of the fresh vegetables used in the sandwiches in the UK actually come from Spain and other parts of Europe, which means, during winter months, such items may be hard to come by.
In the words of Jim Winship of the British Sandwich Association, people bringing in fresh ingredients daily may face hurdles.
In short, the sandwich, a quintessentially British invention, is in jeopardy.
When the 4th Earl of Sandwich first took a bite from this rather modest preparation, with a large piece of meat between two pieces of bread, he was actually asking for a food which would be convenient and won’t require him to leave his work.
He was the first Lord of the Admiralty and since his job meant immense pressure during a critical point in the 18th century when the British were locked in worldwide conflict with the French to establish their commercial and military authority, dining elaborately was often not possible.
There’s of course another anecdote stating that the Earl, a consummate gambler, used to be so engrossed at the cards table that he did not want the rhythm of the game interrupted by a formal eating ritual and, therefore, popularised the sandwich among fellow gamblers, which later trickled into greater London society and the rest of Europe.
Going back to the basic sandwich post Brexit?
Well, alarmists tend to portray a bleak picture of the sandwich after March 2019 because they feel that with the current contention over the Brexit proposal presented by Theresa May, in the end, there may not be any deal at all. That, however, does not mean that overnight, the import of lettuce and avocado will cease.
But then, there isn’t any way to dismiss the possibility of a drab sandwich either. In fact, the result of the EU referendum – a cry for self-determination belies what Britain as a nation had become over the decades after she signed up to be part of Europe.
The mere sandwich and how it’s loved today across the UK with exotic items imported from all over Europe is a testament to how European Britain has become.
If British uniqueness had triumphed at the EU referendum and overshadowed all consequent doubts and misgivings, the issue of the steady import of vegetables would not have been in the news at all.
The simple reason why there’s serious talk surrounding it is that countless people are terrified that they will not be able to go back to the basic dish because they have embellished it so much that it simply isn’t just a British food anymore.
To understand the predicament of Brexit-related complications vis-a-vis the sandwich, we need to look at another British cuisine which has its roots in South Asia.
Can you take away the curry and still remain buoyant?
Imagine this, suddenly curry houses stop operating across the UK. In a country of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, that would be the ultimate disaster or shall we say, gastronomic Armageddon?
I am not exaggerating the seriousness of such a hypothetical problem when I say that Brits may have the ability to digest a no deal exit from Europe but will fail to cope with life without curry.
In a similar fashion, years of seeing sandwiches filled up with European items is not something Britain would want to let go easily.
In fact, in that debate of sandwich ingredients, comes out the fact that despite voting to leave, inherently, UK had become more European than she ever imagined.
But there’s always room for creativity
The spokesperson from the British Sandwich Association spelt out the possible threats to the widely loved item but also added confidently that during offseason, they can easily find substitutes for tomatoes, lettuce and avocado.
Others say that whether there’s a deal or not, much of the flamboyance of sandwiches will diminish for a time.
Obviously, many readers of this article are thinking: what’s it to a Bangladeshi if British stores suddenly start selling insipid food?
Well, it’s of importance because when that void is created, there will be someone trying to take over with something innovative - an idea never thought of before.
That space can be won by British Bangladeshi restaurateurs, chefs and food connoisseurs.
How about a chicken tikka sandwich with spinach, eggplant and soft south Asian cheese? Just an idea but the possibilities are endless.
There can even be a full vegetable sandwich with Indian spinach, hard lentils and radish.
Whatever the outcome of the negotiations, there is a set date, 29th March, following which Britain is set to be outside the EU.
For British Asians, this should be the chance to open up markets for food, clothes and ideas that have the distinct South Asian flavour.
You must be thinking, I am being a little selfish here. Well, this is not being self-centred. This is strategic thinking because once Brexit happens South Asians born in the UK will have the chance to consolidate their social position even further, if they make a mark in the fast food industry.
So far, their dominance has been in the mainstream gastronomic sector; now, there is a chance for them to add the desi zing into Earl of Sandwich’s invention.
Funny when we think that as first Lord of the Admiralty, the Earl must have munched on his bread and filling, chalking out plans for British dominance in India, and almost three hundred years later, the British dish can be radically transformed with South Asian ingenuity to ensure Brexit does not make the sandwich uninspiring.
How about opening ‘Desi-wich’ outlets in London? At least then, April 2019 will not be the cruellest month for Britain.

Towheed Feroze is a News Editor at Bangla Tribune and teaches at the University of Dhaka.