The bizarre reason you should always take a sandwich on a plane – but not eat it
PLANE passengers are buying sandwiches to take on their flights - but not eating them.
The new culinary craze has seen people bringing their butties on board, only to save them for later, claiming the delay has huge benefits.
Apparently, according to those who do it, it makes sandwiches taste much better than if they're consumed immediately after purchase.
The first person to discuss the technique was New Yorker journalist , who said she does it with a specific type of sandwich.
According to Helen, it works really well with muffulettas, a popular sandwich that originated among Italian immigrants in New Orleans, Louisiana.
She tweeted: "The best possible travel tip I can give you, possibly the best tip ever, is: In New Orleans, on your last day, buy 2-3 whole muffulettas and pack the sandwiches in your suitcase to bring home.
"A plane trip changes a muffuletta in profound and glorious ways."
Asked if the sandwiches should be packed in carry-on luggage, or in checked luggage, she said one works slightly better than the other.
She added: "I’ve done both. Checked bag achieves slightly better results if I recall correctly, but honestly we should do a controlled experiment to be sure."
Curious, if not a little sceptical, food publication put it to the test.
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They bought two identical sandwiches from the same shop, with serrano ham and parmesan, sundried tomatoes, spinach, and cranberries, dressed with chilli oil.
After eating the first of the two sandwiches at the airport immediately after purchasing them, then leaving the other one until after the flight, the verdict was that it actually tasted better after being in the air.
However, they admitted: "The improvement was, to say the least, subtle.
"Overall, it tasted a bit richer, as the chilli oil had soaked into the bread, and the ham seemed to have melted into the sandwich, becoming more pliable and almost grooving into the bread."
They asked Molly Brandt, a culinary scientist and executive chef with airline caterer GateGourmet why.
She said: "It’s not really about the cabin pressure—it’s more about time plus temperature plus a good selection of deliciously fatty ingredients (oils, cheeses, etc).
"The time on a flight helps infuse the bread with the delicious bits.”
Sandwiches aren't the only food affected by plane travel, with flights having a negative impact on other dishes.
The air on planes is extremely dry, which can dry out your nasal passages and make your taste buds less perceptive.
However, an Oxford professor has revealed that wearing noise-cancelling headphones while eating can actually make your food taste better.
Professor Charles Spence, an expert on taste and food, said the noise of the engine on a plane can make food taste more bitter by up to 10 per cent.
He told the : “Donning a pair of noise-cancelling headphones could actually be one of the simplest ways in which to make food and drink taste better at altitude.
“The lower cabin pressure, dry cabin air and loud engine noise all contribute to our inability to taste and smell food and drink.”
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Meanwhile, a flight attendant recently revealed what a passenger's drinks order says about them as a person.
And these are the five drinks you should never order on a flight - and the one that you should.
