Here's What Makes Southern Tomato Sandwiches Unique

There are all different kinds of sandwiches for all different kinds of palates. There's the classic peanut butter and jelly, the meaty cold cut, the messy yet delicious Sloppy Joe, and the heartwarming grilled cheese, just to name a few. But even the hundreds of varieties you see on menus across the country don't even begin to sum up all the possible combinations — after all, you can basically put anything between two slices of bread and call it a sandwich.

That's exactly how the unique Southern tomato sandwich was created. The Southern staple is like a BLT, but without the "B" or the "L." (via AL.com) it's just mayonnaise and sliced tomatoes, usually on plain white bread. While you can recreate the simple sandwich no matter where you live in the U.S., there is one thing that sets the tomato sandwich from the South apart from any other tomato sandwich. Hint: It's all in the spread.

You have your white bread, you have your tomatoes, now all you need is the mayonnaise. But if you want to make a truly authentic Southern tomato sandwich, you can't just use any old jar of mayo — it has to be Duke's. According to Advance Local, Duke's mayonnaise, which originated in Greenville, South Carolina, is the most popular spread for tomato sandwiches. And other Southern living bloggers and magazines agree. 

Not only does Wide Open Eats proclaim that Duke's is the favorite mayo of the south bar none, but a writer for CNN says Duke's is "markedly less sugary than other commercial mayonnaise brands and allows the tomato slices to sing their luscious, sweet and tangy tune." Taste of Southern also described Duke's as a tradition for anyone who grew up in the South. Ready to whip up your own delicious tomato sandwich? You can find an original, easy-to-follow recipe on the Duke's Mayonnaise website, of course.