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Chocolate-covered pretzels. Salty, crunchy pretzel dipped in sweet milk chocolate.

I want you to keep that image in the forefront of your mind, and on the tip of your tongue. There is no better example for a food that combines two basic tastes, salty with sweet. The end result is something that many people can agree on, correct?

Keeping those chocolatey, crispy knots in mind, imagine you are rummaging through your refrigerator for a snack. It is the middle of the night and you have no real reason to be awake other than you are hungry–no, you need to satisfy a craving, you need to chew, you need to feel flavor in and around your mouth, and you need the satisfaction of swallowing a tasty treat!

I have a suggestion that I came across on a very similar night; a sandwich for those who aren’t afraid to test their tongues. It was all about substitution, lacking key ingredients to make a passable, standard sandwich.

Two slices of bread: peanut butter spread on one, chocolate syrup on the other. In the middle? A couple deli slices of honey-baked ham.

I hope you’re still with me. Remember that chocolate covered pretzel? It’s the same concept, the ham being slightly salty and flavored with that honey, and the chocolate syrup adding that classic sweetness. The peanut butter? Well, peanut butter and chocolate have already proven to be great bedfellows, thanks to Reese’s.

After hearing about my peanut butter, ham, and chocolate sandwich most people are disgusted and never think to give it a chance. Honestly, I say bollocks, because it tastes pretty damn good. It’s a versatile sandwich too; subsequent nights had me substituting and adding like crazy. Chocolate chips embedded into the peanut butter, using flour tortillas instead of bread, Nutella instead of chocolate syrup, adding banana slices…I even went so far as to add cherry tomatoes! That one turned out messy, dripping all over, but it wasn’t half bad.

Okay, so this sandwich is a little weird to begin with, and my sobriety certainly gets questioned, yet I stand by my original argument. If the chocolate-covered pretzel can be good, this is good too. Try it, if you don’t believe me. Or better yet, make one and dare your friend to try it!

 When you’re rummaging through that fridge in the wee hours of the night, get creative. Think like a hungry, mad scientist and make something off-the-wall. Even if it turns out to be a flop, you’ll have a funny story to tell.

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