Mincing words

Re “Want lies with that?” Opinion, Jan. 29

It seems that Josh Ozersky isn’t above inserting his own bits of mythology. The sandwich is not the “quintessential American invention.”

Nor can its invention be ascribed to John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. Montagu’s habit of placing meat or other food between two slices of bread rather than take a break from his addiction to gambling and eat a set meal was already commonplace, though probably not in Scandinavia, which has a long tradition of a single slice topped with other edibles. His habit did mark the initiation of the appellation in the 18th century. The hamburger is just another sandwich, just as a Lexus is just another car.

F. DANIEL GRAY

Los Angeles