This Classic Sandwich Is Paul McCartney's Go-To After Concerts

Former Beatle Paul McCartney is a well-known vegetarian (one of his comfort foods is the British-inspired egg and chips), and as an advocate of the meatless lifestyle, he created a movement called "Meat Free Mondays" to promote awareness and participation in vegetarianism, even for those who just dabble. Its aim is to have people cut down on their meat consumption just once a week, which should have some material impact on demand, thereby easing cruel slaughtering practices on a lighter animal population. As a musician and a celebrity, you might be curious as to what he enjoys after a performance, and he once told Meat Free Mondays that he has a go-to snack even before changing out of his show outfit.

"I get on the tour bus, and before we change back into our 'day clothes' I have a margarita to drink, which is always very welcome! And I have a cheese and pickle sandwich with the English type of pickle: Branston's pickle. Americans would think I mean a dill pickle, but no! Those are the two things that are always there, and that I look forward to. It means we've done the show and we're off!" he said.

As Paul McCartney alluded to, a Branston pickle is a far cry from a dill pickle. The name Branston refers to the brand that manufactures them, and this style of pickle is similar to chutney in that it's a condiment made of diced vegetables like carrots, onions, cauliflower, and even rutabaga, pickled in flavors like vinegar, tomato, and apples, along with assorted spices. The product is uniquely sweet and savory, which would boost the flavor of any plain cheese sandwich considerably. Branston first came out with the pickle in 1922, and it's remained a British household staple since.

Fellow British rock star Elton John is also fond of vegetarian cheese sandwiches, but his version is slightly different — he likes his with just cheese and tomatoes, which is decidedly less punchy on the acidic flavor. But as for McCartney, his two-ingredient sandwich does have a bit more dimension, and it's his version of comfort food after expending plenty of energy on stage (along with that margarita to unwind, naturally). "It's so basic and simple, but it hits the spot!" he said in the same interview with Meat Free Mondays.