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According to Word Sources, the Old English word sandwic means "sandy place" or "place on the sand." The English town of Sandwich was first recorded around A.D. 640. The food item has little to do with the town, but with John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. In fact, the first Earl of Sandwich (Edward Montagu) really wanted to call himself the Earl of Portsmouth, but for some reason, decided on Sandwich instead. John Montagu didn't shrink from enjoying life. It's said that he was a corrupt, devil-worshiping sex fanatic who enjoyed gambling
(he would have liked Vegas). The origin of the snack is attributed to his asking a waiter for meat between two slices of bread so he wouldn't have to put his hand of cards down. Was he lazy or smart? Probably a little of both. On a voyage in 1778, Captain James Cook named the Hawaiian Islands after the fourth Earl of Sandwich. Thankfully, the name didn't stick for long, and it fell out of use in the 19th century.
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