Bonnie And Clyde's Last Meal Was 2 Simple Sandwiches To-Go
The Great Depression in the 1930s was marked by extreme hardship and poverty. When people weren't looking for their next peanut butter and pickle sandwich to tide them over, they were chatting about larger-than-life outlaws like Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, also known as Bonnie and Clyde. This duo gained notoriety for robbing banks, kidnapping, and killing people. After they were killed, their simple sandwich choice became famous. A fried bologna sandwich and a classic bacon, lettuce, and tomato, or BLT, were the last two that these outlaws ordered up and started consuming before they met their demise.
It was May 23, 1934, and the partners in crime decided to stop at Ma Canfield's Cafe in Gibsland, Louisiana, for a quick bite to eat. Sandwiches, which are both convenient and portable, were a natural choice for someone on the run. The two had allegedly stopped off at this eatery for coffee and donuts, but decided some additional grub was needed.
History is a little fuzzy on who had which sandwich, but as the story goes, Bonnie was gunned down holding half a fried bologna sandwich, and the BLT, which must have been for Clyde, is rumored to never have made it out of the brown paper bag it came in. What's fascinating about these two sandwiches is that one was cheap and accessible, while the other would have been a bit of a luxury during the Great Depression era that these gangsters lived in.
Both are made with a fried meat
Fried bologna sandwiches are simple but satisfying food. They use nothing more than cheap white bread, bologna, mustard, or mayo, and perhaps some cheese if you are living large. What exactly is bologna? It is a finely ground pork, beef, turkey, or chicken that is cooked or smoked. It is fried until it is crispy before it is piled on top of the bread. It's no wonder Bonnie made this her grab-and-go order. Her sandwich is easy to replicate, but pro tip, if you are making it at home: cut slits in the edge of the bologna so these round disks of meat don't curl up into a bowl shape.
Clyde's BLT also uses pork in the form of fried bacon to create this sweet and savory bite; however, during the Great Depression, bacon wasn't always easy to come by for the very poor. Too bad, Clyde didn't get a nibble. The BLT has origins that are distinctly British; however, after World War II, this sandwich became more mainstream in the U.S. as lettuce and tomatoes became more readily available. Today, you might find a fried green tomato BLT or lobster BLT sandwich on the menu of your favorite eatery.