This is as close to ceremony as you will find in the easygoing Danish culture. The origin of the open-face sandwich is the European Middle Ages, when thick slices of stale bread, or trenchers, served as plates. The trenchers absorbed the juice and flavor of the toppings and then were discarded.

What does it mean when a sandwich is open-faced?

US. : a piece of bread that is covered with meat, cheese, etc. : a sandwich made with no bread on top.

Are open-faced sandwiches really sandwiches?

Open-faced sandwiches are not sandwiches, because they require utensils and fail to sandwich anything. ... This means foods on hinged breads are sandwiches. Based on this definition, a quesadilla made with a single flour tortilla folded over itself is not a sandwich, though it may be delicious.