The National Sandwich Idea contest was held between 1956 and 1981. It was sponsored by the Wheat Flour Institute. Each year 20 sandwich recipes, created by Food Service professionals, were chosen as the top sandwich recipes from hundreds of entries.

The Sweet Adeline Sandwich was the number #1 recipe chosen in 1968.

It was created by Thomas R. Giancoli, who was executive chef at the Monte Cristo hotel in Everett, WA. The Sweet Adeline Sandwich is a French toast like, sweet blending of cream cheese, almonds and prune filling between bread slices. The entire sandwich is dipped in a nutmeg flavored sweet batter, grilled and topped with a mound of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.

Sweet Adeline Sandwich - 1968 #1 winner

12 slices enriched white bread
Butter
1 can (12 oz) prune pastry and cake filling
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sliced almonds
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Stemmed maraschino cherries

Butter bread. Spread prune filling on 6 bread slices.
Combine cream cheese and almonds; spread
mixture on remaining 6 bread slices.
Close sandwiches with fillings inside.
Blend together eggs, milk, sugar, salt and nutmeg.
Dip sandwiches in batter and fry in butter
until golden brown on each side.
Serve hot, topped with whipped cream and cherries.

Makes 6 sandwiches.

Source: Milwaukee Journal newspaper, July 31, 1968