Best. Sandwich. Ever.

Like most people, we have sandwiches for lunch several days a week at our house. They're quick, easy, inexpensive, delicious -- and the options are endless.

Obviously.

We sometimes fall into a sandwich rut. We have lots of ham and turkey sandwiches, often with mustard, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce (if we have it) and some Miracle Whip. (Sorry, scoffers, it's just too delicious for me to give up!) Emma often requests salami, and rarely I'll venture off the traditional course and get some roast beef. But that's usually it. Again, they're good. But sometimes boring.

So the other day, Aaron and I got into a conversation about what is truly the best sandwich. He favors the day-after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich. He says there's nothing better. In fact, once or twice a year -- other than for the holidays -- we'll make a turkey mostly so we can make those sandwiches.

I agreed. They're great, especially with the leftover cranberry sauce. But for me, there's only one greatest sandwich. It has nothing to do with turkey. And they're only spectacular for a few short weeks a year. That's right -- the BLT.

Sure, you can make them year-round. But I honestly cannot remember the last time I went to the supermarket and was inspired by the tomatoes. Not even the organic once can get me in the mood for a BLT. The tomatoes must be fresh from the vine. And if they're heirloom, that's even better. I favor romaine or green-leaf lettuce for my BLTs. Iceberg is just OK, and many other kinds (such as arugula) are simply too flavorful for me. Of course, fresh from the farmers market lettuce is my favorite.

And the bacon. Mmmmm, bacon! I've discovered, however, that the tomatoes need to be the star of my sandwich. So I choose excellent bacon, but I only use a slice or two on my sandwich. Otherwise, the saltiness of the meat outshines the sweetness of the tomatoes -- that's a total no-go in my book.

I am picky about the bacon I buy. I've tried turkey bacon several times, but I just don't care for it. I do, however, have two favorites. The first is the Oscar Mayer smokehouse thick-sliced center cut bacon. It's delicious, and two slices are very filling. For when I really want to splurge, I get some Niman Ranch bacon. It's even better, but it's terribly bad for me. The Oscar Mayer, surprisingly, is less fatty and, therefore, better for me.

There's two last must-haves for my BLT: toasted bread and Miracle Whip. I find that untoasted bread gets too soggy from juicy tomatoes. And the Miracle Whip -- maybe it's just a childhood thing that I haven't outgrown. However, I prefer it to regular mayonnaise. And I don't need much -- just a tablespoon or two. Again, can't let anything get in the way of those summer beauties.

Mmmmm. BLTs. There's nothing like a summer splurge. And this is it!