What's for lunch? on the Iron range, one answer with the weight of history is a pasty-- ground meat and vegetables folded into a pastry crust. Make your way along Eat Street in Minneapolis and encounter the Somali sambusa, the Mexican torta, or the Vietnamese banh m√]. Stop by a Scandinavian hot spot to find the traditional open-faced sandwich, assembled with fresh fish and vegetables and herbs. The variety of sandwich options in a state that's home to dozens of ethnic groups is truly something to behold.

But beyond being our daily bread, sandwiches carry stories, whether of...