Panera’s Black Forest Ham & Gouda Melt features Black Forest ham, new country mustard, smoked gouda, and arugula on a toasted baguette.
I bought one for $11.69.
The sandwich was fairly large at around 10-inches in length.
The baguette was very nicely toasted with a crispy, crackly crust and chewy, soft interior that gave off a warm, rustic aroma. The bread turned out a noticeably better than when they offered paninis.
Inside the bread was a light spread of country mustard, a thin layering of ham, and an uneven smattering of Gouda. They forgot the arugula but I imagine it would have wilted quite a bit from the heat of the sandwich (leafy greens have already struck me as an odd addition to a melt). Still, the peppery, slightly bitter flavor might have been nice.
The ham was meaty and salty with a slight bit of sweetness to it. The sandwich included just enough to cover each bite but not much more than that.
The country mustard offered up a creamy mustard with a mild horseradish-like flavor and a subtle sweetness.
The Gouda tasted rich and creamy when I picked a piece out of the sandwich but struggled mightily when eaten as a part of the sandwich as there just wasn’t much to go around.
Overall, Panera’s Black Forest Ham & Gouda Melt was rather tasty and filling from a ham-and-cheese sandwich perspective but probably needs twice the cheese to make for a good melt. The toasted baguette was especially nice.
Nutritional Info – Panera Black Forest Ham & Gouda Melt
Calories – 960 (from Fat – 270)
Fat – 31g (Saturated Fat – 16g)
Sodium – 2920mg
Carbs – 119g (Sugar – 8g)
Protein – 52g
