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Sandwiches
Sandwiches for Afternoon Tea are not like the sandwiches one might order at a fast food restaurant for lunch. First of all, tea sandwiches are very small. They are not submarine sandwiches, hoagies, poor boys, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, club sandwiches or paninni. Tea sandwiches are not intended to fill you up but to be enjoyed with a variety of other small food items. Traditional tea sandwiches are made with very fresh, very thin white or brown bread. The insides of the bread are always buttered to prevent the sandwich from becoming soggy, no matter what kind of filling is used. A very small amount of filling is added, usually not more than one or two ingredients, and the crusts are carefully cut off. Tea sandwiches are then cut in half from top to bottom, or into four pieces diagonally, and served as soon as possible after they have been made. The person making the sandwiches should place them immediately on the tray from which they will be served and cover them with a dampened kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out until the guests are seated. Tea sandwiches should not be refrigerated. The key to perfect tea sandwiches is to use the freshest ingredients and serve the sandwiches within a few minutes of preparation. For this reason, tea hostesses often enlist one or more friends to help with last-minute sandwich making in an assembly line system with one person buttering the bread, another adding the filling and a final helper cutting off the crusts and cutting the sandwiches in two. It is difficult to explain in words how satisfying a simple, fresh tea sandwich can be. It is one of life’s little joys and must be experienced to be appreciated. All of the recipes for the following sandwiches and savories are included in the Tea Basics Menu available (in PDF form) for purchase in our online store. These recipes are also included for your convenience (at no charge) in the sections that follow:
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Classic Cucumber Sandwiches
Cucumbers are usually served with other vegetables, as in a tossed salad. These traditional English style sandwiches highlight the fresh natural flavor and texture of cucumbers all on their own. You will want to serve them at your Classic British Afternoon Tea. They are also featured in our Mother’s Day Tea.
• 1 large English cucumber, peeled
• ½ cup (1 stick) soft butter
• 10 slices very fresh soft, thinly sliced white bread, such as Pepperidge Farms
• salt and pepper
Special equipment: vegetable peeler, sharp paring knife, serrated cutting knife, cutting board, clean kitchen towel, serving tray
Makes: 10 small sandwiches
Double this recipe for 20 sandwiches.
1. Wash and peel the cucumber and cut into very thin slices. Arrange the bread on a large cutting board in two rows, 5 slices per row. Lightly butter the tops of all the slices of bread. You will probably have some butter left over.
2. Arrange about 6-8 slices of cucumber on 5 of the bread slices. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and place another slice of bread, butter side down over the bread with cucumbers. Press gently to adhere.
3. Using a sharp, serrated cutting knife, cut the crusts from all four sides of each of the sandwiches. Then cut each sandwich crosswise into 2 pieces, making 10 finger sandwiches.
4. Place the sandwiches on the tray from which they will be served and cover them loosely with a dampened kitchen towel. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve.
Cucumbers are usually served with other vegetables, as in a tossed salad. These traditional English style sandwiches highlight the fresh natural flavor and texture of cucumbers all on their own. You will want to serve them at your Classic British Afternoon Tea. They are also featured in our Mother’s Day Tea.
• 1 large English cucumber, peeled
• ½ cup (1 stick) soft butter
• 10 slices very fresh soft, thinly sliced white bread, such as Pepperidge Farms
• salt and pepper
Special equipment: vegetable peeler, sharp paring knife, serrated cutting knife, cutting board, clean kitchen towel, serving tray
Makes: 10 small sandwiches
Double this recipe for 20 sandwiches.
1. Wash and peel the cucumber and cut into very thin slices. Arrange the bread on a large cutting board in two rows, 5 slices per row. Lightly butter the tops of all the slices of bread. You will probably have some butter left over.
2. Arrange about 6-8 slices of cucumber on 5 of the bread slices. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and place another slice of bread, butter side down over the bread with cucumbers. Press gently to adhere.
3. Using a sharp, serrated cutting knife, cut the crusts from all four sides of each of the sandwiches. Then cut each sandwich crosswise into 2 pieces, making 10 finger sandwiches.
4. Place the sandwiches on the tray from which they will be served and cover them loosely with a dampened kitchen towel. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve.
Best Summer Tomato Sandwiches
Summer’s glorious gift, tomatoes have a flavor like nothing else and are best eaten raw, fresh from the garden. These beauties are available in a variety of colors and shapes, adding to the decorative charm of these irresistible sandwiches. Please remember that tomatoes should never be refrigerated. Keep them on your kitchen windowsill until they are fully ripe and ready to eat. If you are lucky enough to have a vegetable garden, pick your tomatoes when ripe on the vine and make these sandwiches the same day.
• 2-3 ripe tomatoes, various colors if available. Do not refrigerate the tomatoes.
• ½ cup (1 stick) soft butter
• 12 slices thin soft bread, white, brown or buttermilk
• mayonnaise
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Special equipment: sharp paring knife, serrated knife, cutting board, clean cloth kitchen towel, serving tray
Makes: 12 small sandwiches
1. Wash and dry the tomatoes. Slice off both ends of each tomato and carefully cut them into very thin slices, about 8 slices per tomato. Place 12 slices of fresh bread on a clean cutting board and lightly butter each slice. Then spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on each slice of bread.
2. Carefully place about 4 slices of tomato on 6 of the bread slices. Lightly sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper, and place another slice of bread, mayonnaise side down, over the tomatoes, pressing gently.
3. Cut all of the crusts from the sandwiches with a serrated knife and cut each sandwich into 2 pieces to create 12 small sandwiches. Place the sandwiches on the serving tray and cover them with a lightly dampened kitchen towel. Serve within 5-10 minutes if possible.
Summer’s glorious gift, tomatoes have a flavor like nothing else and are best eaten raw, fresh from the garden. These beauties are available in a variety of colors and shapes, adding to the decorative charm of these irresistible sandwiches. Please remember that tomatoes should never be refrigerated. Keep them on your kitchen windowsill until they are fully ripe and ready to eat. If you are lucky enough to have a vegetable garden, pick your tomatoes when ripe on the vine and make these sandwiches the same day.
• 2-3 ripe tomatoes, various colors if available. Do not refrigerate the tomatoes.
• ½ cup (1 stick) soft butter
• 12 slices thin soft bread, white, brown or buttermilk
• mayonnaise
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Special equipment: sharp paring knife, serrated knife, cutting board, clean cloth kitchen towel, serving tray
Makes: 12 small sandwiches
1. Wash and dry the tomatoes. Slice off both ends of each tomato and carefully cut them into very thin slices, about 8 slices per tomato. Place 12 slices of fresh bread on a clean cutting board and lightly butter each slice. Then spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on each slice of bread.
2. Carefully place about 4 slices of tomato on 6 of the bread slices. Lightly sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper, and place another slice of bread, mayonnaise side down, over the tomatoes, pressing gently.
3. Cut all of the crusts from the sandwiches with a serrated knife and cut each sandwich into 2 pieces to create 12 small sandwiches. Place the sandwiches on the serving tray and cover them with a lightly dampened kitchen towel. Serve within 5-10 minutes if possible.
Watercress Sandwiches
These little treats feature the flavor of a single ingredient—delicate, subtle watercress. Watercress Sandwiches have been gracing the English tea table for decades, and their popularity has not waned. For those of you who wish to be a bit more adventurous, you can pair watercress with tuna salad, sliced chicken or a combination of your own invention. Our Irish Tea menu highlights Cucumber and Watercress Sandwiches, a happy partnership.
Special equipment: paring knife, sharp serrated knife, cutting board, paper towels, damp kitchen towel, serving tray
Makes: 12 small sandwiches
1. Wash the watercress and cut off the stems. Dry the watercress on paper towels. Place the bread slices in two rows on a cutting board. Spread all of the bread slices with butter. You may have some butter left over.
2. Cover 6 of the bread slices with sprigs of watercress. Place a slice of bread, butter side down, over each of the bread slices with watercress. Press gently.
3. With a sharp serrated knife, cut off the crusts from all six of the sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into 2 pieces from side to side, or cut them diagonally into 4 small triangles per sandwich. Place the sandwiches on a serving tray and cover with a dampened kitchen towel. Serve within 5-10 minutes if possible. Remove the kitchen towel before placing the sandwiches on the tea table.
These little treats feature the flavor of a single ingredient—delicate, subtle watercress. Watercress Sandwiches have been gracing the English tea table for decades, and their popularity has not waned. For those of you who wish to be a bit more adventurous, you can pair watercress with tuna salad, sliced chicken or a combination of your own invention. Our Irish Tea menu highlights Cucumber and Watercress Sandwiches, a happy partnership.
- 1 bunch watercress
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 12 slices very soft white bread
Special equipment: paring knife, sharp serrated knife, cutting board, paper towels, damp kitchen towel, serving tray
Makes: 12 small sandwiches
1. Wash the watercress and cut off the stems. Dry the watercress on paper towels. Place the bread slices in two rows on a cutting board. Spread all of the bread slices with butter. You may have some butter left over.
2. Cover 6 of the bread slices with sprigs of watercress. Place a slice of bread, butter side down, over each of the bread slices with watercress. Press gently.
3. With a sharp serrated knife, cut off the crusts from all six of the sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into 2 pieces from side to side, or cut them diagonally into 4 small triangles per sandwich. Place the sandwiches on a serving tray and cover with a dampened kitchen towel. Serve within 5-10 minutes if possible. Remove the kitchen towel before placing the sandwiches on the tea table.
Ribbon Sandwiches
Ribbon Sandwiches have been popular since the 1950s and have never gone out of style. We feature them on our June Wedding Reception Tea menu. They are designed to achieve an appealing visual effect, like a striped ribbon, using contrasting layers of bread and filling. As a result, Ribbon Sandwiches have many creative possibilities. Several varieties of bread would be good choices for Ribbon Sandwiches: white, wheat, dill, or raisin. Select at least two different kinds of bread to alternate with the fillings. It is important to start with whole loaves of the same size of unsliced bread.
Choose spreads and fillings that complement each other. Cucumbers, sliced cheese and smoked salmon are good choices for ribbon sandwiches because the flavors go well together, and these fillings are flat and easy to cut into small, uniform pieces.
To make your Ribbon Sandwiches, remove the crusts and cut the unsliced loaves lengthwise into ½ inch slices. Spread softened butter on one side of each slice of bread. Then spread the fillings on each lengthwise slice except the top slice. Stack the slices, placing the top slice buttered side down. Cut crosswise into ½ inch slices to expose the striped pattern. To serve, cut each slice into thirds.
Ribbon Sandwiches have been popular since the 1950s and have never gone out of style. We feature them on our June Wedding Reception Tea menu. They are designed to achieve an appealing visual effect, like a striped ribbon, using contrasting layers of bread and filling. As a result, Ribbon Sandwiches have many creative possibilities. Several varieties of bread would be good choices for Ribbon Sandwiches: white, wheat, dill, or raisin. Select at least two different kinds of bread to alternate with the fillings. It is important to start with whole loaves of the same size of unsliced bread.
Choose spreads and fillings that complement each other. Cucumbers, sliced cheese and smoked salmon are good choices for ribbon sandwiches because the flavors go well together, and these fillings are flat and easy to cut into small, uniform pieces.
To make your Ribbon Sandwiches, remove the crusts and cut the unsliced loaves lengthwise into ½ inch slices. Spread softened butter on one side of each slice of bread. Then spread the fillings on each lengthwise slice except the top slice. Stack the slices, placing the top slice buttered side down. Cut crosswise into ½ inch slices to expose the striped pattern. To serve, cut each slice into thirds.
Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
Smoked Salmon Sandwiches are the tea party version of lox, bagels and cream cheese. They contain almost the same ingredients, but are much lighter, allowing guests to sample other savory items without being too full to enjoy them. We recommend buying the smoked salmon at a good deli or grocery story. Look for very thin slices, each as close to the size of a piece of bread as possible. Since salmon is a staple of Irish cuisine, we feature this sandwich on our Irish Tea Menu.
6-10 very thin slices of smoked salmon
1 (4 ounce) container of whipped cream cheese
1 bunch of fresh dill, rinsed and dried on paper towels
12 slices of very fresh, thinly sliced bread, white, brown or rye
Special equipment: cutting board, paper towels, sharp serrated knife, clean kitchen towel, serving tray
Makes: 12 small sandwiches or 18 rectangular sandwiches
1. Place 12 slices of bread on a cutting board and spread each slice with a thin layer of whipped cream cheese. Lay slices of smoked salmon over 6 of the pieces of bread. Cut or rearrange the salmon as needed so that the bread slices are completely covered with salmon.
2. Sprinkle small sprigs of dill over the salmon. Place the other 6 slices of bread, cream cheese side down, over the bread containing the salmon and dill and press gently. With a serrated knife, cut off all of the crusts. Cut the sandwiches horizontally in 2 pieces to create 12 small sandwiches or into 3 pieces each to make 18 rectangular sandwiches.
3. Place the sandwiches on a serving tray and cover with a dampened kitchen towel. Serve within a few minutes.
Smoked Salmon Sandwiches are the tea party version of lox, bagels and cream cheese. They contain almost the same ingredients, but are much lighter, allowing guests to sample other savory items without being too full to enjoy them. We recommend buying the smoked salmon at a good deli or grocery story. Look for very thin slices, each as close to the size of a piece of bread as possible. Since salmon is a staple of Irish cuisine, we feature this sandwich on our Irish Tea Menu.
6-10 very thin slices of smoked salmon
1 (4 ounce) container of whipped cream cheese
1 bunch of fresh dill, rinsed and dried on paper towels
12 slices of very fresh, thinly sliced bread, white, brown or rye
Special equipment: cutting board, paper towels, sharp serrated knife, clean kitchen towel, serving tray
Makes: 12 small sandwiches or 18 rectangular sandwiches
1. Place 12 slices of bread on a cutting board and spread each slice with a thin layer of whipped cream cheese. Lay slices of smoked salmon over 6 of the pieces of bread. Cut or rearrange the salmon as needed so that the bread slices are completely covered with salmon.
2. Sprinkle small sprigs of dill over the salmon. Place the other 6 slices of bread, cream cheese side down, over the bread containing the salmon and dill and press gently. With a serrated knife, cut off all of the crusts. Cut the sandwiches horizontally in 2 pieces to create 12 small sandwiches or into 3 pieces each to make 18 rectangular sandwiches.
3. Place the sandwiches on a serving tray and cover with a dampened kitchen towel. Serve within a few minutes.
Peanut Butter Sandwiches
Peanut Butter Sandwiches are a childhood favorite that almost everyone still loves as a grownup. Our Afternoon Tea for Children menu, our Ozark Farm Harvest Tea, and our Hawaiian Tea all feature Peanut Butter Sandwiches in some form.
Peanut Butter pairs beautifully will almost any kind of jam or jelly, honey, or even sliced bananas and mayonnaise. You will also have a choice of creamy or crunchy Peanut Butter, and almost everyone has a preference. Chose the form that you think will be most pleasing to your guests. Peanut Butter is good on just about every kind of bread, and don’t let anyone tell you that Peanut Butter is junk food, as it is packed with nutrients and protein.
Making Peanut Butter Sandwiches is an act of creative spontaneity. Thus we do not recommend measuring the ingredients or buttering the bread before adding the filling. Just go for it! Put as much Peanut Butter on one piece of bread as you like, spread the jelly on top, and press another piece of bread very gently over the jelly. Do exercise some restraint to avoid messy and drippy sandwiches. Cut off the crusts, cut the sandwiches in half, and voila! You have a peanut butter sandwich. Continue this process until you have as many sandwiches as you need for your tea party.
Here are some of the basic Peanut Butter Sandwich combinations that we think you will enjoy:
Peanut Butter Sandwiches are a childhood favorite that almost everyone still loves as a grownup. Our Afternoon Tea for Children menu, our Ozark Farm Harvest Tea, and our Hawaiian Tea all feature Peanut Butter Sandwiches in some form.
Peanut Butter pairs beautifully will almost any kind of jam or jelly, honey, or even sliced bananas and mayonnaise. You will also have a choice of creamy or crunchy Peanut Butter, and almost everyone has a preference. Chose the form that you think will be most pleasing to your guests. Peanut Butter is good on just about every kind of bread, and don’t let anyone tell you that Peanut Butter is junk food, as it is packed with nutrients and protein.
Making Peanut Butter Sandwiches is an act of creative spontaneity. Thus we do not recommend measuring the ingredients or buttering the bread before adding the filling. Just go for it! Put as much Peanut Butter on one piece of bread as you like, spread the jelly on top, and press another piece of bread very gently over the jelly. Do exercise some restraint to avoid messy and drippy sandwiches. Cut off the crusts, cut the sandwiches in half, and voila! You have a peanut butter sandwich. Continue this process until you have as many sandwiches as you need for your tea party.
Here are some of the basic Peanut Butter Sandwich combinations that we think you will enjoy:
Peanut Butter and Apple or Grape Jelly on White or Brown Bread
This classic combination is a favorite with children, and we have included it in our Afternoon Tea for Children menu. Apple or red currant jelly are also great with peanut butter, as are strawberry, raspberry or blackberry jam.
This classic combination is a favorite with children, and we have included it in our Afternoon Tea for Children menu. Apple or red currant jelly are also great with peanut butter, as are strawberry, raspberry or blackberry jam.
Peanut Butter and Honey on Roman Meal Bread
Peanut Butter and Honey is an ethereal combination and one of America’s gifts to the world. We feature this sandwich in our Ozark Farm Harvest Tea menu. Since honey is the stickiest and messiest food item on earth, we think you should combine the peanut butter and honey in a separate bowl and mix it up with a kitchen knife before spreading it on the bread. The proportions are up to you. Start with about half a cup of peanut butter in a small bowl and add honey, about two tablespoons at a time, until you are happy with the taste and texture. Adding too much honey will make the mixture impossibly drippy, but you can solve that problem by just adding more peanut butter to the bowl and stirring.
Peanut Butter and Honey is an ethereal combination and one of America’s gifts to the world. We feature this sandwich in our Ozark Farm Harvest Tea menu. Since honey is the stickiest and messiest food item on earth, we think you should combine the peanut butter and honey in a separate bowl and mix it up with a kitchen knife before spreading it on the bread. The proportions are up to you. Start with about half a cup of peanut butter in a small bowl and add honey, about two tablespoons at a time, until you are happy with the taste and texture. Adding too much honey will make the mixture impossibly drippy, but you can solve that problem by just adding more peanut butter to the bowl and stirring.
Peanut and Macadamia Nut Butter with Guava Jelly on Hawaiian Sweet Bread
This heavenly combination is one of the stars of our Hawaiian Tea. King’s brand Hawaiian Sweet Bread is easy to find in most grocery stores. For the peanut butter, we used Hawaiian made North Shore Goodies (northshoregoodies.net) brand Macadamia Nut Honey Coconut Peanut Butter. Our Guava Jelly was made by Hawaiian Style Delights ([email protected])
This heavenly combination is one of the stars of our Hawaiian Tea. King’s brand Hawaiian Sweet Bread is easy to find in most grocery stores. For the peanut butter, we used Hawaiian made North Shore Goodies (northshoregoodies.net) brand Macadamia Nut Honey Coconut Peanut Butter. Our Guava Jelly was made by Hawaiian Style Delights ([email protected])
Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Chicken Salad Sandwiches, a perennial favorite, are featured on our Autumn Tea and Tea for Our Elders Menus. You can make life easy for yourself by buying a smoked or roasted chicken at a deli or grocery store, cooling it in the refrigerator and assembling the other ingredients when you are ready to make the sandwiches.
• 2 cups cold roasted chicken, cut into small chunks (from a whole rotisserie chicken)
• ½ cup mayonnaise (add more later if you want a creamier Chicken Salad)
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley
• ½ cup finely diced celery (about 1 large stalk)
other crunchy additions or alternatives might include: diced jicama, nuts or chopped scallions
• salt and pepper
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• 8 slices soft white or wheat bread or brioche
Special equipment: sharp paring knife, medium sized bowl, paper towels, sharp serrated knife, serving tray, damp kitchen towel
Makes: 8 small sandwiches
1. Start with a whole chilled rotisserie chicken. Remove the skin and chop the breast meat into small chunks. Put the chicken pieces into a medium sized bowl and add ½ cup of mayonnaise. Stir to combine.
2. Wash the parsley and celery and dry them on paper towels. Finely chop both vegetables and add to the chicken mixture in the bowl. Add any other crunchy ingredients you want to include. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper to taste. Add more mayonnaise if you want a creamier texture.
3. Butter one side each of 8 pieces of bread. Spread chicken salad on 4 of the bread slices and top each with another slice of bread, butter side down. Cut off the crusts with a serrated knife and cut each sandwich into 2 pieces. Place the sandwiches on a serving tray and cover lightly with a damp kitchen towel. Serve within a few minutes.
Chicken Salad Sandwiches, a perennial favorite, are featured on our Autumn Tea and Tea for Our Elders Menus. You can make life easy for yourself by buying a smoked or roasted chicken at a deli or grocery store, cooling it in the refrigerator and assembling the other ingredients when you are ready to make the sandwiches.
• 2 cups cold roasted chicken, cut into small chunks (from a whole rotisserie chicken)
• ½ cup mayonnaise (add more later if you want a creamier Chicken Salad)
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley
• ½ cup finely diced celery (about 1 large stalk)
other crunchy additions or alternatives might include: diced jicama, nuts or chopped scallions
• salt and pepper
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• 8 slices soft white or wheat bread or brioche
Special equipment: sharp paring knife, medium sized bowl, paper towels, sharp serrated knife, serving tray, damp kitchen towel
Makes: 8 small sandwiches
1. Start with a whole chilled rotisserie chicken. Remove the skin and chop the breast meat into small chunks. Put the chicken pieces into a medium sized bowl and add ½ cup of mayonnaise. Stir to combine.
2. Wash the parsley and celery and dry them on paper towels. Finely chop both vegetables and add to the chicken mixture in the bowl. Add any other crunchy ingredients you want to include. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper to taste. Add more mayonnaise if you want a creamier texture.
3. Butter one side each of 8 pieces of bread. Spread chicken salad on 4 of the bread slices and top each with another slice of bread, butter side down. Cut off the crusts with a serrated knife and cut each sandwich into 2 pieces. Place the sandwiches on a serving tray and cover lightly with a damp kitchen towel. Serve within a few minutes.
Smoked Chicken, Fennel and Grape Salad in Petite Pastry Puffs
This imaginative combination is one of the stars of our Autumn Afternoon Tea.
To make this tasty variation of Chicken Salad, start with a cold smoked chicken. Make the chicken salad according to the recipe above, omitting the celery and adding ¼ cup of finely chopped fresh fennel (reserving several feathery fronds from the fennel bulb for garnish) and ¼ cup of seedless grapes, cut in half. Look for the smallest grapes you can find. Ask at the farmer’s market if they have any champagne grapes. Stir the ingredients to combine, adding more mayonnaise if necessary. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
Using 1 package of frozen puff pastry, thawed, cut out 8 rounds with a 3-inch cookie cutter. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and fit the puff pastry rounds into 8 of the muffin wells. Bake at 400° F for approximately 15 minutes until golden brown and puffy. Cool for a few minutes on a wire rack; then carefully remove the puffs from the muffin pan to cool completely. When ready to serve, fill each pastry puff with Smoked Chicken, Fennel and Grape Salad. Garnish each pastry round with a 1- inch piece of fennel frond. Place the puffs in decorative paper muffin cups, put them on a tray or tiered server and serve immediately.
This imaginative combination is one of the stars of our Autumn Afternoon Tea.
To make this tasty variation of Chicken Salad, start with a cold smoked chicken. Make the chicken salad according to the recipe above, omitting the celery and adding ¼ cup of finely chopped fresh fennel (reserving several feathery fronds from the fennel bulb for garnish) and ¼ cup of seedless grapes, cut in half. Look for the smallest grapes you can find. Ask at the farmer’s market if they have any champagne grapes. Stir the ingredients to combine, adding more mayonnaise if necessary. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
Using 1 package of frozen puff pastry, thawed, cut out 8 rounds with a 3-inch cookie cutter. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and fit the puff pastry rounds into 8 of the muffin wells. Bake at 400° F for approximately 15 minutes until golden brown and puffy. Cool for a few minutes on a wire rack; then carefully remove the puffs from the muffin pan to cool completely. When ready to serve, fill each pastry puff with Smoked Chicken, Fennel and Grape Salad. Garnish each pastry round with a 1- inch piece of fennel frond. Place the puffs in decorative paper muffin cups, put them on a tray or tiered server and serve immediately.
Egg Salad Sandwich Filling
Egg Salad Sandwiches are appropriate in all four seasons. They are tasty and easy to make. Start by boiling 6 eggs for 10 minutes, rinsing them in cold water and chilling them in cold water with a few ice cubes added for at least half an hour. This process will make peeling them a little easier. Peel the eggs and roughly chop them into a medium sized bowl. Add mayonnaise to taste; start with about half a cup or less. Add about a tablespoon of prepared yellow mustard. Stir this mixture and sprinkle it liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper. Adjust the ingredients to your liking, and your Egg Salad Sandwich Filling is ready to go. Refrigerate it until just before you make the sandwiches. We feature this simple classic on our British Afternoon Tea menu.
Egg Salad Sandwiches are appropriate in all four seasons. They are tasty and easy to make. Start by boiling 6 eggs for 10 minutes, rinsing them in cold water and chilling them in cold water with a few ice cubes added for at least half an hour. This process will make peeling them a little easier. Peel the eggs and roughly chop them into a medium sized bowl. Add mayonnaise to taste; start with about half a cup or less. Add about a tablespoon of prepared yellow mustard. Stir this mixture and sprinkle it liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper. Adjust the ingredients to your liking, and your Egg Salad Sandwich Filling is ready to go. Refrigerate it until just before you make the sandwiches. We feature this simple classic on our British Afternoon Tea menu.
Ham Salad Sandwiches
Ham Salad is a Southern American staple. It is the tastiest way to use up any leftover holiday Ham. Our American Southern Tea menu features this sandwich filling on American Buttermilk Biscuits. It will also make a great sandwich on soft white bread. This recipe, an adaptation from Paula Deen, is easy to make in the food processor. If you don’t have any leftover ham, just buy 2 cups (about 1 pound) of ham chunks at the butcher shop.
• 2 cups chopped leftover ham or purchased ham chunks
• ¼ cup chopped celery
• 2-3 tablespoons cup finely minced sweet onion
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1-2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
Special equipment: sharp kitchen knife, small mixing bowl, food processor, medium sized bowl for storing
Makes: approximately 2 ½ cups Ham Salad (12 biscuit or small bread sandwiches)
1. Roughly chop the ham, celery, onion and eggs. Put into the work bowl of a food processor. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, mayonnaise and pickle relish. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the food processor and pulse until the mixture is well combined and finely chopped. Do not pulse into a puree.
2. Transfer the Ham Salad to a medium sized bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Use as a sandwich filling on American Buttermilk Biscuits (split the biscuits in half with your fingers) or soft white bread.
Ham Salad is a Southern American staple. It is the tastiest way to use up any leftover holiday Ham. Our American Southern Tea menu features this sandwich filling on American Buttermilk Biscuits. It will also make a great sandwich on soft white bread. This recipe, an adaptation from Paula Deen, is easy to make in the food processor. If you don’t have any leftover ham, just buy 2 cups (about 1 pound) of ham chunks at the butcher shop.
• 2 cups chopped leftover ham or purchased ham chunks
• ¼ cup chopped celery
• 2-3 tablespoons cup finely minced sweet onion
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1-2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
Special equipment: sharp kitchen knife, small mixing bowl, food processor, medium sized bowl for storing
Makes: approximately 2 ½ cups Ham Salad (12 biscuit or small bread sandwiches)
1. Roughly chop the ham, celery, onion and eggs. Put into the work bowl of a food processor. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, mayonnaise and pickle relish. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the food processor and pulse until the mixture is well combined and finely chopped. Do not pulse into a puree.
2. Transfer the Ham Salad to a medium sized bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Use as a sandwich filling on American Buttermilk Biscuits (split the biscuits in half with your fingers) or soft white bread.
Roast Beef or Corned Beef Sandwiches
If you are fortunate enough to have leftover roast beef in your refrigerator, perhaps from your Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, you can make these simple but very flavorful Roast Beef Sandwiches. Some people like a little mustard or prepared horseradish with roast beef or corned beef. You can decide what would be best for your tea sandwiches. Why not make a few of them just plain with butter and salt and pepper and some others with mustard, horseradish or both.
• 6 slices of cold roast beef or corned beef, leftover or purchased at a deli, each the size of a piece of bread
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• prepared spicy brown mustard
• prepared horseradish
• salt and pepper
• 12 slices of fresh white, brown or rye bread
Special equipment: large cutting board, butter knife, sharp serrated kitchen knife, serving tray, damp kitchen towel.
Makes: 12 small tea sandwiches
1. Lay 12 slices of bread on a large cutting board and lightly butter one side of each. Place a slice of beef on 6 of the bread slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place another slice of bread over the beef, butter side down, or spread a thin layer of mustard and/or prepared horseradish on the remaining bread slices and place them gently over the beef.
2. Cut off the crusts with a sharp serrated knife; then cut each sandwich in half horizontally. Place the sandwiches on a serving tray and cover with a dampened kitchen towel until ready to serve. Serve within 10 minute
If you are fortunate enough to have leftover roast beef in your refrigerator, perhaps from your Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, you can make these simple but very flavorful Roast Beef Sandwiches. Some people like a little mustard or prepared horseradish with roast beef or corned beef. You can decide what would be best for your tea sandwiches. Why not make a few of them just plain with butter and salt and pepper and some others with mustard, horseradish or both.
• 6 slices of cold roast beef or corned beef, leftover or purchased at a deli, each the size of a piece of bread
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• prepared spicy brown mustard
• prepared horseradish
• salt and pepper
• 12 slices of fresh white, brown or rye bread
Special equipment: large cutting board, butter knife, sharp serrated kitchen knife, serving tray, damp kitchen towel.
Makes: 12 small tea sandwiches
1. Lay 12 slices of bread on a large cutting board and lightly butter one side of each. Place a slice of beef on 6 of the bread slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place another slice of bread over the beef, butter side down, or spread a thin layer of mustard and/or prepared horseradish on the remaining bread slices and place them gently over the beef.
2. Cut off the crusts with a sharp serrated knife; then cut each sandwich in half horizontally. Place the sandwiches on a serving tray and cover with a dampened kitchen towel until ready to serve. Serve within 10 minute
Cheese Sandwiches
At tea parties, cheese is more commonly served on a cheese board along with crackers, dried fruits and nuts. This presentation allows guests to cut off small pieces of their favorite cheese and assemble their own cheese and cracker combination. This method makes sense as many cheeses, such as Brie and other soft cheeses, do not lend themselves to slicing and are thus not good candidates for Cheese Sandwiches. The cheese board also allows the guest to choose exactly which kind and how much cheese he or she wants to eat.
However, some of the world’s best cheeses can be sliced, especially the harder cheeses such as Jarlsburg, Havarti, Swiss, Cheddar, Provolone and Gouda. These will make wonderful cheese sandwiches. We hope you will stay away from those pre-sliced American cheese food packages in the grocery store refrigerated case. Not to be snobby, but there are much better cheeses readily available, and really good cheeses have unique flavors and textures based on hundreds of years of cheese making science and animal husbandry. Many of the world’s greatest cheeses are produced by multi-generational cheese making families who have dedicated their lives to this work.
We recommend getting your cheese at a deli or cheese shop that specializes in good quality cheeses. They will also have a professional cheese slicer and will be able to make thin slices of cheese that are approximately the same size as a piece of bread. Do not be afraid to ask the person at the deli cheese counter for advice in choosing the right cheese for your sandwiches. It is true that imported cheeses are expensive, but if you buy yours at a deli, you can get only as much as you need, and you will only need six slices to make twelve small but very special cheese sandwiches for your tea party.
The secret to a great cheese sandwich is to serve the cheese at room temperature, butter both slices of bread on the sides that will touch the cheese, and never add salt, as salt is already part of the cheese making process. Remove the cheese from the refrigerator at least two hours before you make the sandwiches, as the full flavor of a good cheese will not emerge if the cheese is cold. Remember to cut off the crusts and slice each sandwich in two horizontally. Cover the sandwiches with a damp kitchen towel, and serve them within a few minutes.
Keep in mind that sandwiches served with Afternoon Tea are elegantly simple, usually containing only one or two ingredients. Here are some basic Cheese Sandwich pairings that we recommend:
At tea parties, cheese is more commonly served on a cheese board along with crackers, dried fruits and nuts. This presentation allows guests to cut off small pieces of their favorite cheese and assemble their own cheese and cracker combination. This method makes sense as many cheeses, such as Brie and other soft cheeses, do not lend themselves to slicing and are thus not good candidates for Cheese Sandwiches. The cheese board also allows the guest to choose exactly which kind and how much cheese he or she wants to eat.
However, some of the world’s best cheeses can be sliced, especially the harder cheeses such as Jarlsburg, Havarti, Swiss, Cheddar, Provolone and Gouda. These will make wonderful cheese sandwiches. We hope you will stay away from those pre-sliced American cheese food packages in the grocery store refrigerated case. Not to be snobby, but there are much better cheeses readily available, and really good cheeses have unique flavors and textures based on hundreds of years of cheese making science and animal husbandry. Many of the world’s greatest cheeses are produced by multi-generational cheese making families who have dedicated their lives to this work.
We recommend getting your cheese at a deli or cheese shop that specializes in good quality cheeses. They will also have a professional cheese slicer and will be able to make thin slices of cheese that are approximately the same size as a piece of bread. Do not be afraid to ask the person at the deli cheese counter for advice in choosing the right cheese for your sandwiches. It is true that imported cheeses are expensive, but if you buy yours at a deli, you can get only as much as you need, and you will only need six slices to make twelve small but very special cheese sandwiches for your tea party.
The secret to a great cheese sandwich is to serve the cheese at room temperature, butter both slices of bread on the sides that will touch the cheese, and never add salt, as salt is already part of the cheese making process. Remove the cheese from the refrigerator at least two hours before you make the sandwiches, as the full flavor of a good cheese will not emerge if the cheese is cold. Remember to cut off the crusts and slice each sandwich in two horizontally. Cover the sandwiches with a damp kitchen towel, and serve them within a few minutes.
Keep in mind that sandwiches served with Afternoon Tea are elegantly simple, usually containing only one or two ingredients. Here are some basic Cheese Sandwich pairings that we recommend:
- Provolone with Fresh Basil Leaves on Sourdough Bread
- Manchego with Quince Paste on Challah
- Jarlsburg on Soft Potato Bread
- Ham and Swiss on Whole Wheat Bread or Rye (Add a little mustard if you wish.)
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
We think Cheddar is the best choice for this timeless favorite. We recommend brown or seeded Twelve-Grain bread. There are several ways to make grilled cheese sandwiches, but one easy method is to butter both sides of all the bread slices, assemble the sandwiches, and toast them on both sides, one sandwich at a time, in a skillet at medium high heat before cutting off the crusts and cutting each sandwich into two pieces. Place the finished sandwiches on a foil-lined cookie sheet and keep them warm in a 200° F oven for just a few minutes until ready to serve.
This is the classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich we enjoyed as children with tomato soup. Some people like to add sliced tomatoes to this sandwich as a reminder of happy childhood memories. The addition of tomatoes will make a great sandwich, but the tomatoes may get a little drippy during the grilling process. This sandwich, with or without tomatoes, is on the menu of our Tea for Our Elders, who will certainly remember good times with Grilled Cheese.
We think Cheddar is the best choice for this timeless favorite. We recommend brown or seeded Twelve-Grain bread. There are several ways to make grilled cheese sandwiches, but one easy method is to butter both sides of all the bread slices, assemble the sandwiches, and toast them on both sides, one sandwich at a time, in a skillet at medium high heat before cutting off the crusts and cutting each sandwich into two pieces. Place the finished sandwiches on a foil-lined cookie sheet and keep them warm in a 200° F oven for just a few minutes until ready to serve.
This is the classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich we enjoyed as children with tomato soup. Some people like to add sliced tomatoes to this sandwich as a reminder of happy childhood memories. The addition of tomatoes will make a great sandwich, but the tomatoes may get a little drippy during the grilling process. This sandwich, with or without tomatoes, is on the menu of our Tea for Our Elders, who will certainly remember good times with Grilled Cheese.
Open Faced Cheese Sandwiches
Several of the best cheeses are a bit too lumpy for sandwiches, but would be perfect on the tea table as open-faced canapés. Here are a few suggestions.
Several of the best cheeses are a bit too lumpy for sandwiches, but would be perfect on the tea table as open-faced canapés. Here are a few suggestions.
- Brie with Fig Jam on Baguette Slices
- Mascarpone or Cream Cheese with Pepper Jelly on Sweet French Bread
- Feta with Honey on Pita Triangles
- Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato Slices and Fresh Basil on Italian Bread