Tea party sandwiches

The humble Tea sandwich is the gatekeeper of the afternoon tea service, it sets the standard for all the delicious tea time goodies that follow in their wake.

We really hate it when people (read gourmet chef types) attempt to tart up the perfectly wonderful tea sandwich; fancy schmancy open face creations, too much filling, difficult to eat, bloody fiddly mess that ends up in your lap and not in your mouth.

But please, go ahead, knock yourself out, be adventurous with your fillings and breads,  but the basic make-up of said sandwich really should not be tampered with.

The whole point of a tea sandwich is that it's easy to eat. None of this "if it doesn't get all over the place" business.  You can drink tea or champagne or whatever, party hearty and just  keep popping those little babies into your mouth until you, and only you, feel you have had your fill. A light, delicate, nutritious slice of bliss.

They are perfect for tea parties, cocktail parties and just about any other excuse you can think of to whip out a loaf of bread and scrounge the fridge for whatever might constitute a delicious filling. And if you've got men to feed you can always go with double decker deals.

 I'm always totally gobsmacked when people say to me "wow, did you guys make the tea sandwiches" - well duh, yes. It really is not rocket science:
Here's all it takes: 
1. Thinly sliced bread (Pepperidge Farm used to make a really great sandwich loaf, but for whatever reason they've discontinued it..)
2. Spread bread with room temperature butter.
3. Add the filling of choice
4. Slam another piece of buttered bread on top
5. Trim the crusts
6. Cut into triangles, fingers or squares
7. Make in advance and cover with a slightly damp cloth. Refrigerate.

Here are some new fillings that we are adding to our summer menu:
Hummus & cucumber
Brie, ham & honey mustard
Cucumber, arugula & goat cheese
Goat cheese & watercress
Crab salad
Shrimp salad