Part 2
We first encountered high tea in London. At around 4 pm most hotels offer an old world styled English tea time. We don’t actually know anyone who continues the tradition at home these days, but it’s quite impressive. The Lanesborough hotel maintains that the tradition began with them. Tiers of sweets are presented with lavish detail and scones are served with clotted cream. A variety of teas are presented by an elegant gentleman dressed in black tie. The first item that appears is always a selection of mini tea sandwiches. Usually, chicken with butter, some type of egg salad, and always cucumber with cream cheese. Every once in a while we have tea with the girls, which is a special treat. But when we are just feeling like we need a touch of elegance, we make a cucumber sandwich and imagine feudal times.
Ingredients
- Traditional style
- Cream cheese
- White bread, crust removed
- Cucumber slices
- Chopped chives
Preparation
- Spread the cream cheese on the bread
- Sprinkle with chives
- Add a few slices of cucumber
- Slice the sandwich into quarters and serve it on a beautiful very small plate
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/3 c mayonnaise
- 1 cucumber
- Either 1/4 tsp garlic salt
Or
- 1 package of dry seasoning like ranch mix
- White or wheat bread crust cut off
Preparation
- Use a food processor to combine the cream cheese, mayo and spices
- Add the sliced cucumber
- Purée until smooth
- Use as a spread on sandwiches and cut into quarters
- These are popular for ladies lunches and cocktail parties
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoes chopped
- 1 c chopped cucumber
- 1/2 c chopped red bell pepper
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp sliced fresh basil leaves
- 1 pt cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 lime juiced
Preparation
- Combine everything before cherry tomatoes in a big bowl
- Liquify the cherry tomatoes, oil, vinegar and lime juice in a food processor
- Take 1/3 to 1/2 of the vegetables in the bowl and add them to the food processor and liquify
- Pour the liquid into the with the rest of the chopped ingredients and stir to combine
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hrs before serving
This is an easy appetizer for a summer meal. It’s surprisingly popular
Ingredients
- 3 cucumbers coarsely chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes coarsely chopped
- 1/2-1c pitted, halved olives. It’s better if you use a variety
- 1 package crumbled feta cheese about 7-8 oz
- 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- A couple of squeezes of either lemon or lime juice
Preparation
Mix everything in a large salad bowl and serve it with a loaf of rustic bread, sliced
This is also great for a buffet style summer grill.
Tomorrow…
Friends present their family favorite cucumber dishes
Henrietta Hummingbird’s thanksgiving cucumbers
Fabulous family cucumber goodness
And… Patty Perfect’s cucumber beauty tips
Drink it… Eat it… Wear it
Enjoy your cucumber!
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