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Afternoon Delight: Tea and Finger Sandwiches

By Colleen Luckett, Guest Blogger

Are you looking for a little afternoon delight? Not THAT kind . . . I mean of the afternoon tea persuasion (naughty reader). Tea and finger sandwiches go hand-in-hand for afternoon tea. I personally like to eat a simple muffin with my tea (and don’t forget a Kup Kap cup cover to keep the tea toasty hot!). So I’ll leave finger sandwiches to you fancy folks who know your way around a kitchen.

When it comes to tea sandwiches, the classics are still in – like cucumber sandwiches. Try this slightly altered recipe from The Spruce for a little zing in your routine: cucumber and mint sandwiches. The mint has a cooling effect, which will balance out your hot tea perfectly. Also great for cooling off your palette in the warm months of summer.

Another traditional finger sandwich with tea is smoked salmon and dill. Do like the British do, and try out this luscious recipe from Serious Eats: Smoked Salmon and Dill Tea Sandwiches. The addition of red onion gives this good stand-by a new look . . . er, taste. And it’s delicious!

For another twist on a classic, go with this Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich, from Honey, What’s Cooking, touted as healthy, dairy-free, 100% whole wheat.  Apparently, it was inspired by a menu item at a bakery in Manhattan’s Upper West Side district in New York City. Inspired indeed!

For something completely different and decidedly American-quirky, throw together this Salami, Cheese and Mustard Sandwich recipe from Costa Kitchen. Anna Costa, the blog owner, also shares a sweet finger sandwich recipe in this post. Even more motivation to check it out!

When I was in Japan, I was always a little weirded out by the fruit and cream sandwiches (fruit sando) I saw in the refrigerated section at the 7-Eleven stores. I recognize Japan has lots of foods that could weird out someone with American tastes, but this one was at the top of my list! It’s a Japanese specialty, and I found a solid-looking recipe at Thirsty for Tea here: Fruit Sandwiches (fruit sando). It’s a little early for Valentine’s Day, but Bonnie Eng, chef and the blog’s owner, recommends them as a good gift for your sweetie. And check out some of the other Asian-fusion recipes on her blog, like matcha (green tea) croissants!

Are you harboring any other yummy recipes for tea sandwiches? Comment on them below!

Some other sources for tea sandwiches

http://www.oprah.com/food/what-to-serve-with-tea-savory-foods-to-serve-with-tea/all

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-tea-sandwiches

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/tea-sandwiches/