Tea Sandwiches Three Ways

For a special occasion serve tea sandwiches. I'm sharing three favorites - cucumber and butter, roast beef with horseradish, or cornbread muffin and ham.

Growing up in the tiny, rural town of my childhood was an experience completely unlike any that I know of today. It was two parts Mayberry and one part Peyton Place.

It was a place where children had the freedom to roam around town without parents having to worry. A time well before the Internet or satellite television. We largely made our own fun and we most definitely made time for social occasions.

Special Occasions

Some of the most important social occasions other than weddings in my little hometown were showers. Wedding showers and baby showers. These were huge events and it was not unusual for several hundred people to be included on the guestlist for either.

Each occasion required printed invitations which were hand addressed by the hostesses and mailed with sufficient time to allow everyone to clear her calendar for the big day. Gifts were purchased and arrived at the shower accompanied by the engraved calling card of the giver. Yes, these were very special occasions.

Special Food and Decor

When the date for the big event arrived all the guests and the honoree gathered and enjoyed an afternoon of visiting and catching up on the latest news (i.e., gossip). The venue was always beautifully decorated with white linen-draped tables and lovely floral arrangements.

There was, of course, the ever-present punch bowl with its matching tiny punch cups. And silver serving trays held delicacies of all kinds - fruits, vegetables with dips, and charming little Tea Sandwiches. Making the sandwiches for this post took me right back to those times when we planned special events months in advance, hand addressed correspondence, and put on our Sunday best to show how much we cared for those with whom we shared our lives.

If you have a special occasion coming up try adding a few tea sandwiches to your menu. You'll feel so very retro. And you know how chic retro is these days :-)

For a special occasion serve tea sandwiches. Three of my favorites are cucumber and butter, roast beef with horseradish, or cornbread muffin and ham.Click to Tweet

How to Make Tea Sandwiches

I have three little tea sandwiches to share with you. The first one is a very traditional cucumber and butter sandwich. Another is roast beef with horseradish and watercress and the third is definitely not traditional with its cornbread muffin and ham.

Cucumber and Butter

For the cucumber-butter sandwiches, mix softened butter, grated lemon zest, and chopped fresh dill. Spread onto thin white sandwich bread. Top with thinly sliced cucumber. Trim the crusts and cut into pieces.

Beef with Horseradish and Watercress

For the roast beef and horseradish version, mix sour cream, mayonnaise, horseradish, salt, and pepper. Spread on whole wheat or rye bread. Top with thinly sliced roast beef, thinly sliced tomato and watercress. Trim the crusts and cut into pieces.

Ham and Cornbread

For the ham and cornbread sandwiches, mix softened butter, chopped scallions, and honey. Spread on split mini corn muffins. Fill with thinly sliced ham and hot pepper jelly.

Now, these are just three of my favorites but there are loads and loads of ideas for tea sandwiches! Some others you might like:

• Spread a split baguette with softened butter. Top with smoked turkey, cheddar cheese, and sliced apple. Slice thinly.
• Spread softened cream cheese onto slices of date-nut or other fruit bread. Layer with sliced strawberries. Cut into pieces.
• Chicken salad makes a lovely presentation when served in tiny puff pastry rounds. Cut the rounds with a 1 1/2 to 2- inch cutter. Fill with your favorite chicken salad recipe.
• Pimiento cheese is always popular in the South. Use my traditional pimiento cheese recipe on marbled rye. Slice into pieces and top with a tiny slice of pickled okra.

Enjoy!

More Party Food Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:

• Spiced Tea (a.k.a. Russian Tea)
• Strawberry-Balsamic Appetizer
• BLT Bites

Tea Sandwich Ideas From Other Bloggers:

• Lots of great ideas for finger sandwiches from Southern Living Magazine.
• Cucumber Tea Sandwiches from Robyn at Add a Pinch
• Taste of Home's Egg 'n Cress Tea Sandwiches

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Tea Sandwiches Three Ways

For a special occasion serve tea sandwiches. Three of my favorites are cucumber and butter, roast beef with horseradish, or cornbread muffin and ham.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

Cucumber-Butter Sandwiches

• 4 tblsp. softened butter
• 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 tblsp. chopped fresh dill
• Thinly sliced white sandwich bread
• Thinly sliced English or hothouse cucumber

Roast Beef-Horseradish Sandwiches

• 2 tblsp. mayonnaise
• 2 tblsp. sour cream
• 1 tsp. prepared horseradish
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• Thinly sliced medium rare roast beef
• Whole wheat or rye bread
• Thinly sliced tomatoes
• Watercress

Ham-Cornbread Sandwiches

• 6 tblsp. softened butter
• 2 tsp. chopped scallion
• 1 tsp. honey
• Mini corn muffins
• Thinly sliced deli ham
• Red pepper jelly

Instructions

• Cucumber-Butter Sandwiches
• Mix the butter, lemon zest and dill.
• Spread on bread and top with cucumber slices.
• Trim crusts and cut into serving size pieces.
• Roast Beef-Horseradish Sandwiches
• Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, salt and pepper.
• Spread on bread.
• Top with roast beef, tomato slices, and watercress.
• Trim crusts and cut into serving size pieces.
• Ham-Cornbread Sandwiches
• Mix the softened butter, scallions and honey. Spread a small amount on the bottom of each split corn muffin. Top with ham and red pepper jelly. Replace the top.

Notes

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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Lana Stuart

Lana Stuart is the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
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