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How to Make
Cucumber Sandwiches
BY MUNA WA WANJIRU |
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Cucumber
sandwiches serve the purpose of teatime snacks perfectly. The
traditional cucumber sandwich is composed of thin slices of cucumber
placed in between two slices of bread. The breads are buttered
from both the sides. It is mostly considered as delicate food
and served during teatime. Therefore, the bread is also sliced
as thin as possible.
Te cucumber slices are dried
gently with paper towel after peeling of its skin. The slices
of cucumber are placed inside the bread just before the serving.
Else, the sandwiches become damp and soften up while eating.
Many people apply a paste or a mixture of lemon juice and olive
oil for taste. The crusts of the sandwich are cut cleanly and
cut into four small triangular square shapes before serving.
In addition, cucumber sandwiches
can be considered as light meal, or formal snack in the evenings
just before the main supper. There are mainly variations in its
making depending upon its origin. Actually, these sandwiches
are originated in the British land. However, the style of its
preparation differs from region to region. Like American variants
involve cream cheese, chopped dill or spices, salmon and mostly
use brown bread. In the same way, the Indian cucumber sandwiches
are usually accompanied with green chutney, and sometimes contain
boiled potatoes. |
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The people interested in making
it at home can very easily apply the following recipe. The main
ingredients that are required for its preparation are
* One large English cucumber that is cleanly peeled and thinly
sliced.
* Two tablespoon of white vinegar
* One cup of unsalted butter that is nicely softened
* ½ teaspoon of salt
* Thin slices of whole wheat bread depending upon the number
of people
* Salad leaves
* Mayonnaise and chopped fresh parsley can also be used
The preparation hardly takes
any time. All the cucumber slices are put in anon-metal bowl
and toss it with salt. Sprinkle it with vinegar and mix well.
Drain well in coriander. All these should be done an hour prior
before the sandwich is to be made. When its time to make the
sandwiches, butter one slice of each pair of breads. Arrange
all the cucumber pieces evenly inside the sandwiches and trim
the crusts. The snack is ready and can be served by cutting it
into small pieces of any desirable shapes. Arrange it in a large
plate and use salad leaves for garnishing. To make them look
more appealing, immerse one end of the sandwich into mayonnaise,
then cover that end with thinly sliced fresh parsley.
The cucumber sandwiches are
one of the best appetizers and can be enjoyed thoroughly during
the gatherings, functional parties, birthday parties etc. Many
more combinations are available in restaurants with additional
stuffing inside the sandwich. To make you mix up a package of
cream cheese with a packet of ranch dressing mix.
The popularity of the cucumber
sandwich reached its upper class standard in the Edwardian era.
It suits best as meals during the summers and this is the reason
it is very famous in UK due to the hotter and longer summers.
Overall, it is one of the best ways to enjoy the teatime snacks
with cucumber sandwiches.
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