ADVENTURES IN COOKING: English Tea Sandwiches

Majida Rashid

“I’m cool as a cucumber, baby,”
— Thomas Steven Middleditch,
Canadian actor and playwright

Cucumbers remind me of my occasional visits to my father’s home, which was about half an hour bus ride from my boarding school in Peshawar, Pakistan. My mother  was living by herself in Mansehra at the time, about a five-hour drive away from Peshawar. Father went to Mansehra only when he had a court case in nearby Abbottabad, Pakistan.

The hip-high wall that circled my father’s apartment was always covered, from the ceiling to its middle, with wide reed curtains lined with indigo muslin. In addition to providing privacy these curtains also created an illusion of coolness. My half-sister and I would shut the wooden door of a room with light blue blinds covering the glass portion. This made sultry summer days bearable.

Her grandmother, who lived with my father and his second wife, would bring two big Peshawari ceramic bowls of yogurt with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, a few onion slices and a hint of chopped mint.
I loved that salad. My favorite part was the contrast of fresh crunchy cucumber against soft, silky smooth homemade yogurt.

My mother taught me how to buy cucumbers. She always went to the vegetable market instead of vegetable shops in the city. Unlike shops where fresh vegetables were arranged nicely, sellers in the market heaped fresh produce on their carts.

She would select compact, short and thin cucumbers. After coming home, she would wash them and then cut a horizontal slice from the top, score the edible inner flesh of the slice and the main cucumber and rub it together until foam came out. Then she would wash, peel and slice them before serving. This removed bitterness from the vegetables.

Countries around the world have developed various types of cucumbers to suit their palate. The most common ones sold in America are the fat, juicy ones with porous flesh and thick seeds. Their skin is waxed to prolong the shelf life. English cucumbers, on the other hand, are individually wrapped in plastic and Persian cucumbers are sold in a packet. These three are suitable for salads, another variety called gherkin is perfect for pickling.

Cucumbers can cause belching if not eaten regularly. It’s important to start with a small quantity and increase it gradually. Digesting cucumbers is easier when consumed with a meal than eaten alone. Avoid drinking water after eating cucumbers because it causes bloating. 

This powerhouse of trace elements like copper, potassium and manganese, is also full of vitamin B, vitamin C and rarely found but essential vitamin K1.

Cucumbers are an integral part of Iranian hospitality. Every house in Shiraz had a platter of tangerines, apples or fruit of the season and tiny thin cucumbers in the living room at all times of the day. It was presented to the guests soon after they were seated comfortably. This practice of welcoming the guests is called “Pazeerai.”

Cucumbers were domesticated about 3,000 years ago. Though no concrete evidence is available, I think Persians must have been the first ones to consume cucumbers. They must have taken it to Greece and from there the humble cucumber travelled to Rome and the rest of Europe. British called it cowcumber in the beginning. Over time cucumbers found their way into English tea sandwiches and became an integral part of high tea served in high society. These sandwiches are light and easy to make.


English Tea Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 packet good quality sliced white bread, sides removed

1 stick unsalted butter softened

1/2 rotisserie chicken   

Black pepper to taste

A dash of hot sauce

1/4 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

Instructions

Butter each slice of bread and leave aside. Blend together the chicken and pepper in a food processor. Start with using a little mayonnaise and increase the amount to make into a smooth paste. Keep tasting during the preparation so mayonnaise does not overpower the chicken flavor.

Spread a little on a slice of bread, place cucumber rounds and top it with the second slice of bread. Cut into triangle shape sandwich. Repeat until the whole bread is finished. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

Serve with tea or coffee.

5 servings.