Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Cucumber Sandwiches for an Elegant Tea Party

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Last week, I had a small tea party- that's why I made those macarons. It was a wonderful gathering where I got to catch up with many friends whom I had not seen in a while.

Sometimes life get so busy that you have no time to do the things you want to do most. I always ponder about how much we're slaves to a capitalist way of life. Work, studying, errands, extracirriculars, projects, businesses, and then- what happens to relaxing? Soaking up the atmosphere? Taking a leisurely stroll? Doing what you really want when you want to do it.

I, for one, love catching up with friends in a relaxed atmosphere, I love cooking and baking, and I love organizing events- it's such a creative process. And so I put all those things together last weekend and threw a party.

So the menu was made up of mini sandwiches in rectangular and triangular shapes, scones with homemade clotted cream, and mini cakes and tarts. The table was set with carnations and roses and pink-lined china.
I also had a "tea bar" with a teapot full of hot water, sugar cubes, and milk next to tiny bowls holding various types of teabags- each bowl labeled with damask paper- all on lacey linen. I wish I remembered to take photos of the tea bar!

These mini cucumber sandwiches are adorable to look at and VERY easy to make. I usually make them when I want a quick snack or when I feel like something solid with my soup dinners. They work really well with a roasted capsicum soup- the recipe of which I must share with you sometime soon- now that it's "winter".




Ingredients
12 slices wholegrain bread
40g Philadelphia cheese
12 olive slices
24 cucumber slices
12 mint leaves

Procedure
With a 3cm round cookie cutter, cut out two rounds from each slice of bread. If the slice of bread is a bit small for cutting out two rounds, use a pastry roller to flatten the slice out a little.
Toast both sides of the rounds on a heated grill plate for around 1-2 minutes.

Spread Philadelphia cheese on one side of each round.
On half of the rounds, place a cucumber and a mint leaf.
With the other half of rounds, cover the cucumber-rounds.
Now that the rounds are sandwiched, top each with a cucumber slice and olive oil.
Serve (almost) immediately because the water from the cucumber tends to make the toasted bread soggy after an hour or so.
How can you have a tea party without tiered stands, right? Haha. Here are some of the pastries and mini chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. 
 


13 comments:

  1. You should've been born in the Victorian era...this is all so gorgeous and so relaxing and so pink! I love it!!! Tea party...not many people host them these days and it's great that you have :) Nice stuff and cool pics...and yes, even I wish you'd taken a photo of the "tea bar". It sounds awesome.

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  2. Yes Devina, you have hit the nail on the head. But then she wouldn't be able to tweet :). Lovely bokeh in those shots...

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  3. Wow everything looks so perfect!
    Have a great day

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  4. The pictures are so alive that I could almost reach from the screen...Looks great

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  5. Oh, how pretty! I love your table setting :-))

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  6. Oh how cute is this! I love it.....makes me want to throw a tea party for M's birthday! But I doubt the Chine will last very long!

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  7. Lovely setting..everything looks really elegant and beautiful. Gorgeous pics !

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  8. Looks like it was a great tea party and the pictures look beautiful- love the decorations!

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  9. Anonymous4/1/12 14:15

    I love this pretty pink tea party. This is the kind of set up I have always desired when I call my friends over for tea. But a raging toddler can be quite a deterrent is sucha thought process.
    Everything looks beautiful and perfect

    ReplyDelete
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  12. Ashwaq Hilal25/10/19 03:45

    I love sandwiches. But right now I am craving for Shokuji Sushi Restaurant ramen and takoyaki. I wish I could eat it again soon.

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