Cucumber Sandwiches

Before I finished my spring semester in school, I was studying about the United Kingdom. Of which, I studied traditional English cuisine. I thought about making things such as Spotted Dick or the traditional fish and chips and may still do so. But, one simple English snack that I had tried before- the cucumber sandwich- was something that I wanted to share for a taste of England. You can find my class notes and other information (with pictures) about England by clicking here.

Thinly slice your cucumber. Some may suggest peeling them but, if you buy an English cucumber, I don't even bother.

(As you can see, mine are not as thinly sliced as normal which makes them better to layer on your sandwich)

You can buy an English cucumber or regular although I've read and experienced that :

It is generally sold wrapped in plastic to reduce water loss, and so is usually not waxed and therefore does not need peeling.
It is usually called seedless (which is an outright lie), but its seeds are much smaller and less prominent.
It is the seeds in a cucumber (and especially in an aging cucumber) that make it bitter, so a semi-seedless English cucumber is less likely to be bitter
It has been bred to be more easily digested than some other varieties (fewer burps).

(Copied from http://www.ochef.com/189.htm)

Soak you slices in some White wine vinegar (or regular vinegar) and water for 30-40 minutes.

I let mine soak in my salad spinner. This way after they soaked, I dumped extra vinegar out (without touching the cucumbers) and gave it a quick spin to release the excess
(otherwise, you would pat them with a paper towel).

Then sprinkle salt and pepper on as desired.

To prepare your bread (usually white bread), butter both sides with real butter. At this point you can cut of the crusts now or after placing the cucumbers on them. So, place your cucumbers accordingly on your bread and cover with the other end.

These are a great appetizer or snack you and your company to enjoy!
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Do you think that this is something you'd like to try or have you tried them already?

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