Karen > wrote:

> I have heard about those little finger sandwiches at teas, but have
> never had them, or made them. How are they made? What kind of bread?
> What goes on the bread, etc.?

_The London Ritz Book of Afternoon Tea_ by Helen Simpson lists the
following.

Cucumber Sandwiches
Egg Sandwiches
Potted Shrimps
Scotch Woodcock
English Rabbit
Devilled Ham Toasts
Tomato Sandwiches
Welsh Rarebit
Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon
Watercress Sandwich
Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
The Alice B. Toklas Sandwich

Breads are crustless and spread with softened butter.

In the brown sandwiches a thinly sliced cucumber; cream cheese beaten
with a few chopped chives; smoked salmon with smoked salmon mousse. All
are lightly seasoned.

In the white sandwiches a thin slices of smoked ham; egg mayonnaise
with mustard and cress; finelly grated cheddar cheese.

On Sundays, when a Thé Dansant is held in the Ritz's restaurant, there
are also sardine-and-mayonnaise sanwiches.

Also, scones and cakes are served.

Here are some recipes from the book. Please use a monospaced font, as
some recipes are formatted.

Cucumber sandwiches
-------------------
Peel a cucumber and slice it into transparencies on the sliding side of
a grater, or by adroit use of a potato peeler. Sprinkle these
see-through discs with a little vinegar and salt. After half an hour,
drain away the excess cucumber juice by shuffling the slices in a sieve.
Cover a slice of lightly buttered paper-thin brown bread with two layers
of cucumber, and top with another slice of bread. Apply firm but
delicate pressure with the palm of the hand. Slice off the crusts, and
cut into three rectangles. Pile these neatly on a porcelain serving
plate, and cover with a lightly dampened cloth until tea is served.

Watercress sandwiches
---------------------
These are bright, peppery, crisp and full of iron. Butter rough rye
bread with salty butter and pile a slice high with fresh watercress.
Press another slice on top until the contents creak. Cut the sandwich
in half but not quarters.... the dark green leaves burst out at the
seams.

Scotch Woodcock
---------------

Scotch Woodcock

Metric/Imperial | Cup Measures
|
6 anchovy fillets | 6 anchovy fillets
1.25 ml/ 1/4 tsp black | 1/4 tsp black pepper
pepper |
2 slices of crustless | 2 slices of crustless
buttered toast, trimmed | buttered toast, trimmed
to 7.5 cm (3-inch) | to 3-inch squares
squares |
2 egg yolks (size 3) | 2 medium egg yolks
20 ml/4 tsp double cream| 4 tsp heavy cream
15 g/ 1/2 oz butter, | 1 tbsp oz butter,
melted | melted

Pound the anchovy fillets with the black pepper and spead on the toast.
Beat the egg yolks with the cream, and season well. Stir the butter
into the creamy egg mixture until it begins to thicken. Pour over the
toast and serve hot.


The Alice B. Toklas sandwich
----------------------------
Poach two or three large chopped mushrooms in butter with a little lemon
juice for about eight minutes. Remove from the heat and mash; then beat
to a paste. Add salt, pepper, a few grains of cayenne, and a roughly
equal volume of softened butter. For variety, Miss Toklas would beat in
a scrambled egg and grated Parmesan cheese too; she believed that these
additions made the sandwich filling even more delicious, so that it
tasted almost like chicken.


Welsh Rarebit
-------------
Welsh Rarebit

------Metric/Imperial------|------Cup Measures------
|
125 g/4 oz grated cheese, | 1 cup grated sharp
Lancashire for preference | Cheddar cheese
|
45 ml/3 tbsp ale | 3 tbsp dark ale
25 g/1 oz butter | 2 tbsp (1/4 stick) butter
5 ml/1 tsp hot mustard | 1 tsp spicy mustard
salt and black pepper | salt and black pepper
2 slices of toast | 2 slices of toast

Place the slices of bread side by side in a dish and pour the wine over
them. Allow it to soak for a few minutes. Dot the wine-dark bread with
half the butter and toast it fast on both sides. Melt the rest of the
butter, cheese, mustard and any wine left over in the dish gently
together; then, like greased lightning, spread this mixture over the
toast and make it bubble under the grill or broiler.


English Rabbit
--------------
English Rabbit

------Metric/Imperial------|------Cup Measures------
|
2 slices of white bread | 2 slices of white bread
175 ml/6 fl oz claret | 3/4 cup red wine
25 g/1 oz butter | 2 tbsp (1/4 stick) butter
125 g/4 oz grated | 1 cup grated Cheddar
Cheddar cheese | cheese
10 ml/2 tsp hot mustard | 2 tsp hot mustard

Place the slices of bread side by side in a dish and pour the wine over
them. Allow it to soak for a few minutes. Dot the wine-dark bread with
half the butter and toast it fast on both sides. Melt the rest of the
butter, cheese, mustard and any wine left over in the dish gently
together; then, like greased lightning, spread this mixture over the
toast and make it bubble under the grill or broiler.


The Ritz's Special Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
-------------------------------------------

The Ritz's Special Smoked Salmon Sandwiches

---Metric/Imperial--- : ---Cup Measures---

100 g/4 oz smoked | 1/4 lb smoked salmon
salmon offcuts | trimmings
|
150 ml /1/4 pint single | 1 1/3 cups heavy cream
cream |
|
25 ml/1 fl oz whisky | 2 tbsp whisky
|
2.5 ml/1/2 tsp white | 1/2 tsp white pepper, plus
pepper, plus extra | extra
|
1.25 ml/1/4 tsp grated | 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
nutmeg |
|
150 ml/1/4 pint double |
cream |
|
brown bread-and-butter | brown bread-and-butter
|
50 g/2 oz slice smoked | 2 oz slice smoked
salmon, cut wafer thin | salmon, cut wafer thin
|
lemon wedge, to serve | lemon wedge, to serve


Mince or chop the smoked salmon very finely. Stir in the single or 2/3
cup of heavy cream, and coax the mixture through a sieve or strainer
using the back of a wooden spoon. Beat in the whisky, pepper and
nutmeg. Chill.
Whip the double or remaining heavy cream until stiff, and fold into
the chilled mixture, a little at a time. Spread slices of the brown
bread-and-butter with the mixture, then carefully arrange wafers of
smoked salmon across this. Season with a little freshly ground white
pepper. Press slices of buttered brown bread on top and remove the
crusts. Cover the sandwiches with a clean cloth which has been wrung
out in cold water until you are ready to serve them. Serve with a wedge
of lemon.
This makes an exceptionally moist delicious sandwich.