The Cucumber Sandwich
Leslie Geddes-Brown argues that the merits of a good cucumber sandwich lie just as much in evoking Arcadian dreams of teas in the garden, as in making for a delicious snack.


I loathe sandwiches: messy, difficult to eat and filled with a variety of ingredients which hate each other.
But I would make an exception of the cucumber sandwich - despite Dr Jonshon's assertion that cucumber is best 'well sliced and dressed with pepper and vinegar and then thrown out as good for nothing'.
The cucumber sandwich is inextricably linked in people's minds with tea in the garden, preferably with Lapsang Souchong's tarry leaves in a Georgian silver teapot taken under a Lebanon cedar with a Palladian house as a backdrop (vicar optional).
Although they taste better this way, I would be happy with a neat pile on an office desk if sandwich bars could get them right.
The Perfect Cucumber Sandwich
The best cucumber sandwich is made with thinly sliced bread, crusts removed and lightly spread with salted butter.
The cucumber should be as fresh as possible, peeled, cut thinly (seeds removed if they are too big) then the rounds dunked quickly in white wine vinegar before being heaped on the bread.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Give a brief shake of salt over all and put on thelid, then cut into dainty quarters.
Serve on porcelain.
Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.
-
From California to Cornwall: How surfing became a cornerstone of Cornish culture
A new exhibition at Cornwall's National Maritime Museum celebrates a century of surf culture and reveals how the country became a global leader in surf innovation and conservation.
By Emma Lavelle Published
-
Jaecoo 7 SHS: Can you really get a luxury SUV for £35,000?
The Chinese automaker Jaecoo lands on UK shores with the 7. We take it for a spin around Scotland and the north of England to see if the hype is real.
By Charlie Thomas Published