Traditional English tea sandwiches

Step 1

Peel the skin from the piece of cucumber and slice as thinly as possible. A mandolin or wide vegetable peeler is most effective for this. It's often safest to simply peel a section from the cucumber then slice it while still attached to the rest of the cucumber so that you have something to hold while slicing (and keep fingers safe!)

Step 2

Put a thin layer of butter on both slices of bread then arrange a layer or two of cucumber over one slice. Try to make the cucumber layer as even as possible and right to the edges.

Step 3

Top with the other slice of bread, trim off the crusts keeping the edges parallel as you do so. Cut into either 3 - 4 thin fingers or four triangles.

Step 4

Spread both slices of bread with a thin, even layer of bream cheese. Top one of them with a slices of smoked salmon in an even layer, going close to the edge.

Step 5

Top with the other slice of bread, trim off the crusts keeping the edges parallel as you do so. Cut into either 3 - 4 thin fingers or four triangles.

Step 6

Spread one slice of bread with butter and the other with a thin layer of mustard (if you like, you can also butter it underneath as well).

Step 7

Make a layer of roast beef on top of one of the slices of bread, going right to the edges and without gaps.

Step 8

Top with the other slice of bread, trim off the crusts keeping the edges parallel as you do so. Cut into either 3 - 4 thin fingers or four triangles.