Afternoon Tea - Let's chat dainty tea sandwiches

Afternoon Tea

A three course Delight to be shared with your favourite people.

Consisting of Savories, Scones and Sweets along with fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and condiments such a jam and clotted cream.

Let’s chat Savories today. I have read and heard this first course referred to as the tea sandwiches or savories. I have adopted a differentiation for myself. It may not be traditional, and I may be the only one doing this but, if it is warm it is a savory. If it is having bread, it is a sandwich. But little finger canape style offerings are also savories. Confused, don’t worry. It is all delicious either way.

What are some typical dainty sandwiches offered on that bottom plate of the three-tiered tray? I found this on the world wide web.

Cucumber with cream cheese or butter

Egg mayonnaise (egg salad) with cress

Coronation chicken (a creamy curry sauce)

Smoked salmon and cream cheese

Roast beef with horseradish or mustard

Ham and mustard

Cheese (typically cheddar) and chutney

Goat cheese and roasted vegetables (this is a more recent but common addition to have more vegetarian options).

Prawn (shrimp) with mayonnaise, sometimes with lemon and/or chives.

After reading the list of typical traditional Afternoon tea sandwiches, I began to think back to what has Dragonfly Delights Tearoom offered? What have we done that is on the list, what haven’t we tried? Should we? Of course we should.

Over the years The Dragonfly Delights kitchen has tried numerous cucumber savories and sandwiches. Cream cheese or lemon aioli usually accompany the cucumber. Crackers, bread or even one time just a slice of cucumber was served. Always delicious.

Egg salad is a guest favourite as it has a secret ingredient, bacon. But let me tell you another secret. You will be shocked to know that prior to frying the bacon the chef always trim as much fat as possible off that bacon. The chef did a taste test, one batch with the fat, the second batch with the bacon trimmed. Unanimously the entire kitchen agreed, no fat. This shows the lengths the kitchen in willing to go through to serve you the best we can offer.

The kitchen has never done a true coronation chicken sandwich as far as I can remember although my recipe book has numerous recipes in it. The favourite chicken sandwich recipe contains strawberries, mandarin oranges surrounded with a poppy seed vinaigrette. Fresh strawberries, local strawberries, yum yum

I do remember trying a roast beef open sandwich special for Father’s Day. DISASTER In the kitchen. I don’t even want to talk about that day. My husband had to run to get lunch meat as our expensive cut of meat could not be served. It tasted delicious but the kitchen disaster left us no choice but to send it home with my husband.

Smoked salmon was something prepared with our gluten free guests in mind. I can’t recall the exact recipe, a cucumber base perhaps, salmon and cream cheese piped on top. Yum! If I remember correctly, we liked it but said “it is the start of something great” I do believe we added a slice of tomato the next time.

Ham and cheese so very simple and loved by many. Dragonfly Delights tearoom has not served ham and cheese often. I think the very first afternoon tea event tortilla wraps were used as the base with cheese, ham and a spread. The wrap was rolled and sliced. We found the wrap dried out, we never tried it again. What do you think should we?

The tearoom has never done cheese with chutney, but pinwheel sandwiches are very popular. A family favourite actually many a war has been fought over these pinwheel tea sandwiches in my home. Cream cheese, a brick cheese and spices create a heavenly experience.

My brain is trying to remember a goat cheese sandwich. I can’t find one. Perhaps a cheese ball at Christmas time with nuts and cranberries. Another yummy treat prepared especially for our gluten free guests. I will have to research this one more.

As for shrimp. No, the tearoom has never prepared shrimp for a teatime sandwich. Should the kitchen create something for your next visit?

Over the last five years many recipes have been tried, tweaked, tried again, some perfected while others were shelved. Dietary restrictions have been a big welcome challenge. I myself have many dietary restrictions therefore, creating culinary offerings that meet guests’ dietary restrictions is very satisfying for me. As well, keeping the gentleman in mind when creating that first course of Afternoon Tea is fun.

Gluten free guests require a special bread or crackers, while dairy free, egg free, vegetarian and vegan guests pose even more challenges. The kitchen has always embraced the challenge of creating something wonderful for their guests.

In fact, some absolutely delicious recipes have been found, used over and over.

When the tearoom opens in its own location an exciting new option will be the ability to offer more warm savories. Little mini quiches, tarts and such. When the tearoom was renting a kitchen it felt constricting. I believe when we have our own kitchen, we can spread our wings and try so much more.