Vivian Howard's "Fancy Sandwiches" or to me: "High Tea" Cucumber Sandwiches

I will be doing a few of Vivian Howard's recipes this summer and every time I do I will mention how good her cookbook is and suggest you buy it.  It is more than recipes, it is her life stories about the South, and they are captivating.  In fact they moved me...550 pages too! It's been a long time since someones words touched me, and who would have thunk it would be a cookbook that did it?  Not me...

She does a whole chapter on cucumbers and I would do them all - if only my son shared the same passion for them as I do... This was just what I wanted for dinner tonight and I couldn't wait to get home and make them.  I love cucumbers and have since I was a little kid.  I remember I would have them as my bedtime snack - sliced, sitting in a bowl of vinegar with salt & pepper.  Or, I would have them as a sandwich on white bread, with mayo or Miracle whip and salt & pepper.  YUM!

I bought Wonder White Bread which was enriched to be like brown bread, so I convinced myself that this death bread was better for me.  😊

Her words are below (between the lines) and this makes approximately 1 loaf of sandwiches (I cut the recipe in half for the first part, as my son dislikes cucumbers and was not interested in the slightest).  I found out he would be home for dinner and when I told him what I was making, he picked up a chicken for himself.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IN A WORLD WHERE WHITE BREAD is about as well regarded as high-fructose corn syrup, it would seem strange to call these sandwiches fancy. But not so long ago, dainty sandwiches made from soft white bread, cucumbers, and something creamy were the kind of fancy that called for doilies and an elevated pinkie finger. In today’s white-bread-hating world (of which I’m a multigrain card-carrying member), I deem these pillowy cucumber purses even fancier. They are a special-occasion or Saturday-afternoon food, meant to be smiled at and savored. Ground-up radishes add a colorful kick to a combination of butter, cream cheese, and mayo, a trifecta I like to call the temple of fat. Don’t feel bad, though. A trip to the land where white bread and mayonnaise rule is worthwhile every now and then.

• 3 medium or 2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rings 
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice 
• 1 loaf white bread 
• ½ teaspoon white pepper 

Radish Spread 

• 1 cup radishes of your choice, washed and quartered 
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup mayonnaise (I used Hellman's)
• ½ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ¼ cup radish greens, minced 

Make the spread: Using a food processor, pulse the radishes till they are finely minced but not pureed. In a separate bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese, mayo, and salt using a spatula. Stir in the radishes and their greens. Set the spread aside till you’re ready to get fancy. It’ll keep covered in the refrigerator for one week.

Make the sandwiches: Toss the cucumbers with the salt and drain them in a colander for 10 minutes. Pat the cucumbers dry. Then toss them with the lemon juice. Smear 2 tablespoons radish spread over each slice of bread and top one side of each with an overlapping layer of cucumber slices. Sprinkle the slices with white pepper. Top that with another radish-smeared slice of bread. Continue with the remaining sandwiches. Cut the crusts off the sandwiches. Discard the trim or run in a corner, make sure no one’s looking, and stuff it in your face, ’cause they’re gonna stop making white bread soon enough. Then cut the sandwiches into triangles. Cover the sandwiches tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving. They benefit from a short firm-up in the fridge but will taste stale after a while.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I made the spread and I made the amount in the recipe.  I figured since it would keep for a week, I could use it again.  One cup of radishes turned out to be the whole bunch so that worked out.  I cut some of the leaves off as well.  I had no idea you could eat those greens on the radishes!  I tasted and it was a little bitter, but tasted fine.  I cut and washed it all in cold water.

I drained with a sieve and then put it into the food processor.  I mixed it all together and it tasted lovely.

I covered and put it in the fridge until needed.

I followed all her cucumber steps.

After  I tossed them with the lemon juice, I was ready to assemble.

I was going for TWO sandwiches for myself tonight, or 4 triangles.  Let me tell you, that bread was so soft and those cukes were so slippery, I had a heck of a time trying to trim the crusts!

Not as easy as it sounded, especially since I don't have a proper bread knife... I have ordered new knives though so will have one soon!  I put it in the fridge for about a half hour to set and I ate about half the crusts and cucumbers I cut off and yes, I did stuff it in my face.  😊

They weren't as pretty when plated as I was hoping for, though I enjoyed them anyway.  They were very mild in taste and nothing overpowered anything.  Cucumber was the star.  It was just a nice sandwich with a really buttery, creamy spread.  These were deceivingly filling. I expected I'd still be hungry when finished, but I only made it through 3 triangles before packing it in and I could have stopped at 2.  All that fat, I guess?  When I made a sandwich later, for lunch tomorrow, I did not trim those crusts!