Tea sandwiches

Hi everyone,

This is a laugh at ourselves post, but just goes to show the minute things that can cause us to feel uncomfortable when living and working in a culture different to the one we grew up in. In this picture Margie is holding a plate of tea sandwiches - you may know they ones, without crust, cut in wedges? The only time in my life that I had seen them prior to moving here was when my mother had ladies in to tea when i was a child.

We go out one Thursday afternoon a month to here a speaker and mingle with a somewhat golden oldies crowd - mostly folks who attend St. Multose church. Great people from many countries or with international backgrounds although English speaking and white, and as far as we can tell we are the youngest in the room by a few years at least and by lots of years in some cases.

Every month people bring munchies, a task that we have tried to have a hand in with small success. They didn't love our homemade chocolate chip cookies (can you IMAGINE?) so we decided to meet them on ground they were familiar with and make tea sandwiches. Margie and I doing this though is the blind leading the blind and hoping not to fall in the proverbial ditch.

There is a lot to tea sandwiches - and we have become adept. First of all quarters, not halves are the correct size of wedge (although one woman ventured into long strips which had there uses as they fit better with a cup and saucer). You want the bread soft - but too soft doesn't work with egg or salmon salad as they fall apart. It goes without saying that you cut off the crust - this leaves lots of bread with which you can make bread pudding (recipe follows) which has become a favorite breakfast treat in our lives. Also there seem to be a few things that we have to consider on the do and don't list: do make fish spread sandwiches (a hit), it's OK to make them on whole wheat bread (thank heavens as Margie was embarrassed carrying white bread from the store), and finally DON"T add anything green to them (such as lettuce). We are sure there are more rules but they remain still to be discovered.

Wishing you all the best with the tea sandwiches (things you don't know how to do) in your lives!
Alana

Bread Pudding (think quiche with bread scraps in it)

1) layer bread scraps in a baking dish or pan that will be used in the oven
2) in a bowl mix: 2-3 eggs, lots of milk, and anything you have handy (oinions, herbs, cheese, sausage, pesto, sundried tomatoes- all good)
3) cover bread with egg mixture - if it isn't sloppy or the bread isn't covered add more milk or yogurt if you have some.

Let it sit until bread dissolves to mush - overnight is fine, 20 minutes works too.

Bake in oven at 18- degree centigrade or 375 farenheit until it rises some and the top crusts with a lovely color of brown.

Eat wedges with jam and yogurt for breakfast, or with chicken wings for lunch. Makes a lovely midnight snack as well.