The traditional cucumber sandwich is composed of paper-thin slices of cucumber placed between two triangular slices of lightly buttered white bread. Binomial name Cucumis sativus L. The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. ... Butter is commonly sold in sticks (pictured) or blocks, and frequently served with the use of a butter knife. ... Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ...

As it is usually considered a delicate food, the bread is sliced as thinly as possible. The peel of the cucumber is either removed or scored lengthwise with a fork before the cucumber is sliced, and the slices of cucumber are dried gently with a paper towel before use. The slices of bread are carefully buttered all the way to the edges and the slices of cucumber placed in the sandwich just before serving in order to prevent the sandwich from becoming damp and thus losing its freshness. A few drops of lemon juice may be dashed on the cucumber slices, if desired. The crusts of the bread are cut away cleanly and the sandwich sliced diagonally twice, creating four small triangular tea sandwiches. A tea sandwich is a small prepared sandwich meant to be eaten at afternoon teatime to stave off hunger until the main meal. ...

The traditional cucumber sandwich is of British origin. Modern variants (largely of American origin) exist, involving cream cheese, chopped dill or spices, brown bread, salmon, and even bread with crusts left intact. One specific American variant includes benedictine, a green soft spread based on cucumbers and cream cheese. British cucumber sandwich purists conventionally frown on these variants and many would not consider the modern variants to be variants at all, but simply a different sandwich. Country of origin United States Region, town Chester, New York Source of milk Cow Pasteurised Texture Soft Aging time none Certification Cream cheese is a soft, mild-tasting, white cheese that contains at least 33% milkfat (as marketed) with a moisture content of not more than 55%, and a pH... Binomial name Anethum graveolens L. Dried Dill-umbel Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a short-lived annual herb, native to southwest and central Asia. ... Illustration of a male Coho Salmon The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow to 1. ... Benedictine is a condiment made with cucumbers and cream cheese. ... Country of origin United States Region, town Chester, New York Source of milk Cow Pasteurised Texture Soft Aging time none Certification Cream cheese is a soft, mild-tasting, white cheese that contains at least 33% milkfat (as marketed) with a moisture content of not more than 55%, and a pH...

Cucumber sandwiches are most often served for a light snack or at afternoon tea, a formal light meal served some time in the late afternoon or early evening before the main supper. In addition, cucumber sandwiches are supposed to be served in the tea break at club cricket matches in England.^{[citation needed]}Due to English influence on Indian culture, in India, cucumber sandwiches are popular during cricket matches and weekend picnics. The Indian variant is flavoured with green chutney, and sometimes contains slices of boiled potatoes. In the United States, benedictine cucumber sandwiches are frequently served at outdoor gatherings during summer months as an hors d'oeuvre. Tea (the meal, as opposed to the beverage), means different things in different countries. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For the insect, see Cricket (insect). ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... Friends and family gather for a picnic in a public park in Columbus, Ohio, c. ... A chutney (British spelling), chatni (Urdu or Hindi transliteration) or catni (archaic transliteration) is a term for a variety of sweet and spicy condiments, originally from South Asia. ... Hors dœuvre (or alternatively appetizer or starter) refer to the food served before or outside of (French: hors) the main dishes of a meal (the œuvre). ...

Because of cucumber's cooling nature, cucumber sandwiches are often eaten in the summer months or in warmer climates, such as in parts of India.

Cultural and historical associations

Cucumber sandwiches contain little protein and so are generally not considered sustaining enough to take a place at a full meal. This is deliberate; cucumber sandwiches have historically been associated with the Victorian era upper classes of the United Kingdom, whose members were largely at leisure and who, therefore, could afford to consume foods with little nutritive value. Stereotypically, cucumber sandwiches formed an integral part of a polite afternoon tea. (By contrast, people of the era's lower working classes were thought to prefer a coarser but more satisfying protein-filled sandwich, in a "meat tea" that might substitute for supper.) A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ... For the coarsely ground flour, see flour. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Ascension to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British industrial revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... A relaxing afternoon of leisure: a young girl resting in a pool. ... The updated USDA food pyramid, published in 2005, is a general nutrition guide for recommended food consumption. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Some writers have attempted to draw out an association between the daintiness of the sandwich and the perceived effeteness of the British aristocracy. Cucumber sandwiches are often used as a kind of shorthand in novels and films to identify upper class people, occasionally in a derogatory manner. In Oscar Wilde's The Importance Of Being Earnest, cucumber sandwiches have expressly been ordered and prepared for Lady Bracknell's visit; they are all voraciously eaten beforehand by her nephew and host, Algernon Moncrieff, and consequently he is forced to tell a little lie, with his butler's connivance: namely that "there were no cucumbers to be had at the Covent Garden vegetable market that morning, not even for ready money"! In addition, the sandwiches were once considered appropriate delicacies to offer to visiting clergy, in times when such visits were still a common feature of English middle class life. Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      The term aristocracy refers to a form of government where power is hereditary, and split between a small number of families. ... A novel (from French nouvelle Italian novella, new) is an extended, generally fictional narrative, typically in prose. ... Film is a term that encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. ... Oscar Fingal OFlahertie Wills Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and short story writer. ... The Importance of Being Earnest The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde, a comedy of manners in either three or four acts (depending on edition) inspired by W. S. Gilberts Engaged. ... The Importance of Being Earnest The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde, a comedy of manners in either three or four acts (depending on edition) inspired by W. S. Gilberts Engaged. ... Covent Garden is a district in central London and within the easterly bounds of the City of Westminster. ...

The popularity of the cucumber sandwich reached its upper-class zenith in the Edwardian era, when cheap labour and plentiful coal enabled cucumbers to be produced in hotbeds under glass through most of the year. With the declining popularity of tea as a meal in the United Kingdom, largely a result of the increasing proportion of women working outside the home, there was a corresponding decline in the popularity of cucumber sandwiches, but they are still frequently served at teas, luncheons, and gatherings. They are now increasingly popular in the UK due to the hotter and longer summers, and the range of variants of accompaniments from take-away sources (e.g. supermarkets etc.) is large - hence they are a popular lunchtime snack for workers. Most English cricket clubs supply malt vinegar and ground pepper to dash inside the sandwich and this is the simplest form commonly used in England.^{[citation needed]} The Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period 1901 to 1910, the reign of King Edward VII. It is sometimes extended to include the period to the start of World War I in 1914 or even the end of the war in 1918. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... A hotbed is an environment conducive to rapid growth or development. ...

See also

• Canapé
• Hors d'oeuvres
• Tea sandwich
• Tea

• Cucumber sandwich preparation and cultural aspects