Smoked Salmon and Dill Tea Sandwiches

Throughout Britain and many of its former colonies, tea is often served in the mid-afternoon as a quick bite between the midday and evening meal. Tea sandwiches as well as pastries, breads, butter, jams, and small confections are served. Traditionally tea sandwiches are cold, two-bite sandwiches; some of the most common are egg salad, watercress, and smoked salmon. This version of the classic salmon tea sandwich uses a cream cheese with dill along with some red onion to brighten up the flavor.

Part of the fun of tea sandwiches is the fancy way they are presented. Trimming off the crusts and layering the sandwiches attractively creates something that looks special even though it doesn't require much effort—it's an easy way to dress up a simple sandwich.

It also helps to compress the bread slightly using a rolling pin, not so much that it becomes dense to the point of losing all of its loft, but just enough that the bread doesn't dwarf the delicate fillings it is holding. Exactly how much you need to compress will depend on your bread itself, as different loaves have different slice thicknesses and crumb structures, some naturally more dense than others. To that point, feel free to use whatever bread you prefer. White sandwich bread is very good here, as is whole wheat. Pumpernickel would be a natural pairing with the dill and smoked salmon flavors here.

Although most people don't sit down for tea daily, it can be nice to put on a kettle and serve it alongside a quick bite in the afternoon. This is also a lovely way to celebrate a friend or loved one, such as serving this to your mom on mother's day.