Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

• ½ Loaf “Very Thin” Pepperidge Farm Whole Wheat Bread
• ½ Loaf “Very Thin” Pepperidge Farm White Bread
• 1 English or Seedless Cucumber
• Small bunch of fresh Dill
• 3 teaspoons (or to taste) Tarragon or Dijon Mustard
• 6 Tblsps. well softened sweet butter or butter substitute
• 1 tsp (or to taste) Fleur de Sel or good quality sea salt

Directions:

1. Rinse dill. Cut off any tough ends or roots. Snip or chop dill finely. Set aside.
2. Using a *Japanese Benriner, Mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice the cucumber almost paper-thin. Put slices into a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the salt. Toss together. Cover and let rest in the fridge for about a half hour. Drain cucumbers in a colander or medium strainer over another bowl to remove excess water. Return to a dry bowl and toss with one half of the chopped dill. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl combine the remainder of the dill, the mustard and the softened butter and mash with a fork or spoon to spreading consistency. (This can also be done in a food processor…) Set aside.
4. Stack six slices of the very thin bread on a cutting board and carefully slice off the crusts (a tea tradition). Repeat until you have used one half loaf of each type of bread. And distribute the crusts to needy birds.
5. On a large cutting board or other clean surface, line up two rows of bread, one white, one whole wheat. Smear tops of all slices with a scant amount of the butter mustard spread (using a small wooden spreader or small pastry spreader works well).
6. On one row of the bread slices place overlapping layers of the cucumber mixture to cover the slice. Then cover each of these bread slices with your second row of bread. Gently press the sandwiches together and slice vertically so each “sandwich” becomes two small vertical sandwiches. Repeat this process with the remaining bread and butter mustard spread. Layer the sandwiches in concentric circles on a decorative plate. If not using immediately, cover the sandwiches with a sheet of wax paper, and then cover the wax paper with a dampened tea towel. Place in the fridge and remove ½ hour before serving.

(Note: The sandwiches can be made two to three hours in advance. The dampened tea towel plus the wax paper prevents them from drying out)

* A Japanese Benriner or mandoline can be found in most kitchen shops (Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma etc.) The Benriner is less expensive and easier to use. Always use great caution and a finger guard with either of these little contraptions.