The Bread To Give Cucumber Tea Sandwiches A Flavor Boost

You can do more with cucumbers than make a salad. In fact, the vegetable is responsible for one of the best tea sandwiches, whether you're heading to afternoon or high tea. In England, teatime — and its accompanying sandwiches — are a long-standing tradition. Typically, the sandwich tray at a full-out British tea comes with variety. Think spruced-up egg salad, chicken salad, and smoked salmon sandwiches, among others. However, cucumber sandwiches often take the cake — or, rather, the tier.

Refreshing, simple, and reliably delicious, cucumber sandwiches are easy to make. All you need are cucumbers, cream cheese, and some dill, as well as bread. At their most traditional, cucumber sandwiches come on plain and thin white bread – hold the crust. While white bread provides a blank canvas for the sandwich's ingredients and allows the sandwich's delicate nature to shine, it doesn't add quite as much flavor as other, more robust bread. 

If you're looking for a cucumber sandwich with a little more oomph, you'll want to reach for a darker, more robust bread that will complement all the sandwich's flavors. It doesn't quite align with British tradition, but it puts an entirely new spin on your favorite tea sandwich. So, before you slice into your cucumbers — or brew a pot of your favorite tea — make sure to grab a loaf of this hearty, dark, and sometimes seeded bread.

So why not give rye a try? Rye comes darker, grainier, and sturdier than the fluffy white bread frequently used for cucumber sandwiches. These attributes make rye a worthwhile, flavorful, and distinct option for your next cucumber concoction.

Popular in the south, rye-based cucumber sandwiches are as delicious as they sound. Rye not only enhances the flavor of the cucumber but also enables a more robust sandwich, so you don't have to worry about munching lightly. Rye comes denser than your standard white tea bread and is heartier in both texture and taste. So, with rye in the lineup, you can easily turn a traditionally light tea sandwich into a complete and satisfying meal.

As for which variety of rye to choose, cocktail or party rye bread is your best bet. However, seedier rye bread — like loaves with caraway seeds – also adds a punch of flavor. As for whether or not to keep the crust, that's up to you.