Cucumber sandwiches are a cornerstone of British tea, which can find its origins dating back to the Victorian era. Now, you’ll find them as dainty little finger sandwiches enjoyed with an afternoon tea.
The combination was a way for British Imperialists to cope with the heat in India while also providing a satiating snack. Usually paired with butter, the food whizzes at Simply Recipes suggested an “unforgettable” alternative that gives the sandwich an upgrade: peanut butter.
Allegedly, the recommendation came from a Simply Recipes reader, who dubbed it the “best-tasting cucumber sandwich you’ll ever taste”. A bold claim.
Apparently, this was a family recipe born out of the Great Depression in the 1930s. If that doesn’t give you an indication of this flavour combo, I don’t know what will.
Reader Bill Hunsinger told Simply Recipes: “I learned this from my father, who I believe either learned it from his parents during the depression of the 1930s or when he was in the Air Force during World War II, which at that time was called the Army Air Corps.”
Ultimately, it swaps out the traditional layer of butter for peanut butter. There’s no special way to make a sandwich, so I don’t need to tell you how to make one.
I’m no peanut butter connoisseur, so I just bought mine from Aldi, but any peanut butter of your choice will do. The flavour combination gives… nothing.
They don’t attack each other or clash, nor do they sing together in harmony. Neither the cucumber nor the peanut butter cancels out the other; they just do nothing for one another.
The only marginal benefit of adding peanut butter is the slight saltiness it gives, so the sandwich doesn’t taste of nothing. However, I couldn’t get over the cloying texture that stuck to every inch of my mouth.
A cucumber sandwich’s spread should be smooth, while its flavour is secondary. A cucumber and peanut butter filling just feels like I’m eating two halves of different sandwiches.
Honestly, no wonder Americans feel the need to add something uber-processed to a simple vegetable sandwich. Give it a few more centuries, and their taste buds will develop into fully formed humans.
Cucumber sandwiches don’t need to be corrupted by any sauce or spread laden with sugar or a bold flavour. A little butter or cream cheese is enough to add saltiness to amplify the cucumber’s freshness.
I don’t think this will be replacing the classic on an afternoon tea anytime soon. While it may be “unforgettable”, it’ll only be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Sorry, Americans. You can keep this one… preferably locked up in Room 101, or in 1930s America.