Pocket-size sandwiches to share with friends
Make an aperitivo or build a tea party — big, small or mad
Hello! Hello!
If you’re surprised to see that this month’s FRIENDSHIP FOOD newsletter is about sandwiches, know what? I’m surprised too. But for months now, I’ve had sandwiches on my mind. Sandwiches of all kinds — remember the beautiful pan bagnat, from Rosa Jackson’s book, Niçoise? Of course, I’ve been thinking about — and making — that. But the sandwiches that keep tickling my brain these days are what the Brits call a “tea sandwich” — which makes me think of cucumbers; what the French also call a “tea sandwich” (although I’ve heard it called “un finger”); and the Italians call “tramezzini.” Oh, they’re also what Joshua used to call “PBs” when he was a toddler — they were peanut butter sandwiches that I’d make on soft crustless bread and then cut into snackable squares for him. Not as elegant as the sandwiches from The Ritz, but too close a family member to disown.
And too much fun not to make and share. Think picnics, after-school snacks, late-afternoon treats, tea parties and cocktail parties and a welcome gift for new neighbors — pile them in a basket. All of a sudden, all I wanted was little sandwiches and a moment to share them with friends.
I’ve got some ideas and recipes for these pocket-size sandwiches — all you have to do is find the moment. Oh, and gather your people.
The French Connection
The last time I was in the Place des Vosges — one of the most charming parks in Paris— I stopped into Carette, the tea salon with the crackly palmiers and the longest apple turnovers, and spied the tea sandwiches, precisely wrapped and carefully labeled, lined up in the display case at the front of the salon, ready to be tucked into a pocket and enjoyed in the park or to be brought home for an afternoon snack. Some of them made it home, some were nibbled en route and all of them made me wonder why I didn’t make these chez moi.
As though I needed another prod, a walk down the rue Montorgeuil brought me to Petibon, a cute little shop that specializes in paper-wrapped tea sandwiches in ready-to-go boxes. Le finger sandwich seemed so quaint … and then, in an instant, it seemed so trendy.
Finally, as I was browsing the shelves in the San Francisco Book Co on rue Monsieur le Prince, I found Michael Smith’s Afternoon Tea: The Complete Book of Britain’s Tea-Time Treats, including tea sandwiches, of course. Cue Twilight Zone music. (YIKES! I thought I’d try to get a link to the book for you and discovered that Amazon has one copy for sale at $320! I think I’ll take good care of my used-bookstore find.) The universe was telling me to sandwich.
The In-Betweens
It was Anna Francese Gass’s book, Italian Snacking, that sent me looking for that cute little butter spreader I’d gotten as a gift. I love Anna’s new book — have you made her Affogato Mug Cake, yet? — and loved her short chapter on Tramezzini.
Anna explains that the sandwiches were first created in 1925 (note to self: have a 100th birthday party for them next year) at a caffé in Torino. The chef served the sandwiches as an afternoon snack for commuters and always with a glass of wine or an aperitivo – how lovely, right? The sandwiches were built on slices of white Pullman bread (as many tea sandwiches in many countries are) and coated with aioli before the fillings were spread on. They were cut in half on the diagonal and named tramezzini, which Anna explains means “in between” (tra) and “half” (mezzo).
The Fun
Since the possibilities for tea sandwiches, finger sandwiches or tramezzini are endless, Mary Dodd and I slid down the proverbial rabbit hole, never finding the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, but making party sandwiches of our own. Take a look at the spectacular tea/aperitivo party that Mary made — how I wish we could all have been there together. But with inspiration from Mary’s beautiful images and recipes and recipe ideas from me, Mary, Anna’s Italian Snacking and Michael Smith’s book — which devotes four pages to the history of the sandwich and how-to’s, including this piece of information that is now stamped in my brain: you need 12 watercress leaves per sandwich — I think you’re all set to start sandwiching.
Whether you use silver salvers, crisp, starched cotton-lace doilies or folded linen napkins, as the esteemed Mr. Smith prefers, or lay out your sandwiches on a ragged beach blanket, what’s always true is true here: The most important part of cooking is the joy that comes from making something in the kitchen and sharing it. But you know that!
Take a look at what I’ve put together to get you started and then, let me know what you do. If you’ve got beloved fillings for tea sandwiches, combinations that are favorites, or drinks that you think go well with tramezzini, tell us all. Please.
💡The inspiration for the FRIENDSHIP FOOD series grew from my conviction that food builds community — you as bakers and cooks, I believe, agree. The food made from recipes featured in this series are meant to be shared. In the spirit of sharing and putting more kindness into the world, I donate a portion of subscription fees to organizations that are feeding and caring for people most in need. This month, xoxoDorie readers are supporting Meals on Wheels, which delivers more than 250 million meals to seniors in need every year.
🍪💬 Did you make and break the first FRIENDSHIP FOOD: Two Very Big Cookies™ to share? Don’t forget to post your pics in the chat here. Tell me: would you like me to host another one for tea sandwiches? Chats are the only way you can post photos via Substack, but there’s always Instagram and Facebook.
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Bread/Spread/Filling: The Tea-Sandwich Trinity to Mix and Match
Before I even start, I want to repeat — these are ideas to give you ideas. Go forth and play! And while I haven’t written out all of the recipes here, I’ve linked them to printable Google docs for you and to websites without paywalls. An index of all sandwich-related recipes is at the bottom.
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