ELLEN'S KITCHEN
Tea Sandwiches for 250
For additional items (tea, scones and sweets) recommended for the party, see my article A Hisory of Afternoon Tea.
For lovely scones, go to Golden Scones.
For help planning quantities for a dessert bar or reception, go to Dessert Bars.
Tea Sandwiches for a Crowd
When you need to make small tea sandwiches for a crowd, here is a general guide line.
This makes enough sandwiches for 250 people for a light tea, about 800 small sandwiches total. This is enough for an afternoon Tea for a wedding, funeral or church or social tea, bridesmaid's tea or shower, NOT a luncheon; it only makes about 3 small sandwiches per person. For a luncheon, you want 6 to 8 pieces per person, so this would only serve about 100-120 people- more about a tea luncheon at the end of this article.
For a charming offsite link on afternoon tea etiquette, see Tea Etiquette at oldfashionedliving.com.
The Menu
Generally, sandwiches and scones with a third course of sweets or pastries are standard fare but choices can include muffins, crumpets, bread and butter, cakes such as pound cakes or sweet quick breads, cookies (biscuits), gingerbread, pastries, fruits, truffles and a selection of spreads including marmalade, jam and jellies, preserves, lemon curd, and clotted cream.
For a full blown afternoon tea, you will also need:
- Small two-bite sized sweets such as cookies, cakes or squares (bars), three to four per person. Sweets/ baked goods might also include petite fours, cupcakes, sweet breads, pound cakes, gingerbread, strawberries dipped in chocolate
- 1.5 scones per person, or 1 of each for 2 flavors. English muffins or crumpets are alternatives.
- 1 1/2 gallon spread (1 tablespoon per person) or butter for scones, such as Devonshire cream, PLUS 1 1/2 tablespoons fruit preserves, lemon curd, jam, marmalade, etc.
- Tea (15 gallons), coffee (15 gallons), and punch (15 to 20 gallons): do 8 to 10 gallons of each to start, then set up to make 2.5 gallon batches to replenish. The punch should be a light, mild choice, not too sweet.
- 2 pounds tea, assorted flavors
- 30 lemons sliced thinly (to serve with the tea)
- 5 pounds sugar cubes
- 1 pint honey
- 200 packets artificial sweetener (Splenda)
- 5 quarts of cream or whole milk
- 1 quart soy milk creamer
- 3 quarts tiny sweet pickles (cornichons)
- 3 quarts tiny dill pickles
- For a tea luncheon for 100-120, you might add cut fruit or English trifle. If added, you would need 6 ounces per person, roughly seven gallons of cut fruit.
The Setting
Although buffet service is attractive, the traditional way to serve afternoon tea is to place all the contents for the full event on each table. This allows the hostess to join her table and each group to settle in for conversation without interruptions.
The place for a tea is best if large enough for everyone to be seated, preferably at a table or tables. Large size tea pots and plates of edibles on each table give the impression that the guests are invited to linger over the tea.
The tea
For a large party, several teas may be offered. For example, you might choose a light tea offering (green, English Breakfast); plus a moderate bodied (Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Keemun); and a dark, full-bodied tea such as Russian, Lapsang Souchong, Puerh or Yunnan Gold. In addition, a specialty tea such as masala chai or Morrocan mint might be offered as an alternative.
In a large party served buffet style, it is thoughtful to provide an urn of hot water with an assortment of herbal, flavored and decaffinated teas.
Cups and Saucers?
Styrofoam cups destroy the floral fragrances of teas. Consider renting real cups and saucers, or perhaps purchasing inexpensive cups as take-home favors. Allow 2 small plates and 2 napkins per person, plus 1.5 each of spoons and forks, if forks are indicated by your menu. You might need your small bowl for fruit if included- clear 8 ounce plastic tumblers are a possibility.
The Sandwiches
Tea sandwiches, sometimes called finger sandwiches, may be sweet or savory, or a mix, but have several characteristics:
- They're small, only two bites. Regular-size sandwiches are cut into 4 squares or triangles, or about 3 fingers. Rolls, decorative shapes and open-face sandwiches are also appropriate.
- They're crustless. Remove the crusts after filling the sandwiches but before cutting the sandwiches to size. As a corollary, you never serve the crusty end slices. Using a long, sharp knife, trim crusts AFTER you fill the sandwiches for the easiest spreading and neatest appearance.
- They're flavorful. Tea sandwich recipes are tasty. Savory sandwiches are often prepared with fresh herbs, scallions, garlic, spicy mustard, pepper or hot sauce, while sweet sandwiches have fruit and nuts included.
- They're tender, but never soggy. Each tea sandwich is spread with soft butter or whipped cream cheese, or something similar, to the very edge, to prevent soggy sandwiches. To prevent sogginess, use room temperature unsalted butter or whipped cream cheese (you can use the cream cheese if they will not be frozen) to butter every slice to the edge of the bread. Yes, you can freeze the cream cheese fillings, but do use butter as the bread spread for best results if the sandwiches will be frozen.
- They're "dainty", with thin-sliced breads and fillings no thicker than the bread. These thinly spread fillings mean that you use less filling than for regular sandwiches.
For seafood or meat salad, allow about 2 tablespoons per full slice of bread. Other common tea sandwich fillings include cucumber (5 to 8 thin slices per sandwich), 1 tablespoon cream cheese with a single slice of lettuce.
The Shopping List for the Sandwiches
16 2 pound loaves
3 pounds softened unsalted butter
4 dozen eggs
2 bunches fresh parsley
1 onion
OPTIONAL fresh mint, tarragon, chervil
2 pounds lean ham, chicken breast or roast beef, thin deli sliced
2 1/2 pounds full fat cream cheese, divided
18 ounces cherries, raisins, drained crushed pineapple or dates
1 cup pecan bits
1 pint sour cream
1 1/2 pounds Velveeta or mild cheddar or colby cheese
4-7 ounces canned pimento or chopped olives
18 to 20 ounces cooked or canned drained shrimps or crab
2 pounds canned salmon or tuna
1 bunch of celery
2 large burpless English cucumbers
OPTIONAL 1 bunch watercress
4 tablespoons white vinegar
4 quarts top quality mayonaisse
salt and pepper to taste
prepared mustard
Worcestershire sauce
lemon pepper
The Bread
The bread is thin-sliced, and the filling layer is as thin as the bread itself, only about 1/4 inch.
Several types of bread come thin-sliced, but an even better option is to make or to purchase square-topped unsliced loaves of firm bread and have the bakery slice them thinly for you. The bakery can slice the loaves in the regular way or horizontally. Or you can do it yourself with a sharp knife or even better, an electric carving knife, and a little practice. A 2-pound loaf of bread yields at least 20 regular slices, which is 10 uncut whole sandwiches, or about 40 tea sandwiches.
Freezing tea sandwiches and Keeping the sandwiches fresh:
To prepare for immediate serving, after making the sandwiches, cut the crusts off and cut into triangles, squares, or other decorative shapes (you can use a cookie cutter). If you need to make tea sandwiches in advance on the same day and need to keep them from drying out, cover them loosely with a sheet of wax paper and then place a damp kitchen towel layer of paper towels over the wax paper. Placing a damp towel directly on top of the bread makes the sandwiches soggy. Refrigerate until serving time.
When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator. Uncover sandwiches just before serving. To serve, place the sandwiches on a iceberg lettuce-lined platter- lettuce has a high water content which will keep the sandwiches perfectly moist.
There are several sandwiches you can freeze ahead for your tea party, but you must select your fillings carefully. Egg, mayonaisse or salad dressing-based fillings CAN NOT be frozen successfully. Rolling the sandwiches you plan to freeze and wrapping tightly in waxed paper before freezing, gives the best results for thawing. Roll up each slice like a jelly roll. Roll into waxed paper. Double wrap in plastic wrap; place in freezer for up to 3 weeks. Wrap tightly to prevent ice crystals.
The morning of the reception, you remove from the freezer,thaw them just enough to help you cut them in 1/2" slices, and with a sharp knife slice in 1/2 inch pinwheels. Place pinwheels on trays (they will still be partially frozen) loosely cover with clean wrap (a sheet of waxed paper under a slightly dampened tea towel is great) to prevent drying out. They will thaw in about an hour.
Freezing some sandwiches allows you to increase the assortment and makes the trays even more attractive. In addition, even if you are not going to freeze the finished sandwiches, freezing the bread before spreading and trimming makes for easier handling, especially if the bread is very frsh or tender.
Some ideas for freezable fillings include:
cream cheese and crushed pineapple, or any other fruit/nut combination
mashed shrimp with butter
deviled ham with mustard or pickle
olive and cream cheese
very thin slices of good ham or roast beef or smoked salmon with a bit of cheese and pickle
cheese spreads with butter base, not made with mayo. For flavor ideas, inspect
those expensive little jars of cheese spread by Kraft and others.
Amounts of supplies that you will need for 800 pieces of Finger, Ribbon and Rolled sandwiches
BREADS: 16 large (2 pound) firm-textured Pullman, egg or sandwich loaves, 8 white and 8 brown loaves, preferably thin-sliced lengthwise by the bakery. Order ahead of time, and you can even get the white bread tinted to your party color scheme. You will get 6 to 8 long loaf-length slices from each loaf. If you have to slice the loaves yourself, you may want to order an extra loaf of each and to put the bread in the freezer for a few hours to firm it; an electric knife is also helpful.
You MUST spread each slice to the very edge with softened unsalted butter to prevent soggy sandwiches.
If you have to buy store bread, Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Sliced Bread in white or whole wheat works well for making tea sandwiches. Cocktail slices in rye or pumpernickel are also good choices.
FILLINGS: All fillings should be mashed until smooth and mixed with mayonnaise, cream or milk so that it can be easily spread. Wrap in wax paper and chill for 2 or more hours. Cut each loaf into 1/4 inch slices.
When spreading your filling or butter be sure to spread no thicker than the thickness of the bread, taking it to the edge and keeping it evenly thick. Do not run over the sides. If a recipe calls for the bread to be buttered before adding the filling, you should neatly and lightly spread with butter first.
The variety of fillings in this collection includes egg salad; ham, beef or chicken salad; cream cheese with fruit and nuts; pimento or olive cheese; potted shrimp or crab; tuna or salmon salad; cucumber with watercress. Peanut butter (with banana slices or jelly) is popular for a child’s tea party.
SHAPES AND CUTTING IDEAS
Getting interesting shapes
Here is a good offsite link with pictures of tea sandwich cutting options.
- RIBBON:
Remove crusts from whole wheat and white bread which have been sliced lengthwise. (Put 5 alternating slices together.) Spreadboth sides of the inner slices with softened butter, then each layer with one of the following fillings: 2. Egg salad 3. Cream cheese mixed with chopped pimento 4. Cream cheese mixed with chopped parsley
- PINWHEELS:
2 loaves unsliced white bread, sliced lengthwise (16 slices)
2 cups California dip (Lipton)
16 thin slices cooked ham
16 thin slices Swiss cheese
4 large dill pickles, quartered lengthwise
Trim crust from bread; flatten bread with rolling pin. Spread 2 tablespoons California dip on each slice of bread; top with slice of ham and cheese. Place pickle across one end
of bread; roll up, starting at pickle end. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap; chill.
To serve, cut into 1/2-inch slices. Makes about 6 dozen sandwiches.
may be frozen for future use.
- Other rollups: Cut crust off, white or whole wheat bread, which has been sliced lengthwise. Spread slices with butter, then with your favorite smooth spread. Just in from 1 end place sweet pickle, olives, strip of green pepper or carrot. Roll up tightly. Wrap and chill at least 2 hours. Cut each roll into 1/4 inch slices.
- C. ROLL UPS: Trim crusts off thin sliced white or wheat bread.
Use a heavy rolling pin to slightly flatten the slice. Butter the entire slice with very soft butter. Trim the crust from the sides then spread the filling over all about 1/4-inch thick. Roll up the bread jelly roll style from the small end, into a tight roll. Wrap in foil or waxed paper and chill at least 1 hour. To serve, cut each roll into slices about from 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick, using a sharp serrated knife and slicing so as not to mash the roll.
Before serving, tuck in sprig of crisp fresh parsley or watercress in each end.
- D. TWO-TONED:
Have equal slices of white and whole wheat bread. Cut with round or fancy cookie cutter. Spread bottom piece with butter, then with your favorite spread. Before covering, cut center of tops with small fancy cookie cutter. Place white bread center into whole wheat slice and visa versa.
General Hints for All Tea Sandwiches
The crusts should be cut off the bread before serving with a sharp serrated knife.
If you're making the sandwiches in advance, chill the whole sandwiches on a tray lined with damp paper towels before cutting into serving pieces. Cover them with more damp towels, and wrap with plastic. When ready to serve, trim and cut the sandwiches, then garnish them. They will be easier to cut neatly when chilled.
If the sandwiches are made in advance, keep them fresh by covering with a sheet of wax paper and then lay a damp kitchen towel over that. Or keep them fresh by placing them in jelly roll pans and placing damp toweling, either paper or cloth, over them (being sure they are very well rung out) and then covering the whole thing in Saran wrap or foil. This prevents the bread from drying out and works best with sandwiches with filling between two slices of bread, or rolled sandwiches, allowing these to be made a day ahead and refrigerated. |
Filling recipes for the 800 sandwiches
The thinly spread fillings mean that you use less filling than for regular sandwiches.
For seafood or meat salad, allow about 2 tablespoons per full slice of bread. Other common tea sandwich fillings include cucumber (5 to 8 thin slices per sandwich), or 1 tablespoon cream cheese with a single slice of lettuce.
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