The Lavender and Lovage Sandwich Bar for British Sandwich Week! Three Cheese Spring Spread

Three Cheese Spring Spread

The Lavender and Lovage Sandwich Bar

British Sandwich Week

Three Cheese Spring Spread

Following on from British Bread week, what better time than to celebrate the humble “sarnie” or “butty” – one of our greatest British inventions, the Sandwich! This year, British Sandwich Week is celebrating 250 years of the humble sarnie…….and there is a really interesting supplement that you can read on-line here: Born and Bread which is devoted to this best of British snacks, the sandwich.

Three Cheese Spring Spread

Sandwiches come in many shapes and sizes – hot or cold, but just what are the nation’s favourites? The list contains some perennial favourites such as Cheese and Ham, Cheese and Onion, B.L.T, Egg and Bacon, Egg and Cress – but there are also some unusual flavours creeping in, such as Hoisin Duck, Chicken Caesar and Southern Fried Chicken. At the top of the list in first place is Chicken Salad, for the sixth year running.

Three Cheese Spring Spread

So, where does the word and snack we know as the “Sandwich” originate? As most people know, the sandwich has been attributed to John Montagu, The 4^th Earl of Sandwich, an 18^th Century English aristocrat whose passion was playing cards. In order to remain at the card table well into the night, he ordered some sustenance to keep him going. A slice of meat to be served between two slices of bread – in order not to get his cards greasy! Thus, the sandwich was born. It slowly started to appear in the form of a late night snack, especially amongst the aristocracy and become ever more popular throughout the 19^th Century, right up to the present day.

Sandwiches are certainly the “Jewel in the Snack Food Crown”; they are easy to prepare, easy to transport and are the mainstay of the packed lunch, picnic hamper or the Midnight feast! In addition, they are convenient and not expensive to make; they can also be very healthy; you usually get a portion of fibre, fat, protein, vegetable and sometimes fruit in an average British sandwich, all in healthy proportions.   To celebrate this great British invention and to support the British Sandwich Week, I have some new and exciting sandwiches to tempt you, starting with today’s wonderful sandwich spread  Three Cheese Spring Spread; all made from local and seasonal produce – truly Britain at its best! See you later with exciting news of what I have been up to lately…….Karen.

Three Cheese Spring Spread: A family favourite and a great spread not just for sandwiches, but also for toast and crackers. Red Leicester, Cheddar and Cream Cheese are mixed with spring onions and parsley, to make an extremely tasty sandwich filling, especially good with lettuce, cucumber and tomato. I like to use bread buns, rolls or baps when I use this as a sandwich filling, but any sliced bread would also be suitable. This keeps in a covered container in the fridge for at least a week.

Three Cheese Spring Spread for Sandwiches

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Serves	fills 8 sandwiches
Prep time	35 minutes
Allergy	Milk, Wheat
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Bread, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish, Snack, Starter
Misc	Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Occasion	Birthday Party, Casual Party, Formal Party
Region	British
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

A family favourite and a great spread not just for sandwiches, but also for toast and crackers. Red Leicester, Cheddar and Cream Cheese are mixed with spring onions and parsley, to make an extremely tasty sandwich filling, especially good with lettuce, cucumber and tomato. I like to use bread buns, rolls or baps when I sue this as a sandwich filing, but any sliced bread would also be suitable. This keeps in a covered container in the fridge for at least a week.

Ingredients

• 200g cream cheese
• Tomato slices
• Lettuce leaves
• bread buns, rolls or baps, buttered
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons yoghurt or single cream
• Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 3 large spring onions, washed, cleaned and finely diced (including green tops)
• 100g mature farmhouse Cheddar cheese, grated
• 100g red Leicester cheese, grated
• Cucumber slices

Note

I like to use bread buns, rolls or baps when I use this as a sandwich filling, but any sliced bread would also be suitable. This keeps in a covered container in the fridge for at least a week.

Directions

Step 1	Mix all the grated cheeses with the cream cheese; add some yoghurt or cream to loosen the mixture. Season to taste, then add the diced spring onions, and chopped parsley. Mix thoroughly and allow to firm in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.
Step 2	Place the lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes on half of a bread roll, place one tablespoon of cheese spread on top of the salad and then top with other bread roll half. Serve with salad garnish. Also wonderful with toast, crackers and can be melted for cheese on toast. (Cheese spread will serve 8 to 10 as a sandwich filling.)

Three Cheese Spring Spread

What is your favourite sandwich filling?

Do you prefer sliced bread, baguettes or bread buns for sandwiches?