Food - Drink
How The Victorian Era Brought About Cucumber Sandwiches
By C. MORRIS
The cucumber originated in India, and so did its famous sandwich, as British colonists in India invented the cucumber sandwich when they were looking for foods to help relieve them from the heat. The sandwiches soon made their way to England and became a beloved part of Victorian Era high tea.
The Victorian elite lived primarily sedentary lives, so the light and dainty cucumber sandwiches were perfect. However, the sandwich hit peak popularity in the Edwardian era, when cucumbers were grown year-round in hothouses fueled by abundant coal supplies and a low-cost workforce.
Even today, cucumber sandwiches carry on as staples of British high tea, with Queen Elizabeth preferring her cucumber sandwiches with mint to enhance the fresh flavor. For the best and most authentic cucumber sandwiches in the world, the Tea Room at Brown’s Hotel in London is the best place to go.