Day Three Hundred and Forty Seven - The 2011 version of the Tea Sandwich

Inspired by my trip to visit my grandmother today and all of the tea we drank, I thought I would suggest the perfect winter snack to pair with an afternoon cup of tea, whether it is with family, friends, or alone in your apartment. The type of tea I leave up to you.

Traditional tea sandwiches date back to the parlour rooms of the Britain of yesteryear and the fabulous  ritual of high tea. Although the customs have shifted and changed through out the centuries, the relic of this 17th century custom remains present.

Instead of utilizing the idea of a sandwich here, I thought we would make individual oat cake crostini utilizing Nairns Mixed Berry Oat Cakes as the base. Each will be simple with a few ingredients but with plenty of flavor and not too filling that you wouldn't be hungry for dinner later on.

Oatcake Crostini Number # 1: My vision for the first will be a simple canelle composed of a food processor blended mixture of fresh ricotta, fresh chevre, and fleur de sel. Once you blend, chill in the refrigerator for about an hour giving the cheese a nice crisp coolness so that you can form canelle that will maintain their shape. Place one canelle on top of each oatcake and top with raspberry confiture.

Oatcake Crostini Number # 2 : The second will be a simple Stilton honey crostini. For the meat eaters out there, maybe prosciutto as well and for those of us vegetarians, maybe a few slivers of cherry to top off each?

Raise a cup of tea and enjoy. Savor those opportunities to relax with a glass of tea with friends or family.