Afternoon tea served in the garden on a summer’s day is a quintessentially British occasion.

The ‘sandwich’ acquired its name from the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who, it is said, introduced his ‘rough and ready’ sandwich into polite society – only to see it refined somewhat and made suitable for a gentile afternoon tea.

Try these delicious recipes from the Around Britain Cookbook.

Smoked Salmon Pin Wheels

• Butter 50g (2oz), softened
• Lemon 1, finely zested rind and juice of half
• Watercress 110g (4oz), chopped
• White or brown bread 5 slices, crusts removed
• Smoked salmon 200g packet, minimum 5 slices
• Freshly ground black pepper 

1 In a small bowl, mix together the butter, lemon rind and watercress. With a rolling pin, roll each slice of bread until it is about 3mm (1⁄8in) thick. Cut five sheets of greaseproof or non-stick baking paper, a little larger than the bread, then dampen with cold water – shaking off the excess.

2 Spread the slices of bread right up to the edges with the watercress butter, and then place each one on a sheet of the damp paper.

3 Cover the butter with the smoked salmon slices, trimming them to fit. Sprinkle with lemon juice, season with pepper and then, with the aid of the paper, roll up the bread and salmon together.

4 Wrap the rolls in the paper and twist the ends to seal, then chill well in the refrigerator for 1–2 hours, or overnight. Just before serving, cut the salmon rolls into slices, diagonally, approximately 1.5cm (½in) thick.

Cucumber Sandwiches

• Cucumber ½ large (about 225g/8oz)
• Butter 75g (3oz)
• Finely shredded mint 2 tbsp
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• White or brown bread 6 slices

1 With a vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the cucumber, and then cut it into very thin slices, using the oblong cutting blade on a grater, or with a knife. Place the sliced cumber in a bowl, sprinkle with ½ tsp salt, cover and leave to stand for 10–15 minutes. 

2 Blend together the butter and mint and season well with pepper. 

3 Transfer the salted cucumber to a sieve, rinse under cold running water, and then drain well on kitchen paper.

4 Spread each slice of bread with the mint butter. Arrange the drained cucumber on half of the slices and then cover with the rest. Stack the sandwiches, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.

5 To serve, remove the crusts from the sandwiches and then cut into triangles, squares or oblongs as wished.

Curried Egg Mayonnaise Sandwiches

• Eggs 3 large, hard-boiled and shelled
• Mayonnaise 3 rounded tbsp
• Curry paste, medium or hot 1–2 tsp
• White or brown bread 6–8 thin slices
• Mustard and cress 1 punnet

1 On a board, finely chop the eggs and then place them in a bowl. Add the mayonnaise and curry paste and mix together well.

2 Spread half of the bread with the egg mixture, add the mustard and cress, and then cover with the remaining slices of bread. Stack the sandwiches, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.

3 To serve, remove the crusts from the sandwiches and cut into triangles, squares or fingers as wished.

Crab Mayonnaise Sandwiches

• Crabmeat 175g (6oz)
• Mayonnaise 1-2 tbsp
• Root ginger 1–2 tsp, finely grated
• Freshly ground black pepper
• White or brown bread 8 slices Butter 50g (2oz), softened
• Crisp lettuce leaves 4–6

1 Place the crabmeat in a bowl and remove any pieces of shell, if necessary. Add the mayonnaise and ginger, season with pepper and mix well.

2 Spread each slice of bread with butter, and then spread half of the slices with the crabmeat and cover with the lettuce.

3 Cover the lettuce with the remaining slices and press well together. Stack the sandwiches, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.

4 To serve, remove the crusts from the sandwiches and then cut into quarters diagonally, or cut into three to make oblongs.

Cream Cheese & Prawn Sandwiches

• Fresh or frozen prawns 175g (6oz), thawed and drained
• Cream cheese 150g (5oz)
• Finely snipped chives 3 tbsp
• Lemon juice 1 tbsp
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Brown or white bread 8 thin slices
• Butter 50g (2oz), softened
• Crisp lettuce leaves 3–4, finely shredded

1 Finely chop the prawns and mix with the cream cheese, chives and lemon juice. Season with pepper.

2 Very thinly spread the bread with butter, and then spread half of the slices with the prawn mixture. Cover with the shredded lettuce, and then cover with the remaining bread. Stack the sandwiches, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.

3 To serve, remove the crusts from the sandwiches, and then cut into quarters diagonally or into four squares. Or, cut in half and then cut each half into fingers.

These afternoon tea recipes are taken from Around Britain Cookbook.