The Coronation Watch & Cucumber Sandwich Recipe

 Tommy woke me at 3:30...ugh. I made the cucumber sandwiches before and during the coronation. It was wonderful. George seemed to do a superb job as holder of the train. Charlotte was so pretty in her special dress, her hair up and a floral crown just like Kate's. I am surprised that Kate never gives Louis "the eye" to stop him. Yes, he is young but too old for his shenanigans. 

I was surprised Kate and some other royals had coronation robes on at the coronation. Harry seemed genuinely happy to be there, back in his element, I suppose. Finally, I found out who the woman in blue was, the one who carried around the sword, it seemed, during the whole coronation--a politician. And, I was mystified as to the identities of the two women in white who followed Camilla--her sister and another attendant. 

The tears in Charles's eyes during the ceremony were touching, almost making me cry. I was totally shocked at his disrobing partially and the screens put in front of him. The architecture in Westminster Abbey certainly added to the pageantry below. 

So, these are just a few of my thoughts as I watched. Finally, I had to go to bed, just before the crowd reached the balcony. Did you see the horse that was spooked and could not be brought under control, smashing through the barricade and into the crowd? 

I slept for about four hours, got up, then took a 3-hour nap in the afternoon. It was a good coronation watch. I caught up on the rest of the coronation celebration as best I could. After the nap, I made meatloaf and put Tommy's into two halves of a bell pepper.  We had leftovers with it--a bit of Suddenly Salad, and a huge tossed salad. 

I made the cucumber salad filling just before the coronation coverage started. Usually, I serve these on little cut rounds of bread made into sandwiches. Not this time as I just made a sandwich with two slices of bread and cut into rough fourths. I ate nothing else during the night, no matter what I had prepared for the munchies. 

I ate strawberries for breakfast and blueberries after dinner tonight. I was going to make deviled eggs with avocado (green eggs) but did not. The eggs are boiled, so I can do it as I wish later. 

The cucumber sandwiches are delicious, but presentation is everything. I got this from a friend who was a cater who made me promise not to tell anyone, that was 40 years ago, she no longer caters, and sort of quit talking to me , and I don't know why. But, she had a strange life filled with violence and sexual abuse since she was a young child. We were thick as thieves until I went back to school. So, now I will reveal this simple recipe she might have gotten elsewhere. 

I use a cookie/biscuit cutter/jar/tin can. Size is the important thing to me. I make sure it is the diameter of the European cucumber I buy. You will know when it is correct. I don't want the cucumber hidden or hanging out, just a bit smaller than the bread so it shows.

Use room temperature or softer butter to spread on the rounds of bread. You want it to be the thinnest smear, not much at all. The idea is to keep the mix and the wet cucumber from making the sandwich soggy. I usually am transporting these for an hour to my destination. 

Slice the cucumber as thin or thick as you wish.  I try for around a eighth of an inch. 

Try to put the filling on the other buttered bread without crushing the bread. putting on just a little bit, sort in little smears or dots and then spreading keeps the bread intact. 

So, you have bread, butter, cucumber, and cream cheese filling, Good Seasons Zesty Italian dry mix. Do NOT use the whole dressing package with one 8 oz package of cream cheese. Use it to your taste. 

I use cream cheese and half a little packet of Good Seasons zesty Italian dry salad dressing mix. Let the cream cheese reach room temperature, put the dressing on top and mash with a fork until mixed. I did not use the whole package. Try it and see what you prefer. This "recipe" can be made using your own dressing mix, any herbs you please in any combination. There is too much sodium and soy in the mix, so next time I will make my own dry mix. 

The last two times I made this for others to consume, I had Tommy help me with the bread rounds and cucumber slicing. In the past, I have used two different breads that were different bread hues. This added interest to the sandwich tray, I think.

This was my first coronation and my last, I am sure. So, staying up for it, even with little sleep was fun. 

Did you stay up or get up for the whole coronation? 

Did you watch the balcony part? 

Did anyone see the musical part, the entertainment part? I did not but will find it on laptop later. 

What impressed you the most? Or, surprised you?