Egg & Cress Sandwich

History

The egg and cress sandwich is a cornerstone of British afternoon tea culture, with roots in the Victorian and Edwardian tradition of finger sandwiches served alongside tea. Watercress — once gathered wild from the chalk streams of southern England and sold by London street vendors as a cheap, nutritious food — became a natural pairing with egg mayonnaise on soft white bread. The combination of creamy egg mayo and peppery cress on crustless, finger-cut bread became the definitive British tea sandwich and a staple of office lunches, picnics and school lunchboxes across the country.

Ingredients

• Soft white sandwich bread
• Free-range eggs
• Mayonnaise
• Watercress
• Salt and white pepper
• Butter (for spreading)

How to Make

1. 1Hard-boil eggs for 9 minutes, then cool, peel and roughly chop.
2. 2Mix chopped eggs with mayonnaise, salt and white pepper to a creamy consistency.
3. 3Butter both slices of white bread lightly.
4. 4Spread egg mayo generously on one slice.
5. 5Top with a handful of fresh watercress.
6. 6Press the second slice on top, trim the crusts and cut into fingers or triangles.

Known for it

• Pret A Manger77-78 St Martin's Ln, London WC2N 4AA, UK