Cream Cheese and Chive Sandwiches with Edible Flowers

When I was a teenager, my sisters and I loved to plan tea parties with our friends. We would assign the courses (soup, sandwiches and salads) to each family, and everyone brought an appetizer and a dessert.

Photo taken circa 2008

We would have them about quarterly, if my memory serves me well. It was loads of fun to dress up for, and we were able to sample lots of new flavors.

Photo taken circa 2010

When I made these sandwiches a few weeks ago, it brought me right back to our tea party days: most likely because we actually made sandwiches that were very similar once. I was flooded with memories of the excitement of hosting or going to a party. And it made me want to have another one. 

Perhaps I will, when I get up the gumption. The last time I hosted a tea party it was exhausting, and that was before I had Helen...

But about these sandwiches. 

They are so simple (only five ingredients!) that it hardly seems that there could be much flavor to them. But the dearth of ingredients lets each one shine through. If you were to spread the bread with something more assertive, you would lose the subtle flavors of the flowers and herbs on top.

These are certainly tea party fare. They're fancy little sandwiches. When I brought the leftovers from the shoot to my sister's family, her little girl said, "They're so pretty I don't want to eat them!" And her little three-year-old daughter said, "I am so glad that you made those for us." It definitely helped to improve my "cool aunt" image. Though probably not so much with the boys. ;) 

Notes:

• * I'm sure you already know this, but it's best to use flowers that are free from pesticides. You never know what they might have sprayed on them if they aren't meant to be eaten.
• * Here, here, and here are lists of flowers that are edible.
• * If you want a sandwich that is a bit heartier, you can add a slice of prosciutto or ham on top of the cream cheese.

Cream Cheese and Chive Sandwiches with Edible Flowers
adapted from Grown to Cook | Print

Dainty little sandwiches, perfect for a tea party!
Serves about 6

Ingredients:
1 8-oz package of cream cheese,
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives,
1 small loaf of French bread,
fresh herbs for garnish (I used dill, chives, and mint),
fresh edible flowers for garnish (I used the Mirco Flower Blend and Nasturtiums that Marx Foods gave to me).

Instructions:

1) In a medium bowl, blend together the cream cheese and chives (a hand mixer works well for this).
2) Slice the loaf of bread on the diagonal. Spread each piece with the cream cheese mixture. Arrange the herbs and flowers on top.
3) Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for a few hours. You'll want to wait to garnish the sandwiches with the herbs and flowers until just before serving.



Also, the winner of the Marx Foods Photography Challenge has been announced: I made it to the final three (thank you to all who voted me into the finals!), but the prize goes to Manda of The Merry Thought. Go see the winning photo here. 

Many thanks to Marx Foods for providing the flowers for this post. As always, all words and opinions are my own.