Cucumber sandwiches formed an integral part of the stereotypical afternoon tea affair. The sandwiches were once considered appropriate to offer to visiting clergy, in times when such visits were still a common feature of English middle-class life. The popularity of the cucumber sandwich as an upper-class "dainty" reached its zenith in the
Edwardian era, when cheap labour and plentiful
coal enabled new techniques of producing cucumbers in
hotbeds under glass through most of the year. With the declining popularity of tea as a meal in the United Kingdom, there was a corresponding decline in the popularity of cucumber sandwiches, but they are still frequently served at teas, luncheons, and gatherings. Most English cricket clubs supply malt vinegar and ground pepper to dash inside the sandwich. Cucumber sandwiches are often eaten in the summer months or in warmer climates, such as in parts of
India. The English influence on Indian culture has made the sandwiches popular during cricket matches and weekend
picnics. The Indian variant is flavoured with green
chutney and occasionally includes slices of boiled potatoes.
Indian Airlines served cucumber sandwiches as part of its usual vegetarian inflight meal in short-haul domestic flights until 2011. ==Preparation==