Just as a casual aside, during the Mad Hatters Tea on Saturday, I put out a sheet of paper and asked the guests to name words for hats: topper, helmet, bonnet, etc. I was amazed at how many there are. Here’s the list:

And here’s a recipe for really delicious cucumber sandwiches:

A loaf of cocktail bread
A brick of cream cheese
An 8-oz container of sour cream (or plain yogurt)
One envelope of Italian salad dressing
One tablespoon of milk
One big, fat cucumber, peeled and sliced
A jar of pickled ginger

I fancy-peel the cucumber, leaving green stripes, before slicing it.

Blend the cream cheese, sour cream, salad dressing, and milk, and spread the mix on the slices of cocktail bread (I like the rye). Top each with a slice of cucumber, and top that with a couple thin slices of ginger. The dark bread, pale mix, green and white cucumber and pink ginger makes an attractive display. And a delicious treat.

We served it with a selection of hot flavored teas, lemonade and cookies.