When I was 13 or 14, I had a good friend named Ola. Sometimes I'd go to her house after school. She was studious and curious and shy, like me, and we spent hours happily reading quietly in between plotting our future lives, complete with renderings of our future dream homes. Ola's family had immigrated to the United States from Poland in the early 1980s, shortly after she was born.
I wish I could remember Ola's mom's name, but all I can recall is how tidy she kept her home, and the ham sandwiches she served with cherry-flavored tea.
Ola's mom's kitchen was pure white: white counters, white cabinets, white tile. Her dishes were blue and white and looked hand-painted, the brushstrokes forming beautiful, repeating and complementary patterns on each piece. The kitchen table was next to the kitchen window, which looked out onto the front yard, which housed a single maple tree whose leaves turned golden and then a ravishing orange every October.
I don't know how many afternoons I spent sitting at that table, staring off into the distance. My daydreams would always be interrupted by our after-school snack, which was sizable enough to be dinner: Two slices of bread, spread thickly with butter, topped with Polish ham and sliced cucumbers. This was always served with black tea that was sweetened with a cherry syrup, a recipe Ola's mom had brought with her from Warsaw.
The first time she served it, I was mystified. It was so unlike the ham sandwich I had grown up with, which was made on a soft grocery-store baguette and contained mayonnaise, ham and colby cheese. A sandwich with butter instead of mayonnaise? A ham sandwich without cheese? But then I took a bite, and had a sip of tea, and it all made sense.
Salty and meaty, Polish ham has a dense texture that pairs well with crunchy cucumbers. The soft white bread was easier to bite into than a baguette, and I still absolutely love the interplay between the sweet, tannic tea and salty, buttery sandwich.
I've re-created it many times for myself at home. Here's my closest approximation, so you can give it a taste, too. It makes a marvelous lunch or dinner, especially on a cool autumn day.
Where to Buy: Polish ham can be found at Polish and Eastern European delis. Feel free to use a different kind, but avoid sweet (i.e. honey) ham.
Polish Ham and Cucumber Sandwiches
- 2 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted, at room temperature
- ½ soft French loaf, sliced on a bias into four (1-inch-thick) pieces, or other thickly sliced white bread
- 8 thin slices boiled ham, preferably Polish
- 2 Persian cucumbers or ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
- Fine salt (optional)
- Brewed black tea, sweetened to taste with cherry syrup (recipe follows), for serving (optional)
On a cutting board or clean surface, butter one side of each slice of bread. Top each with two thin slices of ham and the cucumbers, shingling the cucumbers neatly on top of each sandwich. Season lightly with salt. Serve with the sweetened black tea, if desired.
Makes 2 servings.
Cherry Syrup (For The Washington Post/Rey Lopez) Make this syrup any time of year using canned or frozen cherries — but use fresh when they're in season. Sour cherries are best here, as their flavor shines when combined with sugar, but any type of cherries will work. Use it to sweeten tea, cocktails, lemonade or other drinks. It can also be drizzled over ice cream or sorbet.
Make Ahead: The syrup can be made and refrigerated up to 1 month in advance.
Cherry Syrup
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cherries, preferably sour, stems removed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
In a small saucepan, combine 1 ¼ cups water, the cherries and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cherries begin to tint the syrup red, 5 to 8 minutes. Strain into a jar — reserve the cherries for another use — and use to sweeten hot beverages immediately, or let cool completely before using in chilled beverages. If not using right away, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.
Makes about 1 cup.