This could be found in my grandmother’s refrigerator just about any time you opened the door during the summer.

It makes the most wonderful filling for small, cocktail size sandwiches or as a molded spread with a ring of crackers.

Using a large can of salmon or 1 3/4 cup of salmon you cooked, flake the fish with a fork until you have small pieces.

Add the salmon to an 8 oz package of cream cheese. Make sure this is completely softened so blending will be easy. Add:

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 tsp hot sauce (optional)

1/2 cup finely chopped toasted almonds

Mix thoroughly and roll in to a ball or place in a mold. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator about an hour before serving. If you are using this as a sandwich filling, remove from the refrigerator about 2 hours ahead.

Salmon Sandwiches

Using pumpernickel or fresh white bread, remove crusts with a serrated knife from 12 pieces of bread. Spread 6 slices with the mixture-using it all.

On the other 6 slices, coat with miracle whip and a drop or 2 of lemon juice.

With an electric or serrated knife, slice sandwiches into 4 planks lengthwise. Return to refrigerator in a plastic container with a tight fitting lid.

Placing damp paper towels between the layers will insure they remain soft. Simply remove the paper towels before serving.

These lovely sandwiches are perfect for a Sunday brunch or buffet. They are good alongside Gazpacho with a glass of iced tea or homemade lemonade.

If you make this as a spread with crackers, buy Carr’s water crackers or homemade cheese crackers. The spread is the perfect snack to serve before a dinner party.

In our home, the sandwiches were served on silver ‘sandwich trays’ covered with a paper doily. We used silver ‘sandwich tongs and small silver ‘bread and butter’ plates with white linen napkins.

The gazpacho was served in crystal tea glasses with a lemon wedge and a cherry tomato on the rim accompanied by a silver bouillon spoon from the era of 1900.

This would be on the hunt board with blanched pickled shrimp, asparagus with lemon sauce, a crystal dish of pickled okra and a punch bowl of chilled gazpacho.

The flowers would be several branches of hot pink azalea from the back yard.