Serving suggestion & presentation ideas from Fosters Bakery

Afternoon tea is no longer just a traditional offering. It has become an experience, a moment of indulgence and elegance that customers seek out not just for the food, but for the presentation, the service and the story behind each element on the tiered stand. That is where thoughtful, well-crafted ingredients make all the difference.

At Fosters Bakery, we understand the importance of visual appeal, consistency, and versatility in professional kitchens. That is why we created our Laterally Sliced Sandwich Loaves – a practical yet premium product that is both distinctive and highly functional. Available in White, Malted, and White with Poppy Seeds, these loaves are already being used by some of the UK’s most prestigious venues and were featured at Wimbledon for the 4th year in a row. Whether you are a boutique hotel, a high-end café, or a busy restaurant serving afternoon tea menus, our lateral loaves help you create sandwiches that look elegant, hold their shape, and are easy to prepare at scale.

Presentation Matters: Trim, Shape, and Style

In high-end settings, it is often the small touches that elevate a dish. With our lateral slices, you can trim the crusts easily for a neat, more polished finish. You can then slice the bread into small bite-sized sandwiches, whether classic rectangles for traditional tea menus or triangles for a bit of variety. You can even create pinwheel sandwiches: simply spread your filling thinly across the slice, roll it carefully, and then slice into attractive swirls. This not only adds aesthetic appeal but also offers guests a fun twist on classic flavours.

Building the Perfect Sandwich: Start with Butter

One of the most important steps in making afternoon tea sandwiches is often overlooked: the base layer. We recommend starting with a thin spread of butter across the bread before adding any filling. This helps in two ways. First, it prevents the bread from becoming soggy, especially important if sandwiches sit out during service. Second, it helps to hold the filling in place, making cleaner cuts and a better presentation.

This simple technique ensures your sandwiches maintain their texture, taste and professional finish throughout service, which is essential when catering for multiple covers or preparing in advance.

Fillings That Impress, From Classic to Contemporary

The beauty of our lateral loaves is that they work equally well with both classic afternoon tea fillings and more modern or creative combinations. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Chicken salad, either traditional with mayonnaise or with added herbs
• Egg mayonnaise with garden cress – simple, creamy and universally loved
• Cucumber and cream cheese, a true classic that never goes out of style
• Ham and cheese, with either English mustard or a touch of chutney

So, what fillings are you thinking of?

Complete the Experience: Sweet and Soft Additions

To round off your afternoon tea menu, we recommend including a selection of our fruit scones or small buttermilk sultana scones. Serve them with clotted cream and jam for a truly authentic finish. These scones pair perfectly with a pot of high-quality tea, helping to create a balanced and satisfying offering for guests.

Also consider adding our soft milk buns to the mix. Light, fluffy and delicately textured, they bring an indulgent softness and pair well with both savoury and sweet fillings. These thoughtful final touches not only enhance the overall experience, but also increase the perceived value of your menu. Each item is portioned for consistency and designed to contribute to a beautifully balanced tea stand.

What Makes Lateral Loaves Different?

At Fosters, we craft both traditional vertically sliced and laterally sliced sandwich loaves. While the classic slice remains a staple, our loaves, sliced laterally, provide broader, even slices that offer greater scope for precision portioning and creative plating.

This wider slice offers chefs a blank canvas. It allows you to be inventive with shapes, sizes, fillings while maintaining structure and quality.

More than just bread, our lateral loaves provide chefs with the opportunity to craft a truly bespoke menu. The adaptability of the slices allows for seasonal or themed fillings, giving each venue the freedom to offer unique interpretations that reflect their brand and clientele. This supports innovation in menu design, helping businesses stay ahead of food trends and delight guests with fresh ideas.

Proven Success in Premium Venues

Fosters Bakery is proud to supply a wide range of high-end hospitality clients, and our lateral loaves have become a favourite in venues offering curated tea experiences. This product continues to deliver where quality, speed and consistency matter most. However, you fill them, shape them or serve them, Fosters lateral loaves bring something special to every afternoon tea.