Scandinavians are famous for serving pretty open-faced sandwiches at parties. Yes, to make the filling, you have to peel a few eggs. To make the task easier, gently pierce each end of the eggs with a thumbtack before cooking. When the eggs are cool, crack the shells and then peel each one under cold water. I prefer this filling on rye bread, but you can use any bread you prefer. This is also a great filling for canapés. Rye breads are a favorite in Scandinavia, Northern Russia and Poland as rye grows well in cool, dry climates and acidic soil.

     6 large eggs
     ¼ cup finely chopped cucumber chips
     ¼ cup finely chopped celery stalks
     ¼ cup mayonnaise
     1 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
     ½ teaspoon mustard powder
     1 teaspoon seasoning salt
     Pinch ground white pepper
     Sweet paprika

     Fresh parsley sprigs
     Buttermilk, rye or whole-wheat bread

1.  Cover the eggs with water in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring the
     water to a boil, remove the saucepan from the heat and set it
     on a cool back burner. Let the eggs stand covered for
     17 minutes. This prevents overcooking and a green ring
     from forming around the yolks.

2.  Drain off the hot water. Fill the pan with cold water and add
     a tray of ice cubes to speed up the process. When the eggs
     are cool enough, crack and peel off the shells, starting at the
     most pointed end. Use an egg cutter to slice eggs one way,
     then turn the egg and slice again. You can also chop the eggs
     with a Chef's knife.

3.  In a large bowl, stir the cucumber chips, celery, mayonnaise,
     vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped eggs.

4.  Use a curly-edged biscuit cutter to cut out rounds of bread.
     Top each round with a spoonful of the egg mixture. Sprinkle
     with paprika and garnish with parsley.
         
      Makes 12 open-face sandwiches