Lady Finger Sandwiches

A shape rather than a fixed formula: the point is a sandwich cut into a slim finger about the size of the sponge biscuit it is named for. Everything hinges on getting bread sliced the long way.

• Lengthwise slicesA standard supermarket loaf is pre-cut crosswise, which will not work here. Buy an unsliced pain de mie or sandwich loaf and cut it horizontally into slabs about 3/8 inch thick, or ask a bakery counter to do it.
• Firm, fine-crumb breadChoose a dense white loaf rather than an open artisan crumb, which tears when spread and crumbles when cut into narrow strips. Day-old bread slices more cleanly than fresh.
• Butter the bread firstA thin film of softened butter on each cut surface keeps marmalade and other wet fillings from soaking through. The recipe's bare instruction to "spread" the slices may itself intend butter.
• "Chocolate and nuts"Most likely a sweetened chocolate spread or thick chocolate filling worked with chopped walnuts or pecans rather than a bar of chocolate. A modern chocolate-hazelnut spread is a reasonable stand-in.
• Cream cheeseCream cheese of the period was often softer and less stabilized than today's block cheese. Beat yours with a spoonful of cream or milk before mixing with marmalade so it spreads without dragging the bread.
• The lady finger cutterPresumably a narrow, rounded-end cutter matching the shape of the biscuit. Absent one, cut into strips with a long serrated knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
• Holding and yieldTrim and cut no more than an hour or two ahead, then cover with a barely damp towel and refrigerate; cut edges dry out fast.