Pickled Radish and Sweet Butter Tea Sandwiches

1. 1
   Combine all of the ingredients except the radishes in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the brine from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the radishes.
2. 2
   Trim the leafy tops off (discard or save for another use) and wash the radishes. Thinly slice and place in a pint jar.
3. 3
   When the brine is ready, pour it into the jar, making sure to cover the radishes completely. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Seal the jar with a tightfitting lid and shake or rotate it to evenly distribute the brine and spices. Refrigerate and let pickle at least 1 day before using. The pickles can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For the sandwiches:

1. 1
   Spread 1/2 tablespoon of the butter on each bread slice. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the watercress among 4 of the bread slices. Shingle the pickled radishes over the watercress (about 20 per sandwich), overlapping them slightly. Close the sandwiches with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Trim the crusts. Make 2 cuts on each sandwich to form 4 rectangular tea sandwiches.