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Tea Time Protocol
Tea Time Respite
It wasn't any special day, but she planned to spend
time just catching up on things with her more-than-special friend.
And so they talked for hours, it seemed, while promising each other,
that when the tea pot ran out, they'd just put on another!
Traditional fare for a full afternoon Tea begins with less sweet items and progresses to sweeter offerings. The menu can be as simple as one or two tea sandwiches and a plate of sweets or a more elaborate several course tea. All food items served should be small, allowing guests to taste all the items offered.
Tea:
Offer a choice of two teas. Usually black, Green, Oolong, or a flavored
tea. Remember to offer milk, sugar cubes, and thin lemon slices. (Milk is
traditionally used in tea, never cream, because it clots)
Black
Green
Oolong
English or Irish
Breakfast Gunpowder
Formosa
Darjeeling
Jasmine
Orange Pekoe
This is the order in which the different courses are to be served.................
#1 Sandwiches:
Plan on three or four tea sandwiches per guest. When making tea
sandwiches, use a variety of spreads, types of breads, shapes and garnishes; as
well as open-faced, pinwheel, and closed sandwiches.
Before spreading fillings on bread, spread a very thin layer of softened butter on each slice, to prevent sandwich from becoming soggy. When making open-faced sandwiches, use cookie cutters to cut breads in a variety of interesting shapes. Use one shape for each filling and top with various garnishes, such as: thin sliced cucumbers, black olives, cherry tomatoes, radishes, nasturtium blossoms or leaves, green onions, hard-boiled eggs, fruit, caviar, or tiny salad shrimp.
For closed sandwiches, spread fillings to edges of bread. Cover with second slice of bread and cut off crust. Cut sandwiches into fingers, squares or triangles.
#2 Savory
Items:
Typical fare is sausage pies, small meat pies, small quiches or mushroom cups.
#3 Tea Breads:
Typical
offerings are scones, crumpets, fruit and nut loaves or muffins. They are
usually served with clotted cream, lemon curd, plain or flavored, sweet chutney,
preserves or jam.
#4 Fruit, Sorbet or
Sherbert:
Served to cleanse
the palate prior to serving the sweets.
#5 Tea Sweets:
Serve cookies,
bars, Madeleine's, tarts, shortbread or trifle.
#6 Cutting Cakes and Special
Deserts:
The final
offerings are rich deserts such as pound cake, cheese or sponge cake.
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ROSE PETAL SCONES |
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2 1/4 cups
all-purpose flour Makes about 24 scones. |
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LEMON CURD |
| 1/2 cup
butter 2 cups sugar 6eggs 4 lemons,
juiced
In a double boiler, melt the butter and sugar until dissolved. Add eggs and lemon juice and mix well. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about 20 minutes, or until the curd is honey thick. Remove from heat and cool completely. You can halve the recipe if you do not want as much. This makes two cups. A trick to getting the most juice from your lemons, is to roll them on the counter as you apply pressure and then microwave them for 30 seconds. Lemon curd may be refrigerated , covered , for several months . Stir well before using . Serve at room temperature. |
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ENGLISH EGG SALAD SANDWICHES |
| 4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped 2 slices crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled 4 tablespoons drained, finely chopped black olives ¼ cup mayonnaise ½ teaspoons mustard ¼ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper sliced bread softened butter hard boil 4 eggs . Fry 2 slices of bacon until crisp . Refrigerate eggs and bacon until cool . Finely chop 4 tablespoons of well drained pitted olives . Peel cooled eggs and finely chop . Place chopped eggs in a small bowl , crumble the crisp bacon , and add the chopped olives. Then combine with the mayonnaise , mustard , salt , and , pepper .Chill for at least 20 minutes before making sandwiches . Spread a thin layer of softened butter on each slice of bread to prevent the sandwiches from becoming soggy. Take one half of the slices and spread egg salad filling to edges of bread . Cover each with the remaining slices to make closed sandwiches . Trim the crust off each ; then cut sandwiches into squares. Make one tea sandwich square per guest ; there are 4 squares per whole sandwich .To serve , place sandwich squares on a tray garnished with parsley sprigs and fruit . NOTE: To keep sandwiches fresh for up to six hours on the tray, place a dampened paper towel (rung out very well) over sandwiches, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Egg hint Immerse hot hard-cooked- eggs in cold water until cool, them remove shells. Use immediately or refrigerate in a plastic bag or covered dish. Then use within several hours. |
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NASTURTIUM SANDWICHES |
1 (4 oz.) pkg. Of cream cheese, softened 8 thin slices brown bread with crusts removed or slices of focaccia softened butter for spreading 11/2 cups pesticide – free nasturtium flowers and leaves 1) In the medium – size bowl of an electric mixer , at high speed , beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy . Set aside. 2) Thinly spread each slice of bread with butter. Top half the buttered slices with the cream cheese, spreading it evenly. Arrange the flowers over the cream cheese, making sure to extend some of the petals over the slices of the bread. Cover with the remaining bread and press into place. Cut the sandwich into two fingers. 3) Serve, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Note: The nasturtium flowers and petals have a delightful peppery taste, similar to radishes. I love to toss them into a salad. |
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LAVENDER SORBET |
This is served to cleanse the palate before
eating the sweeter deserts, toward the end of the tea party. 21/2 cups water ½ cup sugar 4 heads of pesticide-free lavender flowers juice of 1 lemon pesticide-free lavender flowers, for garnish 1) In a medium – size saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup water and the sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring, and cook the syrup until it is clear. Remove from heat and let cool completely. 2) In a large saucepan, combine 1 cup of the syrup and the lavender flowers and half the lemon juice. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, cover, and let cool completely. 3) Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Add the remaining 11/2 cups water. Add the remaining lemon juice if the mixture is too sweet. 4) Transfer the mixture to an ice-cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 5) let the sorbet stand in the refrigerator for 10 min. before serving. Spoon into decorative stemmed glasses. Garnish with the fresh lavender flowers and serve immediately. Makes about 11/2 pints |
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CREAM CHEESE, ORANGE AND WALNUT TEA SANDWICHES |
| ½ cup mandarin orange slices, well drained ½ cup roughly ground toasted nuts 8 oz. Cream cheese, room temperature ½ tsp. Cinnamon, add more if desired sliced bread 1 tsp. Grand mariner mash orange slices with a fork and drain off liquid to toast nuts, place them in a pie plate after grinding them Bake at 350 degrees f. for 5-7 min. Watch closely so they do not burn. Allow to cool. IN a bowl, combine mashed oranges, nuts, cream cheese, and cinnamon. If necessary add some grand mariner to make mixture spread able. Spread mixture lightly over half the bread slices, covering the slices to edges with filling. Top these with a second slice of bread to make closed sandwiches. Trim the crust off each; then cut them into; "fingers". Note: Make 1 tea sandwich finger per guest; there are 4 fingers per whole sandwich. To serve place sandwich fingers on a tray garnished with parsley and fruit. To keep them fresh for up to 6 hours on the tray, place a damp paper towel wrung out vary well) over sandwich, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. This is my very favorite tea sandwich!!! |
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CUCUMBER BACON TEA SANDWICHES |
| Makes about 24
open-faced sandwiches Filling: 1 8-oz. Pkg. Cream cheese 2 small cucumbers-peeled , seeded and finely chopped 1 small red onion, finely chopped 3 slices of bacon-cooked crisp and crumbled 3 tbs. Fresh parsley, chopped 2 tbs. Mayonnaise ¼ tsp. Lemon juice salt and pepper to taste 24 slices white bread garnish: 1 small cucumber, washed but unpeeled led, thinly sliced 1 tbs. Fresh parsley, chopped In a large bowl whip the cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the cucumbers, onion, bacon, parsley, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using a high- quality, fine- textured bread, cut the slices into rounds( a biscuit cutter works well for this). Spread each round lightly with a little mayonnaise, and then with the cucumber spread. Garnish each round with a thin half- round of cucumber and sprinkle on a little fresh parsley. Serve immediately. Note: |
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MOCK DEVONSHIRE CREAM * |
| 1 3 oz. Pkg. Cream
cheese, softened 1 tbs. Powdered sugar- sifted ½ tsp. Vanilla ½ cup whipping cream Beat cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Gradually beat in enough cream to make a spreading consistency. DO NOT OVER BEAT! Cover and chill 2-24 hours. Makes 1 cup. Note: |
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SPRING SUMMER SOUP |
| Serves 12 Ingredients: 3 cantaloupes 1 honeydew melon 2 13 oz. Cans of peaches 2 quarts Apricot nectar ¼ honey ½ cup brown sugar 3 cups sour cream 2 tsp. cinnamon fresh mint leaves for garnish Halve and seed the melons. Separate the melon from the rind and cut into chunks. Place the chunks of cantaloupe and honeydew melons in a food processor. Add the peaches, undrained, and puree, but leave a little chunky, (you will probably need to do this step in two or three stages, depending on the capacity of your food processor) In a large bowl, blend the pureed fruit with the rest of the ingredients. Combine thoroughly. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve well chilled in small glass bowls; garnish each serving with a fresh mint leaf. Note: |
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STRAWBERRY BUTTER |
| Ingredients: 8 large strawberries, hulled and mashed 2 sticks butter, softened 1-2 tbs. Powdered sugar In a small bowl, mash the strawberries into a paste. Add the softened butter (butter whip until pale, pale yellow and fluffy, using a beater) add powdered sugar and cream all ingredients together until smooth. Pack the strawberry butter into an air- tight container and store in fridge. Serve at room temperature. This recipe yields about half a cup. |
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AMBER SPARKLE |
| To make this a special
punch, first make an ice ring. This should be made at least the day before
the party. Makes 10 6 oz. Servings. ICE RING 2 ½ cups ginger ale , chilled ½ cup apricot halves, drained seedless green grapes fresh strawberries or maraschino cherries strips of orange peel, curled mint leaves In a 1 qt. Measure or pitcher, combine ginger ale and lemon juice. Pour 2 cups of mixture into 1 qt. Ring mold and freeze. ICE RING HINT: Use ginger ale, 7- up, or fruit juice to make ring molds (They won’t dilute the punch when they melt as water rings do!) |
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AMBER CHAMPAGNE SPARKLE |
| Ingredients: 1 fifth bottle (750 ml.) sauternes, chilled 2 oz. Brandy 1 oz. Orange liqueur, triple sec 1 fifth bottle (750 ml.) champagne, chilled ice mold mix the sauternes, brandy, and orange liqueur in a punch bowl. This mixture can be refrigerated, if desired. OBVIOUSLY AN ADULT BEVERAGE ONLY! Just before serving, add the champagne and the ice mold. |
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DECORATIVE ICE WINE CONTAINER |
MAKING ICE WINE CONTAINERS
½ GALLON PAPER MILK CONTAINER, WASHED AND DRIED WATER ASSORTED LEAVES, EVERGREEN SPRIGS, FLOWERS, FERNS, ECT. EMPTY WINE BOTTLE OPEN UP TOP OF MILK CONTAINER AND POUR ABOUT 2 INCHES OF WATERING CONTAINER. PLACE AN EMPTY WINE BOTTLE OF THE SAME SIZE AS THE BOTTLE THAT YOU WILL BE SERVING IN CENTER OF CARTON. FIG. #A. INSERT FLOWERS, LEAVES, ETC.{STEM ENDS DOWN} INTO WATER AROUND BOTTLE; FREEZE. FIG. #B FILL CARTON TO SHOULDER OF BOTTLE WITH WATER AND FREEZE AGAIN. FIG. #C TO REMOVE BOTTLE POUR HOT WATER INTO BOTTLE. FIG. #D TEAR AWAY CARTON. FIG .#E INSERT BOTTLE OF WINE AND PLACE IN A DISH LINED WITH A PRETTY WHITE NAPKIN. FIG.#F IF SERVING VODKA OR GIN YOU MAY FREEZE THESE BOTTLES DIRECTLY IN ICE
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EDIBLE FLOWERS |
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PANSIES / ROSES / SNAP DRAGONS / DANDELIONS / YARROW / DAY
LILLY |
