This past October my daughter was given a tea party soon after becoming engaged to the dearest and newest member that our family has adopted in the last 10 years. Our daughter was introduced to female relatives she did not know and spent a wonderful afternoon with those she did. With a family scattered across the country, only one person who was invited did not come. We spent a glorious afternoon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia in a paneled private room. Each table's center piece was an antique teapot filled with roses in full bloom. The name cards were placed in a hand painted teapot with a small clock in the center. This was not a shower with gifts and giggles, but rather a warm and elegant way to enjoy family, good conversation, and the news of our daughter's engagement.
For all of these reasons and more, we decided to share a tea party with you. This is a light tea party because neither of us knows any one who wants to break a diet while enjoying an afternoon together. The good thing about these recipes is that they are easily used at different times of the day. The small scones can be made for brunch, or even made larger and sliced as you would a cake. The cookies will always be welcome in the cookie jar. I particularly love the savory treats. They make excellent sandwiches for lunch or with a salad for a light supper. Those of us who like to eat sweets sparingly will have excellent choices, and your friends or relatives who think that tea time means cream and calories, will also have their way. The other good thing about this tea is that much of it can be made ahead of time so you can work on a center piece or take a bath 3 hours before your guests arrive.
When do we give a tea? I can't tell you how lovely the tea for our daughter was. Memories forever were made that day. We all have friends to whom we owe a lunch. Why not invite them to your home for tea on a beautiful almost spring day? Decorate your home with potted spring flowers and give them to your friends as small gifts when they leave. I love hydrangeas, tulips and roses. You select the flowers that mean spring to you. Their colors will remind guests of the afternoon for weeks. How about a Shower, either baby or bridal, that's a tea? What a great idea and easy to do. My favorite idea is to have a tea to bring together family members on a regular basis. My family is aging as is everyone, and spending time with elderly aunts is a joy. Young cousins arrive with tales about their husbands and children or latest boyfriends and we all leave knowing that family time together is very important.
Americans, who flock to Starbuck's and its clones, may worry about their knowledge of tea. We have read about tea bars on the West coast, however, here in the hinterlands, we still get our caffeine from soda and coffee unless it's from iced tea. Here's a primer on tea to help you out.
Green tea, the new "in" drink is from China and Japan and is made from leaves that are not fermented before drying. It is the tea filled with nutritional tannins, was believed to bring long life by the Chinese, and was used by the Greeks to cure the common cold. Two easily available types of green tea are Gunpowder and Basket Fried.
Black tea has a more intense flavor than green tea as its leaves are fermented before drying. Souchong, orange pekoe and pekoe refer to the shape and grade of the leaves. The varieties of black tea that we are familiar with include Darjeeling, Ceylon (English Breakfast), and Earl Grey. Oolong tea falls between the green and black varieties, as its leaves are partially fermented before drying.
To brew black or Oolong tea, use 1 teaspoon to a cup of hot, not boiling, water. Infuse the tea covered in a pot for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the tea leaves, stir and serve. To brew green tea, use 2 teaspoons tea per cup of hot water. Infuse in a covered pot for 2 to 5 minutes. Remove leaves, stir, and serve.
Don't forget tea bags. We know that purists will cringe at this statement, but if you can't find all of the teas you want to use loose, then what can you do? Also, remember to have some herbal, floral, or spice teas available for those who like them.
To serve the tea, you will need to serve milk, or cream for those friends who never worry about their health, as well as lemon wedges. Remember, no lemon with cream. Have sweeteners on the table also, as many people use them. That's it. Get out your teapots, and pretty dishes for savories and sweets, and you're ready. Brew three types of teas, or have a pot of hot water and a variety of tea bags available.
(for the recipes, click on the individual recipe above)
BSP
