Looking out at the snowflakes drifting down reminds me of a favorite past time as a young woman – before life became so hectic. On a winter weekend where the snow was falling and the wind was blowing, I would fix myself a cup of tea and make cinnamon toast. A piece of white bread, or wheat, slathered with butter and topped with cinnamon and sugar, would be placed on a piece of aluminum foil and watched carefully under the broiler until it bubbled and browned. Add to that a cozy book or favorite TV movie, a comfy chair or sofa and a lap robe and I was set for the afternoon. If I wanted to really be special, I would make a pecan pie from scratch using my mother’s recipe (substitute maple syrup for Karo) and with the leftover pie crust make cinnamon roll-ups using the same butter, sugar and cinnamon mixture. These cookies and a cup of tea and a good book made for a great winter’s treat. I’ll have to take the time to do that again. Soon.
Afternoon Tea at the Unicorn Wine Guild
by teaattheunicornwineguildllcWe were pleased to have our first “cotume” tea at the Guild a couple of months ago. One lady and her daughter arrived in their Vicotrian finery and I was in my Edwardian tea costume. The other attendees were dressed in their afternoon tea finery. Our newest employee, Stephanie, served up a delicious meal complete with cucumber sandwiches, scones and other goodies, finishing with wonderful handmade tea chocolates. Please visit our website at www.unicornwineguild.com to find out about future tea events.
Just what should I call this tea party?
by teaattheunicornwineguildllcMost people think of “tea” as an afternoon event. However, a tea can be held just about anytime. But just what does one call it?
Elevenses is like an America’s “Coffee Break” and is usually a small snack between breakfast and lunch. This is a good tea for beginners to serve.
Cream Tea is an easy to do event consisting of scones, clotted cream, marmalade, jam, curd and tea. This is a good starting place for a beginner. It is an informal event and is easier to plan and prepare.
Low Tea is also known as Afternoon tea and is really a meal. It consists of scones, sandwiches, and a dessert or two in addition to tea. It is called “low tea” because it is not served at the dining table, but in a more informal setting using side tables.
High Tea is a full evening meal and usually meat and potatoes or other substantial foods are served in addition to the other foods. It was originally a “working class” meal, but now has a connotation of elegance. In earlier times, the”rich and famous” would often have a High Tea on Sundays when the servants had the day off or lighter duties. It is also called a “man’s tea.”
Royal (or Royale) Tea is a social tea with champagne being served early in the meal and sherry at the end of the event.
