Do you want to entertain but don’t want a full banquet for family or friends? Is it your turn to host the book club? Do you have friends or relatives coming from out of town and want to host an event so other friends and relatives can spend time with them? An afternoon tea is a wonderful way to host a get-together for one or more friends. It can be as simple as a cup of tea and some “biscuits,” aka cookies here in the “colonies”, or as elaborate as a full-on High Tea with three-tiered trays of homemade goodies that took you a few days to prepare. Whatever you choose, a theme makes it fun and festive. If you are fortunate enough to have seasonal place settings, certainly pull out the “good stuff.” Otherwise, it can be themed with napkins, placemats, and centerpieces. For instance, for an Irish Tea, use green and white, a few paper shamrocks, a centerpiece that looks like a Pot of Gold, or live shamrocks. Choose a menu featuring Irish food such as soda bread, shamrock-shaped sugar cookies, potato-leek soup, corned beef tea sandwiches, and Bunratty scones. For the upcoming 250th celebration, break out the red, white, and blue decor and serve traditional American foods. Pepperoni rolls can substitute for the cucumber sandwiches, apple tartlets, and peanut butter cookies are all ideas. Or do a little research and choose themes like America Coast to Coast with regional foods, Colonial America with foods from that time, or even a presidential theme with foods from White House cookbooks.
Keep a record of your parties. Who was invited, who came, what foods were served, what worked, what didn’t work, and ideas for a future tea. This can be computerized, kept in a do-it-yourself cookbook or scrapbook, or in a 3-ring binder. Maybe you even want to keep a log of ideas and recipes for future events. Pinterest, YouTube, cookbooks, and even novels all contain ideas and recipes for afternoon teas. Cozy mysteries abound with tea or cooking-themed venues. Laura Childs, Maddie Day, Lorna Barrett, and Joanne Fluke are just a few of such authors. Teatime Magazine can be found at bookstores and is a wealth of inspiration. Have fun and put a little magic in every sip as you explore the world of Afternoon Teas.
Tea at the Unicorn Wine Guild 