Experience the Charm of An Old Fashioned Tea
As a little girl, one of my favorite past times was playing dress-up. I had a chest full of dresses, high heels and hats, as well as jewelry, purses and stoles. Luckily, I had two friends that lived a couple houses down who also loved to play dress-up. We would spend hours and hours pretending we were elegant ladies.
Our “tea” back then consisted of lemonade and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Let's go back to that age of innocence once again for an "Old-Fashioned Tea."
Dress for the Day!
Many thrift shops have a section devoted to "vintage clothing." Ask each guest to come dressed in an old-fashioned dress, hat and jewelry.
Set your Table
Use your grandma’s lace tablecloth, cloth napkins, china, and best serving pieces. Don’t forget fresh flowers from your garden or the florist. Wash up your beautiful collection of teacups and saucers to serve tea (or lemonade). Then when your guests arrive, sit back and reminisce about the good old days.
Old-Fashioned Tea Menu
Crab Appetizers,Parmesan Puffs,Asparagus Soup, Shrimp and Avocado Salad, Old-Fashioned Tea Cookies, Easy Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Pie, Mint Lemonade, Tea
Fan Napkins
Remember how we used to make fans by folding a piece of paper back and forth in an accordion style? You can do the same with your cloth napkins. Beginning at the bottom, fold pleats back and forth; then fold in half. Tie a colorful ribbon around the middle, then “fan” out the pleats.
Crab Appetizers
6 T. margarine or butter
1 (5-Oz) jar Old English cheese spread
1 T. mayonnaise
1/2 t. seasoned salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
Dash cayenne pepper
1 (7-Oz) can crabmeat, drained
6 English muffins, halved
Combine ingredients, mixing until spreading consistency. Spread on each muffin half. Place on tray in freezer until topping is set. Cut each muffin into quarters. Refreeze. When ready to use, place on cookie sheet and broil for 5 minutes.
Parmesan Puffs
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
1 c. margarine
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. chopped green onions
2 T. chopped mushrooms
2 T. chopped ripe olives
Mix flour and salt; cut margarine in until mixture begins to form a ball. Blend in sour cream. Divide dough into 4 parts. Wrap each part and chill several hours. Heat oven to 350°. On floured board, roll each section into a 12x6-inch rectangle. Sprinkle one-half each rectangle with either cheese, onion, mushrooms or olives. Fold dough over to make a 6-inch square. Cut the 6-inch square into 2-inch squares, pressing edges. Continue until all dough is prepared. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. May be prepared in advance and refrigerated, then baked for 30 minutes. Makes 36 appetizers.
Asparagus Soup
1 T. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 T. flour
2 cans (14-1/2-ounce) chicken broth
1 pound asparagus, tough ends discarded, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 t. dried summer savory
Sour cream or plain yogurt (optional)
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually mix in canned chicken broth. Bring mixture to boil. Add asparagus pieces and summer savory and simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly. Drain asparagus, reserving cooking liquid. Puree asparagus in food processor. With machine running, Gradually add 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return mixture to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. (Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Top with dollops of sour cream or yogurt, if desired. Serves 6.
Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Salad:
1 pink or red grapefruit
1 white grapefruit
1/4 c. hazelnuts, lightly toasted and any loose skins rubbed off
1 T. unsalted butter
2 firm, ripe California avocados
1 t. fresh lime juice
1/2 lb. large shrimp (8 to 10), shelled and deveined
1 T. vegetable oil
2 c. baby spinach
1/4 c. trimmed sprouts
Vinaigrette:
1/4 c. fresh grapefruit juice
2 t. fresh lime juice
1/4 t. finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 T. vegetable oil
Make vinaigrette:
Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble salad:
Cut peel, including all white pith, from fruit with a sharp paring knife and cut segments free from membranes. Halve enough grapefruit segments to measure 1-1/2 cups (reserve any remaining segments for another use). Coarsely chop hazelnuts. Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook hazelnuts with salt and pepper to taste, stirring, until a shade darker, about 5 minutes. Transfer nuts to paper towels to cool, reserving skillet. Quarter avocados lengthwise, then pit and peel. Cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Drizzle with lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté shrimp, turning them, until golden and just cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Toss together spinach, half of grapefruit segments, and half of vinaigrette with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange avocados and remaining grapefruit on 4 plates and top with shrimp, salad, and sprouts. Spoon remaining vinaigrette over salad and sprinkle with nuts. Makes 4 servings.
Old Fashioned Tea Cookies
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. shortening
2 eggs
4 T. buttermilk
3 c. flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
2 t. vanilla flavoring
Blend sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat. Combine flour, soda and baking powder. Then add into mixture, alternating flour mixture, then buttermilk and mix. Add flavoring and mix. Roll out and cut. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 400°.
Easy Tea Cookies
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. butter, room temperature
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
2 t. cream of tartar
1/2 t. salt
Combine the sugar and butter in a mixer bowl, beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Shape cookie dough into small balls. Arrange on a cookie sheet. Press flat with the flat bottom of a glass. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.
Peanut Butter Pie
1 12-ounce box vanilla wafers, finely ground (3 c. crumbs)
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. condensed milk
1 c. confectioner’s sugar, sifted
8 to 10 ounces Cool Whip (3 c.), more for garnish
Semisweet chocolate shavings, for garnish
Unsalted peanuts, for garnish
Heat oven to 350 °. Place vanilla wafer crumbs in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir to combine. Divide equally into two 9-inch pie tins. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of pie dish. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool completely. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the cream cheese, peanut butter, and condensed milk. Mix until smooth. Add confectioner’s sugar. Using a large rubber spatula fold in 3 cups Cool Whip. Pour mixture into cooled pie shells. Decorate cake as desired with more cool whip. Garnish with chocolate shavings and peanuts. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
Makes two 9-inch pies.
Mint Lemonade
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. packed fresh mint leaves
2 c. water
3 c. ice cubes, cracked if large
Blend lemon juice, sugar, and mint leaves in a blender until leaves are finely chopped and sugar is dissolved. Add water and enough ice cubes to fill blender, then blend until smooth. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Serve with a Golden Yunnan Tea served hot or iced.
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Dawnya Sasse is the creator of the ultimate tea business training school allowing students to discover the secrets of the tea industy,"quickly and easily" without ever leaving home.
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Why do some people succeed in the tea business? Discover how to "Unlock the Secrets of the Billion Dollar Tea Industry from the Comfort of Your Own Computer" and make your tea dream a reality. Free audio mini course http://www.StartATeaBusiness.com
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Copyright 2006 Dawnya Sasse All Rights Reserved. Tea Events http://www.TeaEvents.com
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