What is a nice hot steaming cup of tea without a cookie? Whether you call it a cookie or a biscuit, having that little bit of goodness to go with your cuppa is heart warming. I enjoy more than one type of cookie with my tea and right now it’s Walkers short bread cookies. It doesn’t matter the shape and I think it is interesting that the same flavored cookie comes in different shapes.
I also enjoy Le Petit Ecolier.
Dark chocolate of course. Tell me about your favorite food to enjoy with your tea.
I have pictures, really, but none of us took our digital cameras so I will have to wait to post them until the film is developed.
My mom and sister took me to the Brown Palace for Afternoon Tea as a birthday gift. It was so nice. I had such a great time. We walked across to the hotel from a connecting hotel and we looked over the balcony down to the floor of the atrium. The tables were set with cups and saucers and plates and flowers and silverware (real silverware). We rode the escalators down to the first floor and entered the lobby/atrium. We passed by a historical silver water fountain that taps into a water source 750 feet below where we stood. We then went to the hostess who was dressed in a black dress with a white apron and white pearls. Nice touch. We each ordered a different tea theme so we could share with one another. One of the themes came with champagne flavored with a liqueur. It was so good, my sister ordered one for herself. We each selected a flavor of tea which was served to us in our own, individual, silver tea pot. The hostess poured our first cup for us then another woman came out and added hot water to our tea pots. This kept the tea not only hot, it kept it from over brewing and becoming bitter.
We were served two kinds of scones; buttermilk and dried cherry with white chocolate. We each had our own jar of Hero strawberry jam and we shared bowls of clotted cream.
The sandwiches were the following flavors; caramelized onion, cucumber dill and turkey black olive. They were all good but I can’t decide if teh onion or the turkey was my favorite. Perhaps if the bread for the onion sandwich had been toasted it might win.
The desserts were good but most tasted too sweet. We were treated to a variety of pastries, tortes, an almond macaron, and various chocolate delights.
After the tea party, we walked off lunch at the Park Meadows Mall where I was able to resupply myself with my favorite tea of the moment; Barry’s red label.
I had such a wonderful time with my mom and sister. My mom pretended to read our tea leaves and my sister regaled us with tales of my nephew who is growing up into such a wonderful person. I’m not just saying that because I’m the aunt either. He’s got a great sense of humor, he’s talented and he loves the Lord. Boy oh boy is he going to make some lucky gal a good hubby some day!
Tea for me and tea for you,
a new dress a fancy hair do.
All for afternoon tea.
We’ll drove to town,
with the top down,
in a robin’s egg blue Thunderbird.
All for afternoon tea.
We’ll sip and nibble,
being very careful not to dribble,
our lovely afternoon tea,
for it’s as plain as the nose on your face,
don’t be a disgrace,
we never call it high tea.
Copyright 2007
I’m totally addicted to cooking books. Not all cooking books. Just ones with specific themes, especially if they can contribute to a great party or tea theme. One such series of books is by Leisure Arts. Just skimming through the books shows that there really isn’t anything too leisurely about the recipes or crafts but they are arty. I just finished putting together Cream of celery Soup from the 1997 edition fo the book:The Spirit of Christmas.
Yes, I am well aware that it is July, however, good looking soup is good looking soup and it’s fun to experiment with recipes and shake things up once and awhile.
So, here is the recipe with a few creative changes:
6 Cups coarsely chopped celery (I used one large bunch so there was a little more than 6 cups)
5 Cups peeled and coarsly chopped potatoes
1 Cup chopped green onions
3 Cans (14.5 oz each) ff chicken broth (you may need more if you use more celery as I did. I ended up using about 8 cups)
2 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp dried tarragon leaves
3/4 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 Cup plain low fat yogurt (I plan on using sour cream)
2 tsp cornstarch
In a large Dutch oven (I threw it all but the yogurt and cornstarch into a large crock pot and set it to high) combine celery, potatoes, onions and chicken broth. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 1 hour or until vegetables are tender (poke with fork to find this out) They say to reserve the broth and use a slotted spoon to sift out the veggies and puree in a food processor. I used a wand mixer right in the crock pot and it worked out fine. Return vegetable puree to broth in the pot and stir in the lemon juice, tarragon, salt and white pepper. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes or until mixture begins to simmer (do not boil). Remove soup from heat. In a small bowl, whisk yogurt and cornstarch until well blended. Gradually stir in yogurt mixture into soup. Spoon into serving dishes, garnish with celery leaves and serve.
Makes 12 cups of soup.
Addition; the original recipe does not call for garlic. I love garlic so I added three cloves to the soup. Yo, of course, don’t have to do this, I just felt the need for garlic.
I now have an account with Cafepress.
http://www.cafepress.com/cozyteastore
Please visit it and see what is being offered and if you see something you like, please make a purchase.
Thank you!
The Buccaneers. This is a 1995 BBC production staring, among others, Mira Sorvino (Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, The Replacement Killers, Mimic, etc.). It follows four young American women on their quest to get married during the Victorian era.
There is drama and romance and ruin as well as beautiful scenes of them having tea picnics on the lawn and grand vistas of the English country side as well as lush interiors of the mansions inhabited by societies finest. So, put the kettle on and grab a box of your favorite biscuits and spend the afternoon being enchanted.