Afternoon Tea with Recipes

HOSTING AN AFTERNOON TEA PARTY

 

   Tea has a long history with many cultures claiming first discovery.  From a European standpoint, the tea we know first came from China to Portugal where only the aristocrats were able to afford this expensive beverage.  Charles II married Portuguese Catherine of Braganz in 1662.  She brought tea with her and soon the English aristocrats began importing tea from Portugal.  The servants brewed tea from the leaves left in the cup and then sold the twice brewed leaves to others from the back door.  Savvy merchants began importing more tea and mixing the leaves with other kinds of leaves to sell to commoners and the best leaves to the rich.  Soon tea was a popular English and Irish beverage among all people.  In 1840, Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford, found she was tired and hungry in the middle of the afternoon.  She quietly asked for tea and sandwiches and small cakes to be delivered to her room each afternoon.  Word traveled and soon everyone began seeing the benefits of making foods to go with their afternoon tea.  Then began the competition for the most elegant display of tea pots, cups, and variety of dishes.  The country people could not afford matching pieces to serve their friends.  Thus began the practice of mis-matched pieces which has carried on in informal and even some formal teas today.  Tea bags were born by accident when a tea merchant sewed some tea samples in a silk pouch and those receiving the tea brewed it bag and all and requested more of this wonderful tea.

RECIPES

CUCUMBER SANDWICHES

English cucumbers, peeled

vinegar of choice

salt

butter

cream cheese infused with dill (at room temperature)

thin breads of choice

     Slice cucumber into transparencies lengthwise with a potato peeler.  Sprinkle these see-through discs with a little vinegar and salt.  After half an hour, drain away the excess cucumber juice by blotting with paper towels.  Cover a slice of lightly buttered bread with two layers of cucumber, top with a dab of cream cheese and another slice of bread.  Remove crust and slice into desired shape.  Pile neatly on a porcelain serving plate, and cover with a lightly dampened cloth until tea is served.

WATERCRESS SANDWICHES

     When watercress can be found, butter rye bread with salty butter and pile watercress on bread.  Add slices of cucumbers and/or cream cheese if desired.  Cut sandwiches in half.

EGG SALAD SANDWICHES

1 cup mayonnaise

2 t. dry English mustard

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. white pepper

1 T. lemon juice

8 eggs, hard boiled and shelled

dash of hot pepper sauce, optional

     Season mayonnaise with E. mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce.  Chop the eggs roughly.  Stir into the mayonnaise.  Spread onto thinly sliced butter bread of your choice and top with thin lettuce leaves or watercress when available.  Remove the crusts and slice to desired shape.

SMOKED SALMON SANDWICHES

1/4 lb. smoked salmon trimmings

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

1/2 t. white pepper

1/4 t. grated nutmeg

2 oz sliced smoked salmon, cut wafer thin

lemon wedge, to serve

brown bread, buttered

     Chop the salmon trimmings very finely and beat with whipped cream, white pepper and nutmeg until stiff.  Spread a thin layer on buttered brown bread and arrange smoked salmon slices across bread.  Slice in half and serve with a wedge of lemon.

WELSH RAREBIT

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 T. dark ale

2 T. butter

1 t. spicy mustard

salt and black pepper

2 slices of toast

     Melt the cheese and ale in a small pan over a low heat.  Add the butter and mustard.  Sprinkle in salt and black pepper.  Pour the cheese onto the toast and grill or broil until the cheese bubbles and almost starts to scorch in patches.

TEA CAKES

1/4 stick butter

3 cups unbleached flour

1 t. salt

2 t. active dry yeast

1 t. superfine sugar

1 1/4 cups warm milk

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 t. sugar, dissolved in 2 T. milk for glaze

     Butter two baking sheets.  In a large mixing bowl rub or cut the butter into the sifted flour and salt.  Stand the covered bowl in a warm place.  Cream the yeast with the sugar and the warmed milk, and leave it to froth for twenty minutes. Uncover the bowl and make a well in the flour, then pour in the yeast and enough of the warm milk to make a soft elastic dough.  If using dried yeast, pour in all the liquid.  Stir the flour in from the sides and knead well for 10 minutes.  Mix in the fruit .  Cover, and leave to prove in a warm place for an hour or so until twice the size.  Pull the dough into six pieces, and shape and knead each piece into a round, slightly flattened cake about 4 inches in diameter.  Arrange on the baking sheets.  Prick with a fork, cover with a cloth, and leave to rise for 15 minutes.  Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees.  When the tea cakes emerge from the oven, give them a shine by brushing very lightly with the glaze.  Serve hot, split in two and buttered.

SCONES

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour plus extra for dusting

1 t. cream of tartar

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

3 to 4 T. butter

2/3 cup milk

     Lightly butter a baking sheet.  Sift the flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt into a bowl together.  Rub or cut in the butter.  Stir to a soft dough by mixing in the milk.  Roll out to a thickness of 1/2 inch.  Cut into desired shapes or pat into a round cake

pan and score into triangles with a knife.  Powder the top with flour.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until risen and golden.  Serve hot or cold.

SINGIN' HINNY

1/2 stick butter

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 t. salt

4 T. superfine sugar

6 T. golden raisins

3/4 cup cream

    Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, cut the butter into the flour and stir in the sugar and golden raisins.  Make a well in the center and pour in the cream.  With a wooden spoon slowly draw the dry ingredients into the liquid to form a soft dough.  Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board to about 1/4 inch thick and prick all over with a fork.  Cut into quarters and place on a moderately hot griddle and cook for about 4 minutes each side, until nicely browned.  Serve hot, cut in two and buttered.

LEMON CURD

5 eggs

3/4 cups lemon juice

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cups melted butter

Beat eggs until frothy. Stir in lemon juice, sugar, and melted butter. Place over water. Cook, stirring constantly, for approximately 20 minutes or until thick. Pour into glass dish or jar and refrigerate. Prepare favorite pie crust and bake in tart shell pans or small muffin pans. Let cool completely. Fill with Lemon Curd. Curd is also delicious served warm over gingerbread or any spice cake, and will keep at least a week in a jar in refrigerator.

DEVONSHIRE CREAM

   Devonshire or Clotted Cream is a rich, thick cream that is produced by skimming the thick cream that forms on the top of unpasteurized whole milk when heated.  It is found primarily in England, but Double Devon Cream (made in England) can be found in a lot of specialty food stores. 

½ cup (110 grams) mascarpone* (or cream cheese)

½ cup (125 ml) heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons (12 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar

Place mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes.  Combine all the ingredients in mixing bowl and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.  Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few hours.  This cream does not hold very well so if refrigerating, re-whip cream before serving.  Makes one cup.

Lemon Cheese 

 This is a quick and easy cheese to make and can be used as a cheese spread.  Warm 1/2 gallon of milk to 165 degrees F. Stir often to avoid scorching the milk. Add the juice of two lemons to the milk. Stir and allow to set off the stove for 15 minutes.  The warm milk will separate into a stringy curd and a greenish liquid whey. Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour the curds and whey into the colander. Save the whey for baking bread if desired. Tie four corners of the cheesecloth into a knot and hang the bag of curds to drain for an hour or until it stops dripping.  Remove the cheese from the cloth and place it in a bowl. Add salt to taste -- usually about 1/4 teaspoon. You may mix in herbs. Fresh dill leaves are delicious. Place the cheese in a covered container and store in the refrigerator. This cheese will keep up to a week. It is a moist spreadable cheese with a hint of lemon taste.