Lady's Tea This Saturday-Sweets List

[Phog Allen]

Good evening gents. It is that time of year again. What time is that? The lady's tea for the women in my family. We started this little tradition about six years ago after a little impromptu late afternoon tea for the mother in law and her sister. It has blossomed into a yearly fall ritual they have come to enjoy. It will continue Saturday. We invite about 6-10 women each year and serve them hand made pastry and sweeties along with British teas. We try to change up the bill of fare a little each year. Some things are so popular that we daren't leave it off the list. Like shortbread tarts filled with lemon curd and topped with a fresh raspberry. The wife and I make all the victuals ourselves with very little bought ready made from the store. We do not attempt to make our own clotted cream or butter but could in a pinch. We try to keep it fun, not nerve racking. So, lets get to this year's list of sweets and a few savouries.

Plum and Raspberry Cake with Raspberry Glaze

Pear and Custard Tart(I will be using Julia Child's pâte sablée recipe for the tart crust and yes I had to copy and paste pâte sablée)

Rustic Cherry Tartlets (cherries from my uncle's tree)

Lemon Curd in Shortbread with Raspberry (Perish any thought of store bought lemon curd. It is so easy to make it is ridiculous.)

Scones with Clotted Cream and Strawberry Jam (I try to change up the jam each year. This year the brand is Chantaine from France.)

Savouries;

Prosciutto with Port/Fig Butter Sanwiches

Cucumber Sandwiches

Chicken Salad in Puff Pastry (This is my wife's creation and it is an enormous hit. Simply little pieces of puff pastry filled with the salad and baked.)

Tea;

Taylor's of Harrogate, Green Tea with Jasmine

Twinings Aromatics, Lady Grey (Women love scented teas and of course, this is the "real" Twinings from England.)

So what do you think? This should keep them satisfied but I wouldn't mind suggestions. There may be something obvious I have overlooked. Thanks gents.

Regards, Todd

[WhosYerBob]

My flight is booked and I can find my own way from the airport - just leave the back door open and I won't disturb anyone... :drool:

[Torcams]

I think I may be turning into a lady... That menu sounds great! Did I mention my favorite shaving cream is rose?

[Miles]

Sounds great! What a nice thing for a get together.

There is a tea room that I have taken my mother to for Mother's Day which puts on a spread similar to what you describe. They add a bit of fresh mint to the cucumber sandwiches, which is nice, and they also do a watercress and cream cheese mini sandwich as well that is very nice. One part that I look forward to is the assortment of interesting cheeses + a little bit of caviar. Fancy stuff, man, but it sure is tasty!

Good luck!

[Phog Allen]

See gentlemen? This is why you ask here first. Thank you Miles for the suggestion. Mint may indeed be added to the cucumber sandwiches. It sounds like a great addition to the tea time classic.

Regards, Todd

[Phog Allen]

Hey chappies. Sorry to bump my own thread but I had to relate how the afternoon tea went. A smashing success. We had two ladies who had never been to any kind of afternoon tea before. One was our vicar's wife and the other a parent to our youngest daughter's school mate. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves. At least it seemed so.

The pear and custard tart disappeared in one pass around the table! 100 percent thumbs up on that one. I was pleased since it was the first time I had ever made it. From the reactions it won't be the last. The rustic cherry tartlets were a big hit as well. I can tell you without reservation that hand picked cherries cooked in a thickened sauce make a pie filling that is one hundred percent superior to anything I have ever tasted from a canned filling. It had been so long since I had had a homemade cherry pie filling I had forgotten how delectable it can be. I made my filling from the recipe at this Blog (http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com/2008/07/rustic-cherry-pie.html). I used orange juice called for in the recipe and corn starch instead of tapioca. A total triumph. A perfect blend of sweet sugar and sour cherry. I used a rustic pie crust recipe by Jaques Pepin to great effect. Dead simple and produced one of the flakiest crusts I have ever managed. The other fare disappeared at an alarming rate as well.

I will tell you gentlemen something. The ladies of your family appreciate this sort of thing. I played the part of server, accompanied at times by my teenage daughter. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed providing a bit of pampering for them. Try it sometime. Oh BTW, the Taylors of Harrogate Green Tea with Jasmine is delicious.

Regards, Todd

[newtowetshaving]

That menu doesn't sound bad. Although I do have a better understanding why most guys on here call their wives SWMBO.

[Dennis]

Awesome Todd! Sounds like fun to be a pâtisserie for a day. I will dig up some of my pastry books and ping you with anything that looks interesting.

[Phog Allen]

That menu doesn't sound bad. Although I do have a better understanding why most guys on here call their wives SWMBO.

Actually, she calls me Eustace. Like the old codger Eustace from the Courage the Cowardly Dog cartoon. A more thorough curmudgeon you will never find. However, I enjoy baking and giving people a nice meal or treat. I am the one who came up with the idea a few years ago and it just sort of took off. Try it. You would be surprised at how appreciated it is.


Awesome Todd! Sounds like fun to be a pâtisserie for a day. I will dig up some of my pastry books and ping you with anything that looks interesting.

Pastry. Is there anything better? Pastries of any kind. Oh yes. With loads of buttery, flaky layers, jam or fruit fillings. Or is it savoury fillings with quiche and mushrooms that are best? I don't know and do not want to have find out or make the choice. I enjoy baking of all kinds but have a HUGE respect for those who can consistently bake good pastry. I do not hold myself in that category but I try. Indeed, pass along anything you'd like.

Regards, Todd