I almost always have tea on the brain. My favourite way to spend time is drinking tea with my dearest friends, maybe over a game of Scrabble or a good conversation. I drink tea in the morning; I drink tea at night; I drink tea in between. I have a whole collection of tea quotes on my computer. I just like tea.
So, it shouldn't come as any surprise that I like sitting down to tea. You know, with the little sandwiches and scones and sweets, and a pretty tea pot and dainty cups (which, sadly, hold far too little). However, I do get a little tired of the usual egg salad (which I don't eat), tuna salad (which I don't eat), tomato, and cucumber sandwiches. Why not spice it up a little? I asked myself. Yes, indeed, why not spice it up a little? No one said that a tea menu has to consist of the same things across the board. So, here are some recipes I found that may just make your tea table more interesting.
How about smoked salmon with capers?
Stilton, pear, and walnut?
Maybe some turkey sandwiches with Earl Grey honey butter?
Of course, it's not necessarily the fillings that need to be changed. Try tucking some chicken salad inside some pita wedges, or using a croissant or rye or pumpernickel bread instead of white or whole wheat.
And of course, we can't forget about the sweets. Scones are a classic; it just doesn't seem like tea without a warm scone with clotted cream and jam (or jelly; potato potahto). Try livening them up with a little bit of orange or lemon zest, or mix in some dried cranberries, raisins, or blueberries (I'm a fan of the cranberries, myself). Experiment with different kinds of jams. Right now my favourite is a cherry-berry freezer jam that I made this summer. Try a little bit of mascarpone cheese instead of clotted or whipped cream.
What do you like at your tea table?
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