An Autumn Afternoon Tea
Autumn, a kinsman,
One who shares old stories from childhood,
Just back from a long journey alone,
Stands at the door in the morning,
Smelling of spices and hot tea.
We gather him in our arms,
Feel the energy in him
As our fingers grasp his shoulders.
We look into his earthy eyes,
Smile straight at him,
Glance over his old clean clothes,
Gold and russet plaids
He wore last year and the year before.
“Where have you been, you old rascal?”
Our voice overflows with laughter
And the old dialect of home.
After a long, hot summer, a slight chill in the air is a welcome relief. Nature puts on a flame-hued show, with colorful leaves available right outside. Iconic fall favorites, apples, pumpkins, and nuts, serve as decorations as well as featured flavors. At their best are fennel, grapes, and persimmons, earning a place on our autumn menu. Now is the time for ginger and spice, strong teas and hot beverages, for indulging friends with a hearty and warming tea party.
Menu
Beverages:
Lapsang Souchong Tea
Cardamon Cinnamon Herb Tea
Warm Spiced Cider
Savories:
Miniature Corned Beef on Rye
Warm Cheddar Scallion Rounds
Smoked Chicken, Fennel and Grape Salad in Petite Pastry Puffs
Scones and Breads:
Maple Pecan Scones
Persimmon Bread with Ginger Butter
Sweets:
Apple Butter Bars
Pumpkin Cream Tartlets
Cinnamon Icebox Cookies
Included Recipes:
Miniature Corned Beef on Rye
If you are fortunate enough to have leftover corned beef in your refrigerator, you can make these simple but very flavorful sandwiches. Some people like a little mustard or prepared horseradish with corned beef. You can decide what would be best for your tea sandwiches. Why not make a few of them just plain with butter and salt and pepper and some others with mustard, horseradish or both.
Cheddar Scallion Rounds
This is one of those recipes that you will want to learn by heart and make frequently when the weather turns brisk. These hot, cheesy toasts are equally perfect for an intimate Tea Party, an impromptu late-night gathering or to accompany a hearty soup. Any and all leftover bits of cheese can be used up here, as long as the main ingredient is sharp cheddar or even Swiss. Swap out the mayonnaise for softened butter, form into a ball, roll in chopped nuts, and you have a fine cheese ball. And any leftover cheese ball can be brought to room temperature, beaten with a wooden spoon until spreadable, and you have nutty cheese rounds!
Smoked Chicken, Fennel and Grape Salad in Petite Pastry Puffs
This imaginative combination is one of the stars of our Autumn Afternoon Tea. This tasty variation of Chicken Salad includes grapes and fennel instead of the usual chopped celery. Look for the smallest grapes you can find. Ask at the farmer’s market if they have any champagne grapes.
You can make life easy for yourself by buying a smoked chicken at a deli or grocery store, cooling it in the refrigerator and assembling the other ingredients when you are ready to make the puff pastry salads.
Maple Pecan Scones
To herald autumn’s arrival, swap out your usual scones for the warm flavors of toasted pecan and maple. Maple sugar is wonderful to use if you have it, but using Grade B maple syrup will bring deep maple flavor to your scones. Go ahead and add maple extract to accentuate the maple even more.
Persimmon Bread with Ginger Butter
Persimmon Bread is a sweet and spicy reminder that autumn has arrived. Serve this moist quick bread, flavored with honey and ripe persimmon pulp, thinly sliced with Ginger Butter.
Apple Butter Bars
This is one of the most versatile recipes ever. It makes a large amount, ingredients can be interchanged, and these bars freeze beautifully. And best of all, they are really, really tasty. Use raspberry jam for spring, plum or blackberry for summer, apple butter for fall and any jam in the pantry all winter long. This recipe can be mixed by hand, in an electric mixer or in a food processor with great success. This enduring favorite is perfect for picnics, car trips, bake sales, and if cut into small squares, for Afternoon Tea!
Pumpkin Cream Tartlets
A cross between a pumpkin cheese cake and pie, these little pastries are baked in muffin pans. This is the perfect time to show off pretty autumn muffin papers. If they are not greaseproof, bake in plain foil or regular muffin papers, then drop the baked tarts into the decorative ones, creating a ruffled effect: pretty! These little tarts would look beautiful on the bottom of a two-tiered server with Cinnamon Icebox Cookies on the top.
Cinnamon Icebox Cookies
Here is a handy slice-and-bake cookie dough that can be made ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to bake. The cinnamon flavor can be made delicate or strong depending on whether you use the cinnamon oil or not.
Contact Us
Please feel free to send us your questions, comments, suggestions and/or concerns. We appreciate your feedback.
