An Urban Tea on the Go

Sometimes, the portability of the party is paramount. A concert in the park or a trip to a nearby museum calls for a hamper packed with easy to transport delights. Opt for food items that can be eaten out of hand. Little wide-mouth Mason jars hold just enough for each serving of salad. Wrap sandwiches in waxed paper and tie with baker’s twine. Though you and your guests are on the go, with a bit of preplanning, a civilized tea can be produced from the trunk of the car. Now is the occasion to use those vintage plaid Thermoses and throws you have collected. Make sure to preheat your Thermos with very hot water before adding tea so the tea will be hot when you are ready to serve. Your tea party on the go can be a welcome oasis of homemade hospitality in an urban setting.

Menu

Beverages:
Thermoses of Assam Tea and Decaf Breakfast Tea
Lemon Sparkling Water

Savories:
Grilled Eggplant with Roasted Peppers and Caramelized Onion on Baguette
Chevre, Arugla, and Fig Jam on Raisin Nut Bread
Half Pint Mason Jar Salad: Cucumber, Artichoke Heart, and Grape Tomato with Herb Vinaigrette
Spiced Almonds

Sweets:
Chocolate Shortbread Petticoat Tails
Cherry-Berry Hand Pies
Lemon Tea Bread

Recipes Included:

Grilled Eggplant, Roasted Pepper and Caramelized Onion Sandwiches on Baguette
You will need to start making the filling for these unforgettable sandwiches the day before your Urban Tea on the Go, and we are hoping you will have time to rush out to a good bakery to buy a very fresh baguette before assembling the sandwiches the day of your Urban Tea. While you’re out shopping, go to your favorite deli and pick up some nice cold cuts and sliced cheeses. We suggest slices of pepperoni, salami and mortadella, and sliced provolone, Havarti and Swiss cheeses. The deli clerk will probably wrap the meats and cheeses separately, and you can pack the little butcher paper wrapped packages right into your picnic basket when you get home. Bring along a nice little plate or platter for serving the Cold Cuts at your destination.

Chevre, Arugula and Fig Jam Sandwiches on Raisin Nut Bread
These sophisticated sandwiches are surprisingly easy to make, as all of the ingredients can be purchased at a good grocery, and all you need to do is assemble the sandwiches shortly before your urban adventure begins.

Cucumber, Artichoke Heart and Grape Tomato Salad with herb Vinaigrette
This easy, fresh and tasty salad can be transported in individual servings in charming little Mason jars, one for each guest. Double or triple the recipe depending on the size of your group.

Spiced Almonds
These savory almonds will add extra flavor and protein to your Urban Tea. Serve them from an attractive communal bowl, but give each of your guests a spoon, so they can help themselves. 

Chocolate Shortbread Petticoat Tails
Shortbread has come a long way since its origins in Scotland at least 300 years ago. This crunchy, buttery cookie can now be found in many flavors, including chocolate. And Shortbread has always been a good traveler. It keeps well and likes to be taken on outings, preferably in a little metal box. Shortbread can be made in many shapes; when it is baked in a round tart pan and then cut into pointed wedges, they are referred to as Petticoat Tails.

Cherry-Berry Hand Pies
Your guests will love the big fruit flavor packed into these portable little hand pies. Fresh blackberries and dried cherries are encased in the sturdy dough, ready to be eaten out of hand, with a thermos of hot tea. Yum!

Lemon Tea Bread
​This intensely flavored lemon quick bread will charm your guests at your Urban Tea on the Go. It is actually a portable loaf cake rather than a bread and will be served with the other sweets. You can make this tea bread a day early; keep it at room temperature, tightly wrapped, in the pan in which it was baked. Pack the loaf pan, still wrapped, in your picnic basket, and bring along an oblong platter or cutting board for serving.

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