Since tea originated in China, it is fitting to celebrate China’s gift to the world with a Chinese tea party. The dim sum style of cuisine is almost always eaten in restaurants rather than cooked at home. At a dim sum restaurant, employees roam throughout the room, pushing carts loaded with small bite-sized servings of a wide variety of tasty morsels, both savory and sweet. Customers can simply point to the dishes they want, and the server will place the food directly on the table. Hot tea always accompanies dim sum.
For your tea party, we suggest that you order the food directly from a good dim sum restaurant, rush it home (or have a friend serve as your pick-up and delivery person,) and serve it as quickly as possible, as dim sum tastes best immediately after it is prepared.
But first, why not treat yourself to several trips to your local dim sum restaurant to discover which items you like best. (You might hesitate to start with the chicken feet, but don’t be afraid to be adventurous.)
The foods we are suggesting for your dim sum menu are popular classics which we have eaten ourselves on numerous happy occasions. However, feel free to substitute your own favorites.
Haiku in China
In the autumn haze, At the Ming Tombs, two |
High in a hotel Piles of red paper |
In March fog, a night Even as darkness |
Menu
Beverages:
Green Tea
Jasmine Tea
Chrysanthemum Tea (a caffeine-free tisane)
Savories:
Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gao)
Steamed Pork Dumplings (Shumai)
Savory Turnip Cake or Taro Cake
Tea Marbled Eggs
(These are not normally served with dim sum, but they are delicious, and you can make them yourself the day before the party.)
Steamed Chinese Broccoli with Hoisin Sauce
Steamed Barbecued Pork Buns (Cha Shu Bao)
Sweets:
Steamed Egg Custard Buns
Deep Fried Sesame Balls Filled with Sweetened Bean Paste
Mini Mochi Balls with Liquid Black Sesame Filling (Warning! Eat these in one bite.)
Steamed Sponge Cake
Recipe Included:
Tea Marbled Eggs
Tea Marbled Eggs have been a popular snack in China for centuries. They are usually sold in teashops as a quick bite with tea, but we think they would be splendid with a more leisurely Dim Sum Afternoon Tea. They are a brilliant invention—boiled eggs with the shells cracked but not removed, and the eggs simmered again in strong Lapsang souchong tea to impart a decoratively marbled appearance and smoky flavor to the eggs. Encourage your friends to admire the beautiful marbled patterns on the eggs as they enjoy them with the savory vinegar and tea flavored mayonnaise topping.
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THE TEA BOOK
The Road Back to Civilization
A Brief History of Tea
Philosophy of Tea
Harmony
Humility
Respect
Creativity
Guidelines for the Host/Hostess
Gathering and Greeting
Sharing Stories
Sharing Food
Sending the Guests Home
Respect your Hostess/Host
Bring a Gift if You Wish
Practice Humility
Monitor Your Conversation
Arrive With a Grateful Attitude
Help if Help is Needed
Do Not Criticize
Leave Gracefully
Send a Thank you Note
A Checklist for Planning a Tea Party
Teas of the World and How to Make Tea
A Sampling of Teas
Herbal Teas and Tisanes
How to Make Tea
Making Iced Tea
Tea Concentrate
Brewing Tea for a Crowd
Tea Kettle
Tea Pot
Tea Cozy
Teacups
Plates
Silverware
Teacart
Tea Strainer
Tea Infuser
Three-Tiered Server
Cream Pitcher and Sugar Bowl
Cake Pedestal
Trifle Bowl
Jam Pots
Serving Dishes, Platters, and Trays
Silver Tea Set or Silver Tray
Linens
Kitchen Equipment for Food Preparation
Sandwiches and Savories
Savory Spreads and Dips
Scones and Tea Breads
Afternoon Tea and the Four Seasons
A Spring Tea
An Outdoor Summer Tea
A Winter Afternoon Tea
An Autumn Afternoon Tea
January:A Japanese New Year’s Tea
February:Valentine’s Day Tea
March:A St. Patrick’s Day Irish Tea
April:An Easter Tea
May:Mother’s day Tea
June:A Wedding Reception Tea
July:A Picnic Tea
AUGUST:A FAMILY REUNION TEA
A North American Family Reunion Tea
An Eastern Mediterranean Family Reunion Tea
A Kosher Family Reunion Tea
A Scandinavian Family Reunion Tea
September:An Ozark Farm Harvest Tea
October:A Tea to Honor Our Ancestors(Dia de los Muertos)
November:A Post Thanksgiving Tea
December: A Christmas Tea
In Defense of Fruitcake:Fruitcakes and Candied Fruit
A Chinese Dim Sum Tea
A Portuguese Tea
A Classic British Afternoon Tea
An Indian Chai Party
A California Tea
A Hawaiian Tea
An Italian Tea
An American Southern Tea
A Russian Tea
A French Afternoon Tea
A Kosher Teawith Traditional Jewish Foods
Afternoon Tea for Special Occasions
An Afternoon Tea for Children
A Tea for Our Elders
A Honey Bee Tea in the Garden
An Urban Tea on the Go
Tea for One
Afternoon Tea For a Large Group
A Vegan Tea
A Rose Tea