A Chinese Dim Sum Tea

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,
A girl tills the field with her
Water buffalo.

At the Ming Tombs, two
Stone rams, face to face, beneath
A golden maple.

High in a hotel
On Hong Kong Harbor, tourists
Look down at a hawk.

Piles of red paper 
From fireworks on the last day
Of Chinese New Year

In March fog, a night
Heron lands on a junk in
Aberdeen Harbor

Even as darkness
Falls, farmers in the rain plant
Their last rice seedlings.

 

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

Guidelines for the Guest

  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 Utensils and Accessories

  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

Tea Menu Basics

  Sandwiches and Savories
  Savory Spreads and Dips
  Scones and Tea Breads

About Lemons

  Afternoon Tea and the Four Seasons

     A Spring Tea
     An Outdoor Summer Tea
     A Winter Afternoon Tea
     An Autumn Afternoon Tea

A Calendar of Tea Parties

  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

Lemon Yogurt Wedding Cake

  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 World of Tea Parties

  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