Summer is here and everything has changed. Those of us who are vaccinated can gather without masks, eat in restaurants, and attend cultural events once again. We can even think about traveling to visit our loved ones after more than a year of absence. In this new time of possibility, we remember past summers and the simple joy of road trips with family and friends.

While we long to “get back to normal” and reclaim the “good old days,” we know in our hearts that after more than a year of a world-wide pandemic which killed shocking numbers of our fellow human beings, we will never ever be the same. We will be different, and there is hope that we can even be better. We have learned that the world is a single globe, and an illness anywhere is a danger to all of us everywhere. Maybe we can reclaim the simple skills of sharing and caring about everyone who lives on our Earth.

We can look for small signs, little changes that can lead us to a happier and healthier path as we move into this new future. Even the way we eat could shift in quiet ways. We could try being a little more adventurous, or perhaps just a little bit less picky. Here’s an idea. Let’s welcome every kind of food into our daily meals. And let’s treat the food we eat with respect and reverence. Let’s slow down and appreciate every bite. Remember what fun potlucks were when you were a child? Whether it was a school, a church, a neighborhood or an extended family, people would get together, and every group would bring a favorite dish to share. Potlucks went on for hours, and no one was ever in a hurry to leave.

In those days, no one would dream of showing up late at a potluck with a pint of coleslaw in a plastic container from Safeway, a bag of potato chips, or worst of all, empty handed. People took the time to make their specialty, something that everybody looked forward to. Women gained their reputations for making the best fried chicken, the best flan, the best potato salad, the best chocolate brownies, the best chicken adobo, the best butter mochi, the best enchiladas, the best baklava, or the best Chinese chicken salad, and the list of “the best” never seemed to end. Every item on the potluck table was eaten, appreciated, and talked about.Most of these memorable dishes were made from inexpensive ingredients but required time and careful attention to every detail of preparation, flavor, and presentation. Many were based on old family recipes, cherished for years and handed down by parents and grandparents. Some of these special foods originated in some faraway land and became household treasures. Because a potluck is a gathering that celebrates and respects the heritage and traditions of every family present, there were unspoken “rules” that made every potluck a grand occasion:

• Never bring a dish that you did not make yourself to a potluck.
• Serve your specialty in an attractive and appropriate container, preferably your very best casserole dish or an attractive cake plate or pedestal.
• Disposable aluminum pans are not welcome at a potluck, no matter how convenient they may seem to be.
• Always bring the right utensils to serve your special dish.
• Never arrive at a potluck with your ingredients in a bag, hoping to assemble your dish after you get there.
• When it’s time to eat, remove the lid or wrapping from your dish so guests can help themselves. Don’t expect the organizers of the potluck to do that for you.
• Never, never, never bring a store-bought pie to a potluck. It will make everyone sad.

As I think back fondly on all the potlucks I loved as a child, I can see now that the unique charm of a potluck is its eclectic nature. No one at a potluck would ever say, “Hay, what’s that Prune Cake doing on the table? This is a Chinese buffet!” But when we eat in restaurants, we usually choose a particular type of food, perhaps of national or regional origin: Japanese, Thai, Mexican, Italian, Indian, Chinese, American or Southern Barbecue. Even at home we seldom serve different types of cuisine at the same meal. Why not? Isn’t a food item that is delicious and memorable always good, no matter when or where it is eaten?While I am familiar with the nuances of menu development and the selection of harmonious foods based on the season, the terroir (environmental factors affecting crops and livestock in a specific area,) color, texture, flavors and compatible ingredients, I still think there is plenty to learn and appreciate through the inter-cultural sharing of foods in a single meal. It might be fun to apply this principle to a family dinner or even a Tea Party.

As you know, our website is all about Afternoon Tea from the international perspective. As I look back over our blogs and our Tea Party menus from countries all over the world, I am thinking how delightful it would be to bring many cultures together in a single tea party. Here is a hypothetical Afternoon Tea menu including some of my favorite foods from faraway places I have visited in my travels.

Hot Chai (India)
Genmai Cha (Japan)
Iced Rooibos Tea (South Africa)

Artichoke Cheese Frittata
(California: Rose’s January 2020 Blog)
Isaac’s Roasted Tomato Salsa
(California Mexican Heritage: Rose’s August 2019 Blog)
Tea Smoked Eggs
(China: Rose’s February 2020 Blog)
Open-Faced Smoked Salmon Sandwiches on Swirled Rye
(Russia: Website: A World of Tea Parties: A Russian Tea)

Breads and Cheeses
Margaret Murdock’s Irish Soda Bread with Kerry Gold Butter and Orange Marmalade
(Ireland: Website: March: A St. Patrick’s Day Irish Tea)
Hawaiian Banana Bread with Cream Cheese and Guava Jelly
(Hawaii: Rose’s May 2017 Blog)
Cheese and Condiment Platter
Manchego with Quince Paste (Spain)
Jarlsberg (Switzerland) with Cucumber Namasu
(Japan: Website: January: A Japanese New Year’s Tea)
Cheddar with Branston Pickle Relish and Carr’s Whole Wheat Crackers (England)Sweets
Malva Pudding
(Botswana: Rose’s July 2017 Blog)
Mexican Wedding Cookies
(Mexico: Also known as Russian Tea Cakes: Website: October Dia de los Muertos Tea)
Chocolate Almond Torte
(France: Rose’s April 2019 Blog)
Baklava
(Greece: Website: August: Greek or Mediterranean Family Reunion Tea)

I hope you will enjoy all these flavors together in a single festive Tea Party. Of course, you are welcome to add or subtract items depending on the size of your gathering. As you can see, I have substituted a Bread and Cheese course for the scones usually served at a traditional Tea Party. Feel free to include your own international touches based on your preferences and experiences. For example, adding some good French Brie or some excellent Italian Salami to the cheese tray would not be a mistake. I am thinking that your guests can spoon some of the very spicy Isaac’s Roasted Tomato Salsa over the relatively mild flavored Artichoke Frittata, but don’t hesitate to include corn chips with the salsa if you wish. The Chocolate Almond Torte is one of my personal favorites, and I believe that every Tea Party should include at least something chocolate in the Sweets course. However, you can certainly simplify by substituting some good quality store-bought Belgian chocolates.

Finally, for those of you, who, like me and Kathleen, enjoy reading Victoria magazine for its lovely aesthetics and polite charm, we are happy to announce that both of us have been published in the July and August issue. Look for the section called “Reader to Reader,” which invites readers to submit mini essays on a specific topic, in this issue, “Cherished Heirlooms.” Turn to page 11 for Kathleen’s essay on a treasured girl’s wine-colored velvet dress that has been in our family for decades and which both my sister and I wore as children. My essay is about the pink Depression glass I inherited from my grandmother, and which I use every time I host a Tea Party.