Kitchen Equipment for Food Preparation

You will notice that all of the recipes that accompany each menu in this book contain a list of “special equipment” required to prepare each food item. We want you to read the equipment list before you start cooking. Because foods for Afternoon Tea are somewhat specialized, we have assembled a “master list” of kitchen equipment that should enable you to prepare almost any recipe in this book. Of course you will not need to purchase every item on this list. If you never plan to bake madeleines, do not buy a madeleine pan. And you can certainly add the more specialized items over time. We also assume that you will already own much of the kitchen equipment in this inventory.

Pots and Pans:
Small saucepan, medium sized saucepan, large saucepan or Dutch oven, large stockpot, cast iron skillet

Electric Appliances:
Hand-held electric mixer, food processor, standing electric mixer, immersion blender, microwave oven, can opener

Kitchen Gadgets and Equipment:
Spice grinder, food chopper, rubber spatula, whisk, wooden spoon, citrus juicer, citrus grater, citrus zester, cheese and vegetable grater, sieve, colander, cutting board, large knife, serrated knife, paring knife, measuring spoons, cooking thermometer, one quart gelatin mold, cloth tea towels, candy molds (rose and leaf shapes).

Bowls and Measuring Cups:
Large, medium sized and small mixing bowls, smaller bowls, half-gallon glass measuring cup, one quart glass measuring cup, one pint glass measuring cup, measuring cups for dry ingredients

Baking Equipment:
Rolling pin, pastry blender, flour sifter or large sieve, cookie cutters in a variety of shapes (heart, egg, shamrock, star, Christmas tree, flower, etc.,) pastry bag with a variety of tips, (star, etc.,) cheesecloth, cookie press (lily of the valley, Christmas motifs, seasonal images, etc.), crumpet rings.

Specialized Pans for Baking:
Cookie sheets (at least two), nine-inch pie pan, eight-inch cake pan, nine-inch cake pans (at least three,) angel food cake pan, Bundt pan, 9” x 5” loaf pan, three 8” x 4” loaf pans (aluminum is okay,) jellyroll pan, madeleine (mini shell shaped cakes) pan, 13” x 9” baking pan, muffin pan, mini tart pan, nine-inch spring form pan, ten-inch spring form pan, sandbakkelser (Swedish sand tart) molds, kransekake (Norwegian ring cake) molds

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