Tea Time

Years ago, I  inherited a Shelley China tea set from my Grandma. It's white and pretty although it was terribly stained when I first received it. I soaked it in Napisan of all things for about 3 days and it bleached the fine bone china beautifully.  Ever since, it's been resting comfortably in a cabinet and never used.

Now I'm not a hoarder of things but I remember being at my Grans when the 'best china' and chocolate biscuits were brought out. The gentile afternoon tea with the Vicar and being told to behave like a grown up with a cup and saucer, so it does have some sentimental value.

However, my nickname being "Basher Bainbridge" (really) because I rarely have a glass in the house by Christmas is well earned. But what's the point of having a beautiful tea service if you never use it? Nothing. So this Sunday, Clare, Adam, Amy and I made and ate 'High Tea'. It was a cold, grey day and frankly the fun was in the making rather than the eating. Lovely afternoon, thank you kidlets.

This has become quite a popular thing over here in hotels and restaurants. Tea and scones, jam and cream, dainty cakes and savouries and the odd glass of bubbly. So, we broke out the Shelley, had an AWESOME time plooking around in the kitchen, decided that our piping bag was total shit and the old calico number my mother had deserves merit and that I can make a quiche without measuring anything. Clare can actually cook without using chocolate and I am capable of burning an entire block of dark chocolate in the microwave. Thanks Ads for noticing the smoke.  And, I mastered choux pastry . . man that's going to get some mileage. Today eclairs, tomorrow croquembouche!

Amy did the cupcakes and cucumber/cream cheese, smoked salmon sandwiches and chocolate berry tarts, Clare, prawn with rocket and garlic aeoli sandwiches, the fluffiest of scones with whipped cream and blueberry jam and I tackled mini eclairs and  mini florentine  quiches. Adam did a sterling job of assembling smoked salmon and Danish salami rolls and ribbon sarnies (not together obviously) and not one item of Shelley was broken largely due to Clare volunteering to wash up.  Oh and Sarah Lee provided the carrot cake 'cos Amy loves Sarah Lee carrot cake. The tea was Russian Caravan, apparently nutty and fragrant, frankly a little disappointing but then I like tea so strong you can stand your spoon in it. I naturally poured a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.

Mini Quiche Florentine sans recipe

Cheaters Carrot Cake

Chocolate Custard and Mixed Berry Tartlets

Mini Chocolate Eclairs

Prawn and Roquet Sandwiches in Garlic Aoli

Cucumber Dill Cream Cheese Ribbon Sarnies

Vanilla Mini Cupcakes - Nobody fart or you'll kill the cat

And Tea . . I wish I'd taken the bar code off the strainer GAH!

The only problem, we could have done with about 8 other participants. High tea bento boxes for the next week.