Taste of Americana: Springtime Perfect for ‘Taking Tea’

Barbie Butz

Springtime Perfect for ‘Taking Tea’

At a recent committee meeting at the home of one of the members, the hostess had prepared to serve us tea before we began. She had set her dining table with a fragrant bouquet of fresh flowers, filled two beautiful china teapots with loose tea and boiling water, and included plates of sweet and savory treats. We enjoyed sipping a cup of tea from some of the lovely china teacups in her collection.

The experience was delightful and set the tone for our meeting which moved along very smoothly, perhaps because we had all shared a centuries-old ritual, that of “taking tea” even if it was not a “high tea,” which involves much more ritual.

The month of May, offering an abundance of spring blooms and weather that has not yet heated up, is the perfect time to plan a springtime tea party. Unpack those teapots and start planning! Your friends and family members will be delighted to attend.

This month, I’m including recipes from a cookbook in my collection, titled “The Pleasures of Afternoon Tea," authored by Angela Hynes, who was raised in Manchester in the north of England. The book was published in 1989.

This simple tea cake can be made a day or two ahead and tastes even better when it is.

Orange Tea Loaf

Ingredients:

2 cups self-rising flour 2½ teaspoons baking powder Pinch of salt ¼ cup butter, room temperature ¾ cup sugar 1 egg Grated peel of ½ orange 2 tablespoons orange juice 2 tablespoons milk Butter for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 8” x 4” loaf pan; set aside. In large bowl, cream ¼ cup butter and sugar with an electric mixer or a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then orange peel, orange juice and milk. Fold in dry ingredients. Spoon into loaf pan; smooth top. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely. Wrap loaf airtight to store 1 to 2 days. Slice and serve with butter. Makes 8 to 10 servings

These little tarts come from Coventry, a city in the midlands of England where, among many legends, Lady Godiva took her famous ride! For the crust, purchase ready-made tart cups or use your favorite recipe for a short crust.

Coventry Tartlets Filling

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature ½ cup sugar ¼ cup butter, room temperature ...Cheers!2 egg yolks Pinch of salt ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 tablespoon orange juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease tartlet pans if using homemade dough. On lightly floured surface, thinly roll out pastry with floured rolling pin. Cut into rounds with 3-inch cookie cutter. Line pans with pastry or premade crusts; prick bottoms of fresh dough lightly with a fork. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, butter, egg yolks, salt nutmeg and orange juice. Beat with wooden spoon or electric mixer until smooth. Divide among pastry shells; smooth tops. If using premade tartlet cups, cover with a piece of foil and bake 10 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, remove foil and bake 10 minutes more, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Carefully remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes 12 tartlets.

Note: You will want to feature an assortment of sumptuous accompaniments at your tea. How many will depend on the style of the tea. A “high tea” will naturally require more, and a mixture of sweet and savory offerings is in order: Consider scones, cookies, cakes, pies, breads, tea sandwiches, trifles, mousses, tarts, sausage rolls, and shortbread bars. All portions should be small so that guests can enjoy several selections.

A tea is an opportunity to show off some of those platters, teapots, teacups, bowls and linens you’ve been hiding in the back of the cupboard for years.

There are many books at the library about putting on a tea.