You Should Host a Tea Party

Posted on 8 July, 2020 inFood Life Hacks

This past father’s day, I felt like we needed a change of pace and something fun to do, so I decided we should have a tea party. The specifics were inspired in part by a tea party we go to most years at a sci-fi/fantasy convention in Williamsburg, VA, called Marscon. While theirs is Dr. Who-themed, I also wanted to keep our tea party fairly simple, so there was no theme, though that shouldn’t be hard to weave in if you feel so inclined. 

My first step was to plan the menu, with suggestions from my stepdaughters. Much of our menu was inspired by Marscon’s, but I simplified it a bit, and added some things I knew my husband would enjoy. My aim was to have some homemade things, mixed with a few things from the store, and a few others that just needed basic construction. That way, we’d have lots of variety, lots of food, and some great teas. Of course, you can serve absolutely anything you like. As a rule, offer things in small amounts, like cucumber sandwiches cut into 4 triangles, because it’s fun to eat lots of different things. 

Our menu:

1. Pimento cheese on celery: This is pretty easy to make if you have a food processor, though you can also buy it pre-made, at least if you live in the south. There are tons of recipes out there, but give this one a try if you don’t have a favorite. I do usually add more pimentos, because I love them! Then just spoon some into 2- to 3-inch sections of celery. Very tasty! The pimento cheese can be made a day or two in advance.
2. Caprese skewers: Use bamboo skewers for grilling, or even toothpicks. Or just treat it like a salad. Add mozzarella balls, grape tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves to a skewer, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Our kids love them–and best of all, my oldest daughter made these herself. Don’t make these in advance–and don’t refrigerate fresh basil, or tomatoes unless they’ve been cut.
3. Curry chicken salad on mini croissants: I found curry chicken salad at Trader Joes that was quite good, though possibly a little strong. You could also use any kind of pre-made chicken salad, or make your own. I found mini croissants at WalMart, but you could also cut up larger ones. (I actually cut the minis into two.) Or use crackers, or whatever else appeals.
4. Ham and cheese biscuits: My husband loves biscuits and ham, so this was an easy choice for me. I wanted them to be fresh and good, without my having to bake them from scratch, so I bought one of those tubes of you-bake biscuits at the grocery store. I also got some thick pre-sliced ham, and sliced some extra-sharp cheddar. Offer condiments based on your crowd’s preferences. You might also brush the biscuits with butter and add garlic powder or whatever appeals before putting them in the oven. 
5. Deviled eggs: I love these so much, and the kids enjoy making them without supervision or assistance (!), so it was also an easy choice. If you hard boil and even peel the eggs a day or two in advance, these are pretty fast to make. 
6. Cucumber sandwiches: Use thin white bread, put a thin layer of spreadable cream cheese on each side, add thinly sliced, peeled cucumber, and cut off the crusts. (These are the only sandwiches I’d ever do that for, but they’re meant to be delicate.) You can also add dill weed or other things, to your taste. These are big favorites, and my youngest daughter made them perfectly.
7. Mini scones with lemon curd and jam: During the plague, I have made scones twice, and both times they were dreadful. So, I started with a different recipe, but also one that was new to me. Risky, but it paid off. They were delicious! Leave out the vanilla, because that has no business being in scones, and add raisins or currants. Cut into small pieces to make mini-scones. (I also learned that you can freeze the dough, and they bake up perfectly later on. That was a wonderful treat–especially because the kids scarfed these up with lightning speed.) I found lemon curd at Trader Joe’s, but I understand it’s not hard to make. I also would have liked clotted cream, which is traditional on scones, but couldn’t find any. I’ve been told it’s not hard to make either, so maybe next time. I made the scones the night before, and they were perfect.

As for the tea, we had four different varieties. That’s one aspect of the Marscon tea that I’ve always enjoyed, though I often don’t like some of their teas. The solution to that is to understand your audience, and then offer them three new teas that you think they’ll like, plus one old standby for when they’re done being adventurous. That means no bergamot for us, but mint for my husband. First, we had Tazo’s Cucumber White tea, which is low caffeine. It has black tea and lime flavors, and it was good, though subtle. This tea made me wish I’d offered lemon or lime wedges at the table. We also had Teavana’s Peach Tranquility, which is decaffeinated. It has apple, pineapple, and chamomile flavors as well as peach. I quite liked it. The tea I enjoyed most was one I first tasted at the last (2020) Marscon, which was held shortly before the world went sideways. It’s called Williamsburg Port, from Discover Teas, and it’s a mix of black tea, apple chunks, cranberry, blackcurrant, hibiscus, and other flavors. It’s absolutely delicious, as well as a dramatic rich red color. 

One issue with this part of the shindig is that, as I realized very late in the planning (shortly before we were due to sit and eat), we didn’t have any teapots in the house. I have at least two or three, but most of my stuff is in storage right now for a variety of reasons (long story). So, please have teapots handy, or a reasonable substitute. (I used a glass 2-cup measure and it was not a reasonable substitute.) Note that they’re easy to find at thrift stores, which it will one day be safe to go back into. Heat the pots with hot water before making tea, to help keep the tea warm, and wrap the pot in a towel for insulation. Also, don’t over-steep the tea (leave the teabags in for too long), as it will tend to make the tea bitter. Part of the fun for us, once we’ve tried all of the teas, is going back for our favorites, so make extra. And if you have picky drinkers, keep some juice handy. Of course, incclude a sugar bowl on the table, and some honey if that’s your thing. Asking people to pass the food and the sugar and so forth is one of the charming aspects of the event, to me. 

For next time, I’ve decided on a few changes. I will try to add one more item to the menu (though not sure what yet), and bring the food out in two or three courses, to slow things down a bit. If any of your partiers are the kind to wolf their food, I recommend this approach. We also ran out of a few things, so I will generally make more food–though we were also quite ravenous by the time we sat down. 

I’m also going to try to bring in a theme in some way, if only in the form of trivia cards. We have Harry Potter trivia for sure, and probably Dr. Who, and maybe more. It’s key to pick trivia or another non-space-intensive game that everyone can play, or you will lose the kids. Consider a phone app for that as well. 

I’ve already told my husband I want a tea party of my own sometime this year, so he’s ready for it. It’s a great opportunity to involve the kids in the prep, and it’s fun to use nice china if you have it. If you don’t: well, it’s easy to find china for cheap these days. Apparently the Millennials aren’t really into china. But it’s pretty, and fancy, and nice for special occasions. If you own a home and aren’t planning to move soon, maybe pick some up at a yard sale or a thrift store and have fun with it. Or check and see if your parents or grandparents have some they don’t use and would like to pass on. 

In the end, though, it’s all about gathering at a table with friends or family to eat, drink, and be merry. Enjoy it, as often as you (safely) can!