What Came First? The Milk or the Tea?

About three weeks ago I decided that the thing missing from my life, was a tea set. Seriously. So I spent some time searching for a tea set I could afford; and found out that there apparently is no such animal. Sure I could build a set with a tea pot here, a saucer there...maybe a cup down the road...which really might be fun to have a beautiful if totally mismatched set. The problem was that I had to have it now. How was I supposed to have a tea party without a tea set? Luckily one of my girlfriends had a lovely set from the now defunct Bombay company which she lent me for the occasion so problem solved.



Ironically I don't recall ever having had tea parties when I was a kid, and now that I realize that I'm quite surprised because I was definitely the tea party having kind of kid. Regardless, armed with a tea set nothing would now stop me from having a tea party. I invited my girlfriends who were likely to come, coordinated a menu with Giselle and spent two days baking and mixing.

Menu:
Cucumber sandwiches on pumpernickel
Goat cheese and watercress on roasted garlic bread
Shrimp salad sandwiches
Deviled eggs

Cheese scones (courtesy of Giselle)
Blueberry muffins (also courtesy of Giselle)
Of course there was: clotted cream, lemon curd, and strawberry preserves

Raspberry filled lemon cupcakes
Chocolate dipped strawberries
Chocolate mousse
Pecan Praline Cheesecakes



Naturally I forgot to take a picture of the desserts which is really a pity. And let me tell you, filling cupcakes, which is something I've never done before, was ever so much fun!

Had a lot of fun with the girls who all did their part by dressing up and taking my regression to the age of 5 quite seriously. Which I much appreciated. So, whether you add your milk to the cup first a la Her Royal Highness (that would be the Queen, not me) or add your milk to your tea like a backwards colonist (as I was once accused of being when I put my milk in my tea), a tea party is a excellent excuse to get your girls together and eat tiny food. I will definitely be having more tea parties in the future!