Tea parties can be both formal and informal. A lovely tea would be a great mother-daughter bonding afternoon to catch up on each others latest activities as well as a chance to invite your daughter's friends to get to know them better. The formal tea has very long roots in English tradition. In the 18th century, it was custom for high society ladies to accept callers with a morning tea. Coffeehouses in this time period were strictly off limits to ladies, so they met in their bedchambers to serve tea to their callers. While drinking tea is credited to Catharine of Braganza, for bringing the fashion of the serving tea into a social event, it has varying roots based on culture and serving styles. An informal tea can be during morning hours, an afternoon tea is usually served between 4pm-6pm, and a high tea is served between 5pm-7pm. Choose whether you want your tea to be an indoor gathering event or a garden party.
Afternoon to Remember is a lovely website about all things tea, and even talks in depth about proper tea etiquette. According to their website "it is said that the afternoon tea tradition was established by Anne, Duchess of Bedford. She requested that light sandwiches be brought to her in the late afternoon because she had a “sinking feeling” during that time because of the long gap between meals. She began to invite others to join her and thus became the tradition".
So, for your tea time, choose which type of tea tradition you will be serving. Sending out a formal invitation can add to the elegance and can certainly just be sent to your daughter requesting her presence at a formal tea. There are many companies that specialize in selling tea cups and you do not have to have your tea cups match, in fact, it can be more of a conversation starter to have different tea cups from which to choose. If you like to garage sale hop, this is perfect way to find adorable, and non matching tea cups with saucers. Serving finger-sized sandwiches, small pastries, and scones with clumped cream and lemon curd adds a nice touch. You can choose to make your tea informal or go all out with high fashion hats and tea dresses.
Cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches:
1 loaf white bread
1/2 cup cream cheese (Depending on the palette of your guests you can use a chive cream cheese) You can always use unsalted butter as well.
1 thinly sliced English Cucumbers (less seeds)
salt and pepper according to taste
Spread the cream cheese evenly with cream cheese, cover one side with cucumber slices, salt and pepper to taste, put together and cut crust, then cut twice diagonally to create a triangle.
Optional ingredients for your tea sandwiches:
turkey- raspberry cream cheese
cheese- use a little mayo and then your choice of cheese
peanut butter and jelly- confirm no guest have allergies to peanut butter
Peanut butter and banana
brie and finely sliced apples
chicken salad
Artichoke/Parmesan spread
Afternoon to Remember is a lovely website about all things tea, and even talks in depth about proper tea etiquette. According to their website "it is said that the afternoon tea tradition was established by Anne, Duchess of Bedford. She requested that light sandwiches be brought to her in the late afternoon because she had a “sinking feeling” during that time because of the long gap between meals. She began to invite others to join her and thus became the tradition".
So, for your tea time, choose which type of tea tradition you will be serving. Sending out a formal invitation can add to the elegance and can certainly just be sent to your daughter requesting her presence at a formal tea. There are many companies that specialize in selling tea cups and you do not have to have your tea cups match, in fact, it can be more of a conversation starter to have different tea cups from which to choose. If you like to garage sale hop, this is perfect way to find adorable, and non matching tea cups with saucers. Serving finger-sized sandwiches, small pastries, and scones with clumped cream and lemon curd adds a nice touch. You can choose to make your tea informal or go all out with high fashion hats and tea dresses.
Cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches:
1 loaf white bread
1/2 cup cream cheese (Depending on the palette of your guests you can use a chive cream cheese) You can always use unsalted butter as well.
1 thinly sliced English Cucumbers (less seeds)
salt and pepper according to taste
Spread the cream cheese evenly with cream cheese, cover one side with cucumber slices, salt and pepper to taste, put together and cut crust, then cut twice diagonally to create a triangle.
Optional ingredients for your tea sandwiches:
turkey- raspberry cream cheese
cheese- use a little mayo and then your choice of cheese
peanut butter and jelly- confirm no guest have allergies to peanut butter
Peanut butter and banana
brie and finely sliced apples
chicken salad
Artichoke/Parmesan spread
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