Old Style Afternoon Tea Party

LameWolf

trailingspouse wrote: »

I'm not a vegetarian, but when I entertain vegetarian friends, I always make sure there's suitable food provided.

Funny how it doesn't seem to work the other way round...

I would suggest ham and mustard sandwiches, quiche lorraine, and mini sausage rolls.

It's not always so easy for veggies to provide meat dishes. I for one am literally nauseated by the smell of meat and fish, and cannot handle it at all._pale_

Then there's the food poisoning risk - yes, I know that doesn't apply to things like sliced ham, but it does if you're preparing something baked with meat in.

Many years ago, my DH's sister's veggie friend hosted a dinner party, and cooked meat for all the carnivores, and all who ate the meat dish ended up with food poisoning, because the poor woman simply had no idea how to cook meat, and didn't realise you can't do it like you would the veggie alternatives.

MessyBetty

Just had a thought how about a tea themed quiz? You could place them on the tables it will get everyone talking you could make it personal like at what age did I...... or have it themed on the mad hatters tea party? There are some lovely ideas here, I would suggest getting a selection of teas and make a menu card up of them, I love earl grey. I hope that you have a lovely birthday x

MessyBetty

Oh and little jam jars or terracotta plant pots with flowers in x

Horace

If you can bake scones, then bake a variety eg. cheese, dried fruit, plain - the cheese ones to be served with butter, the others with clotted cream and jam.

There seems to be lots of pretty plates in the charity shops at the moment including teapots (you might have to ask as they don't always put them out). I have tiny teapots enough for one but I needed a larger teapot for when I am entertaining so got one from a charity shop for £2.50 - the shop was mortified that they hadn't had time to clean it so I said it wasn't a problem because I would clean it myself so they told me to go to the cheap shop over the road to get some baby sterilising fluid cheaply as that doesn't leave an after taste. One afternoon of soaking and the teapot looks as good as new.

Solarjunkie

If it's going to be at Easter, what about asking people to wear Easter bonnets? These could be that gorgeous hat you only wore once for a wedding or a straw hat covered in plastic flowers or one of those funny seaside hats or anything else that people can think of! A real ice breaker, you could even have a prize.
As far as the food, keep the pieces small, otherwise you may find things with one bite taken out & the rest has to go to the dog. Little cakes & sandwiches look dainty too, there appears more on offer & there's less waste. You could do veggy sausage rolls too, with a dab of mustard your meaty friends will just think you have strayed for their sakes. Have a great day.

themull1

You could get the three tiered cardboard cakestands, they look pretty with little cakes on. If you didnt want to bake everything, you can get french fancies, macaroons etc that are really colourful. smoked salmon and cream cheese sarnies, roasted veg and cream cheese, cheese savoury, egg mayonnaise are all nice fillings, buy disposable everything to save on washing up!!

happy35

I always like Battenburg with afternoon tea, and also use the cardbaord cake stands from Poundworld. I buy the battenburg but do make butterfly cakes and scones, date and walnut are my favourite but foudn that walnut and stilton was popular for a change.

amandaatnumber7

I had an Tea Party for my engagement party a few years ago, I collected vintage tea cups/saucers, plates and cut glass vases ect from the charity shop and splurged on a 3 tier cake server. I decorated with lavender and rosemary from a friends garden.
Food was finger sandwiches, pork pies, scones with jam and cream, battenburgs, mini cup cakes and I did get make some hot food like spinach and ricotta rolls and pin wheels to fill people up as they were drinking
We of course toasted with champagne

whichwhydoIturn

I make my own crumpets & English muffins I use gingerbread men and heart shaped cookie cutters to cook the crumpets in

Penny-Pincher!!

Ive done an afternoon tea buffet before (quite a long time ago now!), but we did different sandwiches and quartered them. Think we had grated cheddar, ham, tuna mayo, salmon and cream cheese and egg mayo with cress.

Then there were sausage rolls, quiche, cocktail sausages then cheese with pineapple. Sweet stuff were scones with jam, clotted cream and butter, home made cake and butterfly cakes. Then pots of tea and think we did a pot of coffee to. Had the sugar bowl with cubed sugar, milk jug and cream for the coffee.

I think just doing veggie items, I'd do:

Cheddar quartered sandwiches
Egg mayo with cress quartered sandwiches
Cream cheese with cucumber quartered sandwiches
Marmite by itself or cheese quartered sandwiches
Cooled and sliced ready veggie quiche/s
Cheese pastry sticks
Cheese and pineapple sticks
Bowls of nuts/crisps

Jar of pickle
Jar of pickled onions
Jar of gherkins
Mayo/Salad cream

Plain and fruit scones on a tiered platter
Curled butter separate on a plate
Home made slices of cake

Large teapot for tea & Large teapot boiling water
Sugar bowl with cubes and tongs
Milk jug

Cotton napkins
Matching cutlery
Matching chintzy china items
Tooth picks for cheese and pineapple sticks

HTH

PP
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