Innehållsförteckning för Tea Pleasures 2018 från Victoria

Hosting a tea gives us a chance to sit down with those who are near and dear to us and share conversation, camaraderie, and delicious food. Getting together and enjoying each other’s company is at the heart of these memorable gatherings, and in making the preparations, we infuse our creativity in the cuisine and décor. The beauty of hosting a tea is that it can be as casual or as formal as you choose to make it. I hope the table settings in the pages that follow will provide fresh ideas for your events. So, get ready to bring out the monogrammed linens, the fresh flowers, and the carefully designed place cards. After all, it is the little details that add those thoughtful touches, letting guests know this is something…

Tea is prepared in many different ways around the world, but the majority is prepared by steeping teabags or loose tea in water, in a teapot, gaiwan, or glass. Here are a few guidelines to ensure that this style of brewing achieves the best possible results: ✢ Choose quality tea that has been carefully stored in an airtight container. ✢ Choose water that has been filtered to remove impurities and contains plenty of oxygen. (Japanese green teas do not require high levels of oxygen.) ✢ Heat the water to the appropriate temperature for the type of tea. ✢ Use a brewing vessel that allows the tea plenty of room to infuse. ✢ Use an appropriate quantity of tea for the volume of water used. ✢ Time the brew according to…

Rosemary-Olive Scones Makes 24 2 cups bread flour2 teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon salt4 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into pieces2 tablespoons finely chopped oil-cured olives1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves1 cup plus 4 tablespoons cold heavy whipping cream, divided 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add olives and rosemary, stirring until coated with flour mixture. Add 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons cream all at once, stirring lightly until mixture comes together and forms a dough. (If mixture seems dry, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until uniformly moist.) Using hands, bring dough…

Lavender Cream Scones Makes 12 2 cups self-rising flour*¼ cup granulated sugar¼ cup cold salted butter2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender1 teaspoon lemon zest½ cup cold heavy whipping cream1 large egg½ teaspoon vanilla extractConfectioners’ Sugar Glaze (recipe follows)Garnish: fresh culinary lavender flowers 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add dried lavender and lemon zest, stirring well. 3. In a small bowl, whisk together cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Add cream mixture to flour mixture, stirring to combine. Continue to bring dough together with hands. (If mixture seems dry, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until…

WHITE TEA White tea is the least processed of all tea categories. It is very gently handled so that leaf cells are not ruptured or bruised, and the buds in the finished tea are usually still covered with a silky layer of tiny silver-white hairs. These hairs (in Chinese, the Bai Hao or Pekoe) protect the new bud from the harmful effects of insect attacks, cold winds, bright sun, heavy rain, and so on. The bud also contains a high level of caffeine, which acts as an insecticide to protect the new shoots as they develop. White teas, originally from China’s Fujian Province, can be made from single buds or young shoots consisting of one new bud and one or two young open leaves. Once these have been carefully picked,…

Watercress Bisque with Crème Fraîche Makes approximately 3 cups 2 tablespoons olive oil1 large onion, chopped2 cloves garlic, minced2 bunches watercress, stems removed and chopped1½ cups chicken broth1 cup heavy whipping cream½ cup Crème Fraîche* (recipe follows)½ cup grated Parmesan cheese¾ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon ground black pepperGarnish: Crème Fraîche, watercress 1. In a heavy saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Add watercress; sauté for 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Purée using an immersion blender, or process in batches in the container of a blender. 3. Return to heat, and add cream, Crème Fraîche, cheese, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until thoroughly heated. Garnish with Crème…

Smoked Turkey and Cranberry-Orange Aïoli Finger Sandwiches Makes 30 ½ cup mayonnaise½ cup prepared cranberry sauce2 tablespoons orange zest20 slices sourdough bread, crusts removed½ pound thinly sliced smoked deli turkeyGarnish: fresh sage leaves, fresh cranberries 1. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, cranberry sauce, and orange zest. 2. Spread aioli over one side of each bread slice. Top half of bread slices with turkey. Cover with remaining bread slices, spread sides down. Cut each sandwich into thirds. Garnish with sage and cranberries, if desired. Ham and Cheese Pastries Makes 24 ¼ cup Dijon mustard2 tablespoons mayonnaise2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons poppy seeds1 (8-ounce) package sliced Jarlsberg cheese1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed1½ cups finely chopped maple-glazed ham2 egg yolks2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 1. In a small…