Mother’s Day high tea
Spring has sprung and Mother’s Day is just around the corner! It’s a wonderful occasion to spend with family and celebrate the moms in our lives.
How about putting a little spin into your Mother’s Day tradition and have a fun high tea party at your house or back yard? Don’t have a back yard? Grab a thermos and a picnic basket and head outside!
What is High Tea?
Simply put, it’s a classic entertaining event often used to celebrate special occasions or milestones. Many tea rooms have been offering high tea or afternoon tea on the weekends.
Instead of going to a cafe or restaurant, why not re-create the elegance and sense of tradition at home? You don’t have to be a gourmet to create a simple menu and can probably make use of a lot of dinnerware you already have on hand. High tea at home is a fun, stress-free way to make Mother’s Day truly special, and fancy too.
What you need
- A set of cups, sausers and tea spoons
- A tablecloth and cute napkins
- A tea kettle
- Tea pot, infuser or large tea filters
- Good tea (of cause)!
- Sandwiches, cheese, pastries (store bought or homemade)
- Additional knickknacks (team, lemon, honey, sugar cubes or sweetener of choice)
Preparing Your Tea
It wouldn’t be high tea if you didn’t take the time to properly prepare and serve this beverage of honor.
First, prepare your teapot by bringing a kettle of water to a boil, pour a little into the pot, swish it around and then pour it away.
Next, add your tea and fill the teapot with hot water. Allow it to steep for several minutes, depending on the directions for the particular tea your are brewing.
Try a selection of different teas to last you throughout the event. Black teas include Earl Grey, Darjeeling, English Breakfast and Orange Pekoe. There are some great Oolongs from China, Taiwan or India, while Jasmine, Gunpower, Sencha or Dragon Well (Long Jing) are examples of green teas.
Note: green and white teas require lower temperature than black and herbal teas. Using boiling water will burn the delicate tea leaves and make your tea taste bitter. Wait a few minutes to allow your water to cool before pouring it over the tea leaves.
In addition to your tea, provide granular sugar or sugar cubes, thin slices of lemon, cream in a creamer, strawberry jam and clotted cream (for the scones) and good-quality honey.
Easy tea menu ideas
When most people think of a high tea menu, they automatically get visions of little cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off. This is a classic tea treat, but whatever your choose, make sure your creations are easy to handle and eat. Traditional tea accompaniments include scones, small tarts, cookies and finger sandwiches. Try these easy to make recipes below:
https://theteacupoflife.com/2019/11/classic-english-scones.html
http://www.thirstyfortea.com/recipes/turkey-tarragon-tea-sandwiches
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/meyer-lemon-chamomile-suzette-crepes-with-greek-yogurt
https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/a27245094/meyer-lemon-blueberry-cake-recipe/
https://www.teatimemagazine.com/blondie-bites-with-cherry-preserves
Don’t forget the music
Finish the mood with the perfect playlist. Here are some album ideas perfect for the event:
Tchaikovsky at Tea Time: A Refreshing Blend for Body and Spirit
Yesterday’s Love Songs/Today’s Blues (Nancy Wilson)
A Better Place (Julie Crochetiere)