Browsing Category Tea Party

Brown Butter Blueberry Poppy Seed Cake

in Breakfast Cakes Tea Party on 1 50 Views

Lucky for me, our summer vacation to visit my Aunt and Uncle in North Truro coincided with blueberry season. I was delighted to go wild blueberry picking near the dunes with their friend, Ira. We let some air out of the tires, and Ira drove us to his secret location. We were quickly enveloped in curtains of blueberry bushes the size of redwood trees. I entered “the zone” and began to pluck the large, vibrant berries from the bushes with methodical precision. Too much pressure and you could rupture the berry in your fingers. It was an artful dance to procure the ripest blueberries for pancakes and muffins. At the end of the morning, my stomach was almost as full of berries as my bucket.

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Sugar Cookies

in Christmas Cookies Cookies Desserts Kid Friendly Tea Party on 2 26 Views

There is something magical about Christmas themed treats.  For me, sugar cookies are the epitome of Christmas sweets with Italian flag cookies taking a close second.  And now, what birthday party or baby shower is complete without themed sugar cookie?  I’m not talking about the Pillsbury sugar cookie rolls that you slice and bake.  Although, these do evoke a certain childhood nostalgia since they had to fill in the gap years when my mom went on a sugar cookie baking hiatus.  I’m talking about the painstaking make-from-scratch sugar cookie dough that you hope might roll out correctly.  Then, you pray that the dough will hold its shape as you press the copper or steel cookie cutters into the soft sugar dough. 

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Cherry Almond Scones

in Breakfast Desserts Tea Party on 2 18 Views

I first had scones in London when I was in college. It was at high tea at a nice hotel, and I was hooked. Of course, my Southern brain said, ”It’s just a sweetened biscuit.” Well, back then, you couldn’t find scones in the South and finding anything black currant was near impossible. So, cherry almond it is! Sometimes I make them for a special breakfast, and I always make them for tea parties. They are a satisfying accompaniment for tea or coffee. Of course, a dollop of clotted cream takes them over the top!

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Almond Cake

in Desserts Mostly Homemade Tea Party on 1 38 Views

No one will ever think this cake came from a box. I had Christina fooled for years! She would rave about this cake, and I was so intimidated by her cooking skills that I wouldn’t give her the recipe. I didn’t want her to know it came from a box! I was afraid I’d lose all credibility since it wasn’t totally from scratch. Well, obviously we have come past that point in our relationship.

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Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

in Cakes Southern Tea Party on 1 30 Views

Meyer Lemons are special. They are a hybrid of a common lemon and mandarin orange. They become ripe around December in the South and can be difficult to find in grocery stores because their delicate skin bruised easily during shipping. But, boy are they delicious! They have a more complex floral flavor which is sweeter and less acidic than the common lemon. I think this classic pound cake showcases the sophisticated flavor.

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Shortbread

in Comfort Foods Cookies Desserts Tea Party on 1 9 Views

Shortbread is my favorite “cookie.” Of course, in most of the world it is called a “biscuit,” and everyone knows that I love a biscuit! Shortbread is like the blank canvas of cookies. It’s great by itself or dressed up with lemon curd, praline pecan topping, or dipped in chocolate. This version is light and flakey, not too sweet, and perfect to go with tea or coffee.

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