Comments on: The Lazy Baker’s Way to Plan a Tea Party Menu http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu Teaching the Beautiful and Simple Afternoon Tea Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:06:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Tea Party Girl http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-180 Tea Party Girl Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:21:56 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-180 Alright, ladies, here's an update on my menu adjustments. You all know how I love spending time in the kitchen. So it was easy to ditch the salad and sundaes per your advice. I decided to substitute sorbet which made me ditch the cold fruit soup. The result? A true afternoon tea with a sea spa theme of light food. One course of the three-tiers with sorbet at the end. We'll see how it goes over with my food-loving group. I'll let you know. Thanks for your help! Alright, ladies, here’s an update on my menu adjustments.

You all know how I love spending time in the kitchen. So it was easy to ditch the salad and sundaes per your advice. I decided to substitute sorbet which made me ditch the cold fruit soup. The result? A true afternoon tea with a sea spa theme of light food. One course of the three-tiers with sorbet at the end. We’ll see how it goes over with my food-loving group. I’ll let you know.

Thanks for your help!

]]> By: Jamie http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-152 Jamie Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:07:35 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-152 Just to clarify - to me, aqua and mint are both indeed "spa colors"...just too close on the "color wheel" to use together (ie, I think they clash when placed close to each other). I'd use one or the other, but not both. But you have to do what you like, of course. :-) If you want to do a little extra advance work, you could easily make small ice bowls with embedded mint leaves to serve the sundaes in...I posted a brief set of instructions on my personal blog (linked to my name), but I can direct you to illustrated directions if you'd like. I know you said you don't want to do too much prep work in the kitchen, which is why I didn't suggest it earlier, but it would make a nice presentation... Just to clarify - to me, aqua and mint are both indeed “spa colors”…just too close on the “color wheel” to use together (ie, I think they clash when placed close to each other). I’d use one or the other, but not both. But you have to do what you like, of course. :-)

If you want to do a little extra advance work, you could easily make small ice bowls with embedded mint leaves to serve the sundaes in…I posted a brief set of instructions on my personal blog (linked to my name), but I can direct you to illustrated directions if you’d like. I know you said you don’t want to do too much prep work in the kitchen, which is why I didn’t suggest it earlier, but it would make a nice presentation…

]]> By: Lara http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-151 Lara Thu, 19 Jul 2007 12:56:32 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-151 My comment is about the salad, not that I think you don't need one, but I am curious what kind of dressing you planned to use, if any. I don't live near a Trader Joes but Bissingers, ah, Bissingers. They have the best dark chocolate covered berries. Your menu and the way you've broken up the preparation is wonderful. My comment is about the salad, not that I think you don’t need one, but I am curious what kind of dressing you planned to use, if any.

I don’t live near a Trader Joes but Bissingers, ah, Bissingers. They have the best dark chocolate covered berries.

Your menu and the way you’ve broken up the preparation is wonderful.

]]> By: Karen http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-149 Karen Thu, 19 Jul 2007 02:19:44 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-149 I love the theme for your August Tea Party. How creative! On the menu--I agree with Jamie about omitting the salad. I think the soup, sandwiches and sweets are enough. Trying to think of a substitute vessel for serving your sundaes...the green would be pretty in white demitasse cups and the portions would be about right... I love reading your blog. Keep up the good work! I love the theme for your August Tea Party. How creative! On the menu–I agree with Jamie about omitting the salad. I think the soup, sandwiches and sweets are enough. Trying to think of a substitute vessel for serving your sundaes…the green would be pretty in white demitasse cups and the portions would be about right…

I love reading your blog. Keep up the good work!

]]> By: Tea Party Girl http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-148 Tea Party Girl Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:39:54 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-148 What a relief to hear someone else believe one doesn't need to leave an afternoon tea "stuffed"! I've written extensively about this before. Unfortunately, this group of women think very differently about this, though I'm trying to work with them. :-) I toyed with the sundae idea for this very reason so I'm going to think this through some more. But mint ice cream not a spa color? Maybe a little intense, but I plan on staying in the aqua, turquoise, etc. theme with lots of white thrown in. Says spa to me! Thanks for taking the time to leave your input, Jamie! What a relief to hear someone else believe one doesn’t need to leave an afternoon tea “stuffed”! I’ve written extensively about this before. Unfortunately, this group of women think very differently about this, though I’m trying to work with them. :-)

I toyed with the sundae idea for this very reason so I’m going to think this through some more. But mint ice cream not a spa color? Maybe a little intense, but I plan on staying in the aqua, turquoise, etc. theme with lots of white thrown in. Says spa to me!

Thanks for taking the time to leave your input, Jamie!

]]> By: Jamie http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-147 Jamie Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:46:21 +0000 http://www.teapartygirl.com/the-lazy-bakers-way-to-plan-a-tea-party-menu#comment-147 Obviously this is just my opinion, but I think you don't need the sundaes. With chocolate, scones, fruit tarts, etc...the sundaes would be overkill, in my opinion. If you do feel the need for something "ice-creamy", I wouldn't use such a strong, sturdy flavor as grasshopper mint (and green doesn't really "match" your sea spa theme)...instead, I'd do a single scoop of lemon or strawberry sorbet in a small glass dish (if you have them), or on teacup saucers (perfect size). In keeping with the sea spa theme, you don't want your guests to be *stuffed* afterwards, just pleasantly full with a clean palate. Personally, I'd omit the salad too...more "heavy" flavors (corn, tomato, pepper, basil), and you're going to have a lovely cold soup, sandwiches, scones and toppings (which are very filling), and then all the rest of the sweets...it just seems like the soup and sandwiches would be enough. As you said, it's not a mealtime. I agree that a Darjeeling (or even Keemun) tea would be better for the hot tea selection...maybe if you cut out one of the heavier food items, you could serve a darjeeling (which one should always have on hand anyways, right?). I'd also suggest a white tea selection for icing along with the peach iced tea...that seems to go over very well at my parties, as not everyone wants a black tea, even iced. If this is too much "suggestions", feel free to discard...I love food, and I love cooking, so it's merely one more perspective for you to think about. :-) Obviously this is just my opinion, but I think you don’t need the sundaes. With chocolate, scones, fruit tarts, etc…the sundaes would be overkill, in my opinion. If you do feel the need for something “ice-creamy”, I wouldn’t use such a strong, sturdy flavor as grasshopper mint (and green doesn’t really “match” your sea spa theme)…instead, I’d do a single scoop of lemon or strawberry sorbet in a small glass dish (if you have them), or on teacup saucers (perfect size). In keeping with the sea spa theme, you don’t want your guests to be *stuffed* afterwards, just pleasantly full with a clean palate.

Personally, I’d omit the salad too…more “heavy” flavors (corn, tomato, pepper, basil), and you’re going to have a lovely cold soup, sandwiches, scones and toppings (which are very filling), and then all the rest of the sweets…it just seems like the soup and sandwiches would be enough. As you said, it’s not a mealtime.

I agree that a Darjeeling (or even Keemun) tea would be better for the hot tea selection…maybe if you cut out one of the heavier food items, you could serve a darjeeling (which one should always have on hand anyways, right?). I’d also suggest a white tea selection for icing along with the peach iced tea…that seems to go over very well at my parties, as not everyone wants a black tea, even iced.

If this is too much “suggestions”, feel free to discard…I love food, and I love cooking, so it’s merely one more perspective for you to think about. :-)

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