As temperatures rise and days lengthen, summer vegetable harvest ramps up with farm favorites. The star of the vegetable world, vine-ripened tomatoes in all their diverse color, shape, and sweet flavor begin to grace the market. Cucumbers, corn, peppers, and beets jostle for a place on our summer menu. These bold flavors call for a heartier protein, thinly sliced barbequed tri tip, a nod to the return of outdoor cooking. We crowd in as many glorious fruits as possible: watermelon, peaches, blackberries, raspberries, and apricots all take a turn in the dessert course. We add cool beverages to offset the heat of the day but hot tea is also offered as an option. Gather friends outdoors to celebrate summer, with tea.
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Anasazi Summer
Some call it Indian Summer-- The time when stillness is everything, When lizards nap under dry stones And jackrabbits disappear into tumbleweeds, When the sun scourges Every green and watery thing Into golden dust, And the heat rules each heartbeat. Where is the Spirit in this lifeless time, When bones litter the desert, And even a hawk has found a rocky place to sleep? We must look to the name, To the people who walked with the coyote, Who lay down in the sandy darkness With the sparkling stars their only rain And thunder in their dreams. |
Menu
Beverages:
English Breakfast Tea
Blackberry Sage Decaffeinated Tea
Raspberry Lemonade
Cucumber Water
Savories:
Pickled Beet Deviled Eggs
Best Summer Tomato Sandwiches on Buttermilk Bread (use different colored tomatoes)
Open-faced Tri Tip on Foccacia
Muffins and Scones:
Gazpacho Shots with Sweet Pepper Miniature Corn Muffins
Blackberry Scones with Mock Devonshire Cream
Sweets:
Apricot Ribbon Cookies
Russian Tea Cakes
Peach and Raspberry Trifle
Watermelon Cubes, Sprinkled with Lime
Beverages:
English Breakfast Tea
Blackberry Sage Decaffeinated Tea
Raspberry Lemonade
Cucumber Water
Savories:
Pickled Beet Deviled Eggs
Best Summer Tomato Sandwiches on Buttermilk Bread (use different colored tomatoes)
Open-faced Tri Tip on Foccacia
Muffins and Scones:
Gazpacho Shots with Sweet Pepper Miniature Corn Muffins
Blackberry Scones with Mock Devonshire Cream
Sweets:
Apricot Ribbon Cookies
Russian Tea Cakes
Peach and Raspberry Trifle
Watermelon Cubes, Sprinkled with Lime
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Included Recipes:
Raspberry Lemonade This pretty pink lemonade gets its lovely spring color from raspberries. The raspberry syrup can be made ahead and added to freshly squeezed lemon juice just before serving. Sparkling water adds a little zip, but plain water or champagne also makes a delicious beverage. Pickled Beet Deviled Eggs These bright magenta rimmed eggs are even tastier than the usual beloved picnic treats. The pickling liquid and capers add a tangy vinegary punch. Accentuate the eggs’ vivid color with a chiffonade of radicchio to garnish. Best Summer Tomato Sandwiches Fresh, ripe summer tomatoes make some of the simplest and most satisfying sandwiches possible. If you have a vegetable garden, pick the tomatoes on the vine when they are ripe, and make the sandwiches the very same day. Tomatoes do not like to be refrigerated, and for sandwiches, tomatoes should be eaten at room temperature, raw and freshly sliced. All you will need in addition to the tomatoes will be a little butter, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and the freshest bread you can find. Open Faced Tri-Tip on Focaccia If you don’t have time to barbecue your own Tri-Tip on the outdoor grill, your local grocery store, deli or butcher shop will be happy to do it for you. Order about 12 very thin slices and buy a fresh focaccia the day of your Summer Afternoon Tea. This chewy, flat Italian style bread is similar to pizza, without all the sauce and toppings. However, focaccia is often sold with fresh herb toppings or garlic, onions, olives, sea salt, and sometimes vegetables such as sun dried tomatoes or artichokes. Any of these would be delicious with Tri-Tip. These open faced “sandwiches” are easy to prepare. Cut the beef slices into long pieces, about 2” wide. Cut the focaccia into 2” squares and drape a slice of Tri-Tip over the top, folding it back and forth in a few layers, accordion style. Secure the meat to the bread with attractive bamboo knotted toothpicks and serve on a colorful platter. Sprinkle the sandwiches with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Depending on the size of the focaccia, you will get about 24 sandwiches. If you do have time for a little extra fun in the kitchen, you can make your own Focaccia with the easy recipe we offer here. Gazpacho Shots If you grow a summer garden, Gazpacho can be your go-to-no-cook answer. Using the ripest tomatoes, all types of cucumbers, bell peppers and veggie stragglers can be thrown into the blender or food processor to become a vibrant and refreshing first course; pair with a quesadilla for a quick and zesty lunch. As part of our Summer Tea menu, Gazpacho is served in shot glasses, festively garnished with pickled green beans. Your Gazpacho Shots will form a perfect partnership with our Sweet Pepper Miniature Corn Muffins. Sweet Pepper Miniature Corn Muffins These little golden muffins are studded with minced red bell peppers and chopped chives, giving them a festive look and zesty taste. They are a welcome accompaniment to soups and salads or anywhere a little spark is needed. Cream Scones with Blackberries Sweet, fresh blackberries are the essence of summer, and our Cream Scones with Blackberries will be one of the highlights of your Outdoor Summer Tea. You can whip up the dough for Cream Scones in just a few minutes and bake the Scones shortly before your guests arrive. Serve them warm with Mock Devonshire Cream. Mock Devonshire Cream Our Outdoor Summer Tea features Blackberry Scones made with sweet, fresh blackberries. The perfect partner for these warm, freshly baked Scones, is Mock Devonshire Cream, a sweet, spreadable combination of whipped cream, sour cream, powdered sugar and a touch of vanilla. Serve your Mock Devonshire Cream in an attractive bowl placed inside a larger bowl filled with ice to keep it cool during the warm afternoon. Apricot Ribbon Cookies These delicate European butter cookies are formed into long, thin logs of dough, filled down the center with apricot jam, and cut on the diagonal into bars. You can substitute other flavors of jam for the apricot. Raspberry, blackberry or plum are a few of our favorites. Russian Tea Cakes (Mexican Wedding Cookies) Russian Tea Cakes and Mexican Wedding Cookies are in fact the same cookie. These luscious little butter balls, filled with chopped toasted nuts, are popular in widely divergent cultures and welcome at any festive occasion. Peach and Raspberry Trifle Trifle is a favorite teatime dessert. Served in a clear class trifle bowl, the layers of cake, custard and colorful fruits create a visual delight. In addition, Trifle is easy to make and can be assembled the day before your party, allowing the flavors of the various ingredients to mingle. Since this Afternoon Tea menu celebrates summer, we feature peaches and raspberries, two of the season’s most beautiful and flavorful fruits. Liqueur is traditionally sprinkled over the layers of pound cake as the Trifle is assembled. The liqueur is intended only as a flavoring agent and should be used sparingly. Omit the liqueur if children will be present. |
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