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Cakes and Tea

Kathleen's Blog

March 2023 - Team Savory

3/1/2023

2 Comments

 
Picture
​Above: Peggy and Kristin, at one of the Hidden Valley String Orchestra receptions, Suzi and Kristin, at the first Biscuit-Off! Competition, mini pretzel bun turkey sandwiches, the famous mac & cheese, and caramelized onion turnovers with sesame seed-onion topping
​
​If you cook with people for a length of time, it will become clear whether they tend towards the savory food flavors or the sweet. Are they potato chip snackers or cookie cravers? No one must choose between the two, thank heavens, but folks tend to gravitate to one or the other.
While bakers like Suzi and I choose the sweetness of cookies and cakes, our catering partner, Kristin, is the chief of Team Savory. She can always be relied on for gorgeous soups, delicate yet memorable sandwiches, and entrees that are on everyone’s lists of perennial favorites. Her shepherd’s pie and macaroni and cheese are nothing short of legendary. 
For afternoon tea menus, we try to balance the sweet and savory items to achieve a pleasing whole. Previously, I used to favor the sweet side of the menus simply because I enjoyed creating the miniature jewel-like fancies that crown the top of the 3-tiered server. That said, the older I get, the less I want to eat so many sweets and would rather graze the savory course. When going out for afternoon tea, we’ve tended to take most of the sweets “to go” as we have eaten more of the scones and sandwiches. I am recognizing the deep contributions of our Team Savory.
 Moving forward in tea menu planning, we’ll be looking for ways to beef up, pardon the pun, our savory offerings. One easy way to get more umami into our menus is to add a savory scone. Even sweet scone aficionados find these scones delicious and now count them on their list of favorites. A wonderful intersection of sweet and savory happens when jalapeno jelly is served with them. 
Here at My Tea Planner, we have many recipes at all skill levels for sweet and savory foods that will enliven your tea menus and spark your imagination. As we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in March, check out our proposed Irish-American menu here, St. Patrick's Day menu and browse our sandwich, savory tart, salad, and spread recipes. 
In preparing for this blog, I came up with a list of foods that could be modified or miniaturized to fit into a tea menu with the thought that I would do some recipe testing and photos of any good ones. My guiding thought was, would Team Savory approve of this dish? With that in mind, here is my rough list: miniature British pork pies, small empanadas or samosas, Scotch eggs made from quail eggs, cheese and cornichon sandwiches, and individual shepherd’s pies. 
However, before I could launch my testing project, I got the news that our captain of Team Savory, Miss Kristin, will be departing Northern California for the east coast. I’m glad we don’t have any big tea parties scheduled as it will be impossible to replace her. While we are so happy that she is starting a brand-new adventure, she will be sorely missed during fun catering times and all the other extremely fun times between tea parties. From everyone on Teams Savory & Sweet, at Dancing Starfish Ranch, and all the friends in NorCal, we wish Kristin bon voyage!
Picture
Picture
 Above: Kristin making pumpkin soup for a fall tea and with our darling friend Marie, at a Christmas card party
Picture
Picture
​Above: Kristin in two iconic NorCal spots: the McCloud Hotel, near Mt. Shasta and Nepenthe, Big Sur
Picture
2 Comments
Merlina Phillips
3/1/2023 10:36:56 am

Lovely send off for Kristin.

Reply
Marny
3/3/2023 01:09:11 pm

Kathleen--I was just thinking about what a wonderful Irish name you have to go with your Irish treats! I, too, lean toward the sweet over the savory, but I do enjoy both. When I look at the treats you have on the savory side display, that is what I am drawn to. But then, there are the sweets...Bless Kristin. I hope she has a fabulous adventure in front of her and I know you will stay in touch as you miss her in the kitchen and drawing room.
I hope you have a great St. Patrick's Day with your honey and family. All love to each of you.

Reply



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Copyright © 2015 by Epilogics
  • Home
  • About/Blog
    • Who We Are
    • Our Credentials
    • Tea Travels - Rose's Blog
    • Cakes and Tea - Kathleen's Blog
    • Contact Us
  • The Tea Book
    • The Road Back to Civilization
    • A Brief History of Tea
    • Philosophy of Tea >
      • Harmony
      • Humility
      • Respect
      • Creativity
    • Guidelines for the Host/Hostess >
      • Gathering and Greeting
      • Sharing Stories
      • Sharing Food
      • Sending the Guests Home
    • Guidelines for the Guest >
      • Respect Your Hostess/Host
      • Bring a Gift if You Wish
      • Practice Humility
      • Monitor Your Conversation
      • Arrive with a Grateful Attitude
      • Help if Help is Needed
      • Do Not Criticize
      • Leave Gracefully
      • Send a Thank You Note
    • A Checklist for Planning a Tea Party
    • Teas of the World and How to Make Tea >
      • A Sampling of Teas
      • Herbal Teas and Tisanes
      • How to Make Tea
      • Making Iced Tea
      • Tea Concentrate
      • Brewing Tea for a Crowd
    • Tea Utensils and Accessories >
      • Tea Kettle
      • Tea Pot
      • Tea Cozy
      • Teacups
      • Plates
      • Silverware
      • Teacart
      • Tea Strainer
      • Tea Infuser
      • Three-Tiered Server
      • Cream Pitcher and Sugar Bowl
      • Cake Pedestal
      • Trifle Bowl
      • Jam Pots
      • Serving Dishes, Platters, and Trays
      • Silver Tea Set or Silver Tray
      • Linens
      • Kitchen Equipment for Food Preparation
    • Tea Menu Basics >
      • Sandwiches and Savories
      • Savory Spreads and Dips
      • Scones and Tea Breads >
        • About Lemons
    • Afternoon Tea and the Four Seasons >
      • A Spring Tea
      • An Outdoor Summer Tea
      • An Autumn Afternoon Tea
      • A Winter Afternoon Tea
    • A Calendar of Tea Parties >
      • January: A Japanese New Year’s Tea
      • February: A Valentine’s Day Tea
      • March: A St. Patrick’s Day Irish Tea
      • April: An Easter Tea
      • May: A Mother’s Day Tea
      • June: A Wedding Reception Tea >
        • Lemon Yogurt Wedding Cake
      • July: A Picnic Tea
      • August: A Family Reunion Tea >
        • A North American Family Reunion Tea
        • An Eastern Mediterranean Family Reunion Tea
        • A Kosher Family Reunion Tea
        • A Scandinavian Family Reunion Tea
      • September: An Ozark Farm Harvest Tea
      • October: A Tea to Honor Our Ancestors (Dia de los Muertos)
      • November: A Post Thanksgiving Tea
      • December: A Christmas Tea >
        • In Defense of Fruitcake: Fruitcakes and Candied Fruit
    • A World of Tea Parties >
      • A Chinese Dim Sum Tea
      • A Portuguese Tea
      • A Classic British Afternoon Tea
      • An Indian Chai Party
      • A California Tea
      • A Hawaiian Tea
      • An Italian Tea
      • An American Southern Tea
      • A Russian Tea
      • A French Afternoon Tea
      • A Kosher Tea with Tradional Jewish Foods
    • Afternoon Tea for Special Occasions >
      • An Afternoon Tea for Children
      • A Tea for Our Elders
      • A Honey Bee Tea in the Garden
      • An Urban Tea on the Go
      • Tea for One
      • Afternoon Tea for a Large Group
      • A Vegan Tea
      • A Rose Tea
  • Purchase Recipes
  • Resources
    • Bibliography and Resources
    • Menu and Recipe Index
    • Commercial Food Products
    • Glossary