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Arianna Johnson has A Bachelors Degree in English/Creative Writing from Dowling College. She is very passionate about writing and cooking and her goal is to become a food writer and cookbook author. Arianna can be reached at arianna.ruth.johnson@gmail.com |
| The weather is nicer, the flowers are blooming, Mother’s Day is right around the corner. Why not think outside the box and try something different this year? A while back I saw an article on local places that serve high tea. I thought high tea was lost in time, only observed in England or five-star hotels in Manhattan. When I was younger, my grandmother would take me to her friends house, who happened to be English. She would serve afternoon tea almost every day. I would really only go for the sweeties, but I always thought the idea was nice. Besides the fact that I have a slight, odd obsession with Alice in Wonderland, I think bringing back teatime is a great idea. What better time for a tea party than Mother’s Day? First you need to pick out the perfect tea. You can order online or buy tea in the specialty aisle of the grocery store. There are also tea shops that can help you out. If you really want to get fancy, you can purchase a few different loose teas that you think will compliment each other and make your own blend. If you don’t want to go the traditional route of making hot tea, you can make a few different iced teas. There are some great ideas online using different kinds of simple syrups and fun garnishes. I love mint in green tea or putting rose petals and raspberries into white tea. Typically the offerings that accompany tea are small finger foods and may even be in pastry form. If you are trying to make a meal out this tea party, you will want a variety of sweet and savory foods. I think cucumber sandwiches are a must because they are light and refreshing, as well as lox sandwiches with dill crème fraiche on pumpernickel bread. You can also break tradition and make a nice, light salad with maybe some strawberries, goat cheese and candied walnuts or prepare a flatbread and cut into smaller pieces than you normally would; my favorite is caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms and melted Gruyere garnished with thyme. You can’t forget about the sweet treats at the end. You can make your life easy and just go to your local bakery to pick up an array of goodies, such as cookies, scones and brownie bites. Or you can make a quick, simple dessert like one my mom makes, which is just squares of puff pastry with chocolate chips, chopped hazelnuts and shredded coconut wrapped up into a little pouch and baked until golden brown; they are especially yummy right out of the oven since they are hot and gooey. So, this Mother’s Day have all the moms in your life over for a tea party and “let them eat cake!” |
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20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000. 