Cream tea, high tea and afternoon tea — they all describe formal tea served with dainty sandwiches and sweets.
Cream tea is served in Devon and Cornwall, England, and there is an ongoing debate whether the clotted cream or the strawberry jam is put on the scone first.
High tea means that tea is taken in the dining room and therefore served on high tables.
Tea enjoyed in the garden is called afternoon tea and is on low tables.
In this modern era, we would be as likely to serve green, herbal, chai or Moroccan mint tea. Sandwiches are now mini pitas or crostini, and dainties might be fruit skewers or mini phyllo tarts.
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Mixed nut phyllo tarts
This is less work than making your own pastry and lighter than purchased unbaked pastry shells. Use any mix of unsalted nuts you have on hand. When working with phyllo pastry, I brush melted butter on the counter so the first sheet doesn’t move around.
- 1 c. maple syrup 250 mL
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp. melted butter, cooled 30 mL
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5 mL
- 1 c. coarsely chopped mixed unsalted nuts 250 mL
- 1 pkg. phyllo dough, thawed
- 1/2 c. melted butter 125 mL
Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract, mixing well. Stir in nuts. Set aside.
Lay out one sheet of phyllo pastry on the counter and brush with melted butter. Set another sheet over the first and brush with melted butter. Repeat until five sheets of phyllo are layered. Cut into three inch (7.5 cm) squares.
Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with oil. Press phyllo squares carefully into the pan. Fill with maple nut filling.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until filling is bubbling and shells are golden. Cool in the pan for a minute or two and then remove and cool on rack. Makes about 48 tarts.
Ceviche de camaron
- 1/2 c. chopped onion 125 mL
- 6 c. water 1.5 L
- 3/4 c. fresh lime juice, divided 185 mL
- 1 lb. medium shrimp .45 kg
- 1 English cucumber
- 1/2 c. ketchup 125 mL
- 1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro 80 mL
- 2 tbsp. Mexican hot sauce (such as Tamazula) 60 mL
- 1 tbsp. olive oil 15 mL
- 1/4 tsp. salt 1 mL
Place chopped onion in a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain.
Peel cucumber if you wish and cut into 1 1/2 inch (3.5 cm) pieces. Scoop out some seeds to form a little cup.
Bring water and 1/4 cup (60 mL) lime juice to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add shrimp; cook three minutes or until done. Drain and rinse with cold water; peel shrimp. Coarsely chop if you wish to use this as a dip. Combine shrimp and 1/2 cup (125 mL) juice in a large bowl; cover and chill one hour. Stir in onion and remaining ingredients. Fill cucumber cups and chill until ready to serve. Ceviche can also be served with saltine crackers.
Moroccan mint tea
- 1 tbsp. loose Chinese gunpowder green tea 15 mL
- 5 c. boiling water 1.25 L
- 3 to 4 tbsp. sugar 45 – 60 mL
- 1 large bunch fresh mint
Put tea in teapot and pour in one cup (250 mL) boiling water. Then swirl gently to warm pot and rinse tea. Strain out and discard water, reserving tea leaves in pot.
Add remaining four cups (1 L) boiling water to tea and let steep two minutes. Stir in sugar and mint sprigs and steep about four minutes more. Serve in small heatproof glasses.
Chai
- 3 green cardamom pods, lightly cracked open with the back of a spoon
- 6 whole cloves
- 1/4 tsp. fennel seeds 1 mL
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 in. slice of fresh ginger 1.5 cm
- 5 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp. loose black tea leaves 15 mL
- 4 c. water 1 L
- 1/2 c. half and half cream 125 mL
- 1 to 2 tbsp. light brown sugar, cane sugar or honey, according to taste 15 to 30 mL
Place spices and herbs in a medium size saucepan. Add water and bring to a boil. Boil for five minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes.
Add tea leaves and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on medium for five minutes. Add cream and sugar. Stir for about a minute, over low heat, until steaming. Strain and pour into a teapot or cups. This can be made ahead and reheated. It will keep several days in the refrigerator. Makes two to three servings.
Savory and sweet appetizer ideas
- Steak au poivre: Crust a tender boneless beef steak with Montreal steak spice. Sear on all sides and cook to medium rare. Remove from pan and let rest 10 minutes.
- Slice thinly and set aside. Spread thinly sliced and toasted baguette with an herb cream cheese. Top with slice of steak and garnish with fresh chopped herbs.
- Curried egg salad: Finely chop hard boiled eggs. Mix with diced celery, red onion, cilantro, Dijon mustard, lime juice, curry powder and mayonnaise. Make sandwiches with very fresh bread, trim crusts and cut into small rectangles or use mini pita.
- Shrimp salad: Mix one cup (250 mL) cooked small shrimp, three tbsp. (45 mL) mayonnaise, one tsp.(5 mL) lemon zest, one tsp. (5m L) lemon juice, one tsp.(5 mL) each chopped chives, capers, parsley. Put a tablespoon (15 mL) in a trimmed endive leaf.
- Smoked salmon: Spread fresh white or pumpernickel bread with softened cream cheese. Top with thin slice of smoked salmon and then thinly sliced cucumbers. Serve open faced or with two pieces of bread. Trim crusts and cut into small rectangles or triangles.
- Baby potatoes: Fully cook the potatoes, half them and scoop out some flesh. Fill with Greek yogurt and top with herbs or caviar.
- Use herb flavoured cream cheeses to save time.
- Put sandwich fillings in phyllo cups and mini pitas or on crackers.
- Serve a shooter of cold tomato soup or gazpacho with a crostini on top.
- Berry and cheese skewers.
- Mejdool dates, pits removed, stuffed with soft cheese such as chevre.
- Candied orange peel, dipped in dark chocolate if desired.
- Strawberries stuffed with slightly sweetened mascarpone cheese.
What is clotted cream?
- Clotted cream is made by allowing unpasteurized cow’s milk to sit for 12 to 24 hours in shallow pans. It is slow heated and then left to cool. The cream that rises to the surface clots and is skimmed off to be served with scones, berries, or desserts. It has up to 60 percent butterfat.
Sarah Galvin is a home economist, teacher and farmers’ market vendor at Swift Current, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. She writes a blog at allourfingersinthepie.blogspot.ca. Contact: team@producer.com.
