How To Plan a High Tea Party at Home

In recent years High Tea Parties have been making a come back and many restaurants tea rooms and cafes have taken the lead from customer demand and are providing a package for special occasions such as bridal showers, mothers and valentine days, birthdays etc

Going out with a group of girlfriends, family members or a romantic couple date for a High Tea is a real treat and is usually a delicious and inviting idea.

But when money is tight and a special occasion is coming up on the calendar, planning a High Tea at home is an innovative alternative.

Of course it's appealing to have everything taken care of when out, and the thought of preparing and baking specialty food can seem daunting for a group of people not to mention the organization that is needed to prepare for guests at such an occasion, but with thought and careful planning a high tea at home can be a fun and relaxed event.

A Month Before The Event -

• Make a list of friends and or family that you want to invite.
• Set the date
• And decide if you will send an invitation by text email or card.
• Borrow or buy extra tea cups & saucers if needed

The Week Before The Event - If you can't afford to pay a cleaner and someone to do the lawns this is the time when you will need to:

• Enlist the help of family or friends to help clean the house,
• Cut and trim the lawn and edges,
• And do a general de-clutter and tidy up.

This is also the time to decide if the tea party will be:

• Held inside formally around the dining table, or outside informally in the garden or on the deck
• And if you will want to decorate with candles fairy lights or outside lanterns etc
• To bring in extra tables, chairs, cushions etc
• Choose a color theme for serviettes, place settings and flowers

You will also need to plan your menu and :

• Make a list of all the food items that will be needed including any ingredient that needs replacing in the pantry such as the basic cooking staples of sugar, icing sugar, flour, cocoa, milk, eggs and butter, so that if a recipe fails there will be ample ingredients to make another batch.
• Go to the grocers early in the week so that there is time to go again if anything is forgotten.
• Allow plenty of time for preparation of food in advance, for example for custard and or mouse to set, for meringue to harden or cake to cool before icing.

It is a good idea at this stage to:

• Make sure your kitchen is equipped with the necessary kitchen utensils and appliances that will be needed for baking. Mixers, food processor, blender, Baking trays, cake tins, bowls, whisks, temperature gauge, measuring jugs/spoons, flour sifter.
• Now is the time to replace the worn out spatula or invest in the new blender that has been long thought about etc and to make sure that kitchen knives are sharpened.

For Your Table You Will Need:

• A tablecloth
• Napkins and napkin rings
• Plates,cups and saucers
• Desert forks and spoons
• Tiered cake platters
• Teapot
• Tea leaf strainer
• Sugar bowl and milk jug
• Water jug or bottles and glasses
• Champagne glasses for bubbly
• Table decorations (optional)
• A vase for flowers

Keep in Mind When Planning the Menu for a High Tea that Most People Generally love:

• Anything Chocolate - brownies are a favorite or perhaps mini mud cake muffins
• A Macaroon or two - these are best bought from a patisserie as home baked requires many attempts to perfect - try the salted caramel flavor
• Something Creamy - Cup cakes with fresh Chantilly cream
• A touch of Citrus - a zingy lemon or lime tart
• Fresh Sandwiches and small savory tarts - any filling according to taste
• And Warm Scones - plain with jam and cream or delicious date or pumpkin
• A selection of different teas

Remember that now is not the time to try new recipes, stick to what you know works well and is easy.

Try These Delicious Recipes for a High Tea Party

Chicken and Walnut Sandwiches -

Combine cooked chicken breast with whole egg mayonnaise, some finely chopped celery and crushed walnuts. Add a touch of fresh dill & season to taste. Delicious on whole grain or soy and linseed bread.

Butterfly Cup Cakes -

You can use any butter cake or cup cake recipe and when cool cut out a circle just under the surface on the top of the cake and cut in two pieces. Place a good scoop of lightly sweetened cream (on top of cakes and place cut out sections like butterfly wings on the cream. Dust lightly with icing sugar .