When I was living in Uganda it was a treat to go on vacation to Mombasa, on the Kenya coast, indulge in tender coconuts, and take back home halva with nuts in it. It was really delicious, but I was once told that if I knew how it was made, I would never eat it. I never got sick, and ignorance is bliss, so I never stopped eating it.
I’ve bought all sorts of halva here, and have always been disappointed with the pale imitations.
I love the idea and execution of those quiche!
I, too, am inspired to present an afternoon tea … a good friend has never been to one! To begin, I ordered this stand from Crate & Barrel:
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/cambridge-satin-nickel-3-tier-stand/s664853?st=Cambridge+Satin+Nickel+3-Tier+Stand
(I think it was only $39. when I ordered it recently … so increased in price?)
I chose this because you use your own plates on the stand and it’s nice and simple. It arrived missing 2 of the plastic feet so I called to ask for replacements. (Yes, I searched the box and packing materials very well!) Instead they sent a whole other stand!!! I called back and they said this wasn’t a mistake, to enjoy … so I gave the extra one to a friend.
Now I realize it’s a lot of work to prepare everything so maybe I can make some things to freeze and buy a few other things like macarons.
Just prep and freeze well in advance, and worry about scones and tea sandwiches in the immediate. Scones can easily be shaped and frozen and baked from frozen.
I know I want Coronation Chicken sandwiches and Cucumber/Cream Cheese. ATK British-style Currant Scones (I had to order the currants from Amazon, can’t find in stores in SF … probably Rainbow has in bulk.)
Those look and sound so good!
You just need a couple of small sweets (which can be cut small rather than made individually) and if you’ll be doing it during the summer months, maybe some ripe strawberries, plain or dipped in chocolate.
On Check Please Bay Area there was a place called Kahnfections in the Mission, SF … they had cute miniature carrot cake cupcakes … maybe he could pick some up on the way to my house.
(Doesn’t hurt to delegate some!)
Gorgeous spread…
Thank you!
Rhubarb bread for a meeting tomorrow. I found the last bit of 2024’s frozen rhubarb at the back of my freezer so used that up for the bread.
Fun project, especially for a friend who has never experienced one!
I went through a few years of hosting (seemingly endless) afternoon teas for wedding showers and baby showers and birthdays, and it’s easier (and a better experience) if you make things you enjoy and/or are hard to source, and fill in the gaps from outside.
Also, one almost inevitably overdoes the menu – so imagine what you can reasonably eat / fit on a plate, and work backwards from there – vs. starting from the visual of presentation variety, which usually results in way too much food. A few savories and a few sweets is all you need.
I’m very partial to finger sandwiches myself: smoked salmon, shredded chicken salad, something vegetarian like cream cheese with veggies (rather than cucumber unless someone particularly wants those) – always on thin-sliced, soft bread like Pepperidge Farm, buttered and with the edges trimmed.
Good luck, and look forward to seeing what you do!
I would make the egg layer a bit thicker, if you were planning to attempt. The crust got a bit soggy when they were reheated too, because she covered it so that the topping didn’t dry out.
I was thinking later that it might work better to make a shallow (1") quiche in a brownie pan, and cut it into bite-sized squares. Or kuku or Spanish tortilla, where soggy crust isn’t a factor.
I never see Pepperidge Farm items here.
Yeah, that’s definitely not a west coast brand, when it comes to bread.
Replace with equivalent thin-sliced bread.
Or if you have access to a bakery that makes a pullman-style loaf, they may be able to slice it thin on the slicing machine.
Hmmm. Sounds tedious to me, but I’ll give it a try this summer.
Those look really nice. Are you enjoying the book? It’s one that I’ve been thinking about getting.
I have it from the library, but there are definitely a few more things I want to make. These biscuits are a keeper for sure.
