Check out
more of Ellen Easton's articles and recipes called
Tea Travels™.
A Buffet Tea
for Easy Entertaining
It is very simple to have a
buffet tea a home.
When planning your floral arrangements and decor, be mindful to
choose scents that will not cause reactions to your guests. The
flowers and decor are meant to complement your tea setting, not
overpower the guests, nor interfere with the taste of the foods.
While a white linen table cloth with matching 12-inch napkins is
traditional, in our contemporary world, it is also appropriate to
use whimsical cloths of various materials and designs.
Set up opposite ends of the table with the tea cups and saucers, tea
spoons, plates, napkins, sugar cubes cakes*, milk, and lemon slices.
One end of the table will serve the hot tea. If room allows, serve
one blend each, decanted, of a black, green or oolong and herbal
infusion. By serving the tea decanted, there will be no need for
tea strainers or slop bowls to remove the discarded tea leaves.
The other end of the table will serve the hot coffee, with sugar
cubes and milk/cream. Again, if room allows, offer your guests both
regular and decaffeinated coffee.
On a side table have a pitcher of cold, brewed iced tea with tall
iced tea glasses.
In the middle, on one side of the table, have serving trays, each
containing a different type of savory and finger sandwich, crusts
off.
Balance the menu with no two breads or fillings duplicating one
another. And for goodness sake, if you live in a southern state, do
not forget the deviled egg tray!
In the middle, on the other side of the table, have serving trays,
each containing a different type of finger/bite size sweets. Lemon
pound cake and brownies may be cut into bite-size servings.
On either a side table or next to your savory trays, set up baskets
of mini, bite-size, scones, muffins and slice-finger style fruit
breads. You may also include cheese sticks. Place bowls of clotted
cream or Devonshire cream and jam, with small serving spoons, and bowls of
large strawberries adjacent to the breads and scones.
Place coordinating service pieces next to or near the trays.
You may use place cards, on the tables, to identify each item and
tea served.
Sherry, port, and champagne, if desired, may be served on trays or
passed by the wait staff.
Remember to keep the menu simple with easy to pick up “finger
foods” that do not require utensils.
A buffet tea needn’t be expensive, nor time consuming to prepare. There are many marvelous sources available by mail order and in your
local supermarkets. All it takes for one to create a beautiful
buffet tea party is imagination and a good guest list.
ELLEN EASTON, author of AFTERNOON TEA...TIPS,TERMS and
TRADITIONS and Good $ense For $uccess™, is a consultant to
leading hotels and tearooms, including The PLAZA and LADY
MENDL’s, is speaker and designer of related products to the
hotel, food service, retail and special event industries.
REVA PAUL, an internationally acclaimed confectionery artist,
hand decorated floral sugars and mints are available by special
order for teas, weddings and special events. Wholesale/Retail -
Bulk & Gift boxed. Prices on request.
*Reva Paul Hand Decorated
Rose Sugar Cubes: to order (212) 722-7981
AFTERNOON TEA...TIPS,TERMS and TRADITIONS By Ellen Easton
5 x7, paperback , 72 pages of how to’s, history, etiquette and
FAQ about afternoon tea, serving styles and more.
Now available at $20.00 each, post paid. Continental US Only.
Final sale.
(Wholesale accounts are welcome. Prices on request)
Please make check or M.O payable to: RED WAGON PRESS and send
to:
RED WAGON PRESS, 45 East 89th Street, Suite 20A, NYC, NY
10128-1256
TEA TRAVELS™, Wishing You Happy TEA TRAVELS!™ and Good $ense For
$uccess™ are the trade marked property of Ellen Easton/RED WAGON
PRESS.