“The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.”-Louisa May Alcott

Hello, sweet friends…

There is something inherently magical about an afternoon tea…

taking time to create something beautiful…

preparing a refined menu…

setting the tone for a leisurely afternoon…

and heightening my sensitivity to the lovely things around me.

During this time of quarantine our world can still bloom…

with breathtaking loveliness.

I have come to treasure this tea time break…

sitting for an afternoon tea…

taking time to savor specials moments.

👩‍🍳
What’s Cooking?

Here is a relatively easy menu for preparing your own afternoon tea.

Cucumber Sandwiches

(With Lemony Dill Spread)

Ingredients

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• packed 1/3 c. roughly chopped fresh dill
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• pinch black pepper
• 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced (these lay on top of the Lemony Dill Spread once the sandwiches are assembled; slice when you’re ready to assemble the sandwiches)
  
• Bread for Assembly:

• Approximately 12 to 16 slices good-quality sandwich bread for open-faced or closed tea sandwiches

INSTRUCTIONS:

To Prepare the Spread

1. Place cream cheese or cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl; stir with a spoon or fork until creamy and free of lumps.
2. Add any seasoning/non-vegetable ingredients; stir until well combined.
3. Fold in any vegetable ingredients.
4. Chill cream cheese mixture for about 2 hours {or overnight} to allow flavors to meld.
   

To Prepare Sandwiches

1. Thinly slice the English cucumber with a very sharp knife.
2.  Spread a thin layer of spread on each slice of bread and arrange cucumber slices decoratively on top. Place an additional piece of bread on top of cucumbers. Trim away bread crusts with a serrated knife then cut sandwiches into fourths.
3. Garnish tops with a small sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley or fresh dill. 

4. Serve immediately. Or, layer in an airtight container with waxed paper between each layer and on top of the top layer. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Ideally, cucumber tea sandwiches should be served immediately or within about 2 to 3 hours of having been assembled.

Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches

Ingredients

• Hard boil your eggs the night before and refrigerate.
• To make 24 to 30 egg salad tea sandwiches, you will need approximately 6 hard-boiled.
• 1 cup of light mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons of fresh dill chopped fine.
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh dill for garnish

Directions

The day before you make the sandwiches hard boil the eggs. Add eggs to cold water, put on the stove on high bring to a boil. Cover after they start to boil, turn off the heat and let sit on the stove burner for 11 minutes. After 11 minutes rinse under cold water and put into the refrigerator. On the day that you’re going to make your tea sandwiches. Start by peeling and rinsing off the eggs.

1. Using a sharp knife or egg chopper chop the eggs into small squares, this requires you to use the chopper in three different directions (This can also be done by hand been very careful not to crush the eggs).
2. Mix the chopped hard-boiled eggs with the mayonnaise ( I use veganaise) and salt and pepper and chopped dill.
3. Spread a layer of egg salad between two pieces of your prepared bread.
4. Place a small sprig of dill on top for garnish.

Blueberry Glazed Scones

INGREDIENTS

For the scones

1. 2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1/3 cup granulated sugar
3. 1 tablespoon baking powder
4. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5. 3/4 teaspoon salt
6. 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
7. 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
8. 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
9. 1 cup cold buttermilk
10. 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
11. 2 tablespoons coarse sugar

For the glaze

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. 
2. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingertips. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Gently fold in the blueberries.
3. Whisk the vanilla and buttermilk together and gradually add it to the flour mixture. Stir just until the dough comes together. You may not need all the buttermilk. Add a little at a time until the mixture is moist but not too wet. Do not over mix the dough or the scones will be tough.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough four or five times. Pat the dough into a 7 inch round circle. 
   *(I used a heart shape cutter in place of #5…see photo below)
5. Cut the circle in half, then cut each half into four triangle shaped wedges. Arrange the scones 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the scones in the freezer for 30 minutes. Scones are best enjoyed right away.
6. Position the oven rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F. Brush the tops of the scones with milk or cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and drizzle with glaze.
   

Make the glaze

1. Combine all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
   

Make ahead Tip

1. You can refrigerate the dough overnight then simply shape the scones and bake them the next day.
2. Or you can make the scones all the way through step 5. Place the scones on a baking sheet and wrap tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 weeks. Bake as directed without thawing.

Enjoy!