I’ve recently participated in several teas, first at The Drake Hotel in Chicago, then an afternoon tea in Florida. You can’t blame me for indulging my tea obsession; it’s quite addictive and fun! Last weekend, my neighbor Annie and I created a lovely afternoon tea menu, which featured:

Oolong Tea

Black Mango Tea

Orange Blossom Tea

Pagan Alms Tea

Egg Salad Sandwiches with Dill

Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwiches

Ham Sandwiches with an Apricot-Mustard Spread

Cherry Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Strawberry-Banana Jell-O Molds

Strawberry Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting and Sliced Strawberry Hearts

Oat Scones

Chocolate Chip Scones

Blueberry Muffins

Finnish Cardamom Tea Loaf

Devonshire Cream

Lemon Curd

Apple Butter

Strawberry Jelly

Combining gadgets and ingredients from both our kitchens, we cooked all day to create this satisfying meal, and it was well worth it.

Maharaja Chai Oolong Tea

Oolong tea always reminds me of Tea with the Black Dragon, a fantasy book about an ancient being who finds truth in the most unlikely of places: the realm of humans. It constantly mentions Oolong (“black dragon”) tea—and now I’ve tried it! It has a spicy, almost cinnamon-like flavor, but isn’t overly sweet.

Did I mention the kitty approves of our afternoon tea party?

Let me at it! Let me at it!

I’ll feature afternoon tea recipes in the blog posts to follow.

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