I had my first afternoon tea a few months ago at The Drake Hotel in Chicago, and words don’t do it justice–it truly is an event that needs to be experienced. A live harpist performs while you’re served traditional English tea fare, presented on gorgeous china and silver. Ever since going there, I’ve wanted to hold my own afternoon tea party.

Last week, I finally got to host an English afternoon tea. It was a wonderful day. Three generations—my sister and I, my mother, and my grandmother—worked together: my grandmother, the decorator of the family, set the table with china, hand-embroidered napkins, and Easter accoutrements, while the rest of us cooked.

We decided on a full tea, which includes tea, savories, scones, and desserts. The menu was as follows:

Raspberry Tea

Peppermint Tea

Chamomile tea

Egg Salad and Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches

Ham Sandwiches with an Apricot Mustard Spread

Cucumber Tea Sandwich

Raison Nut Scones

Irish Scones

Lemon Curd

Strawberry Jelly

Devonshire Cream

Fruit Tartlets

Tres Leches Cake

A tea party is a fun way to spend time with family and friends.

I enjoyed this event and anticipate many more! I’ll be featuring tea recipes in my next few blog posts.

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