English High Tea With All The Trimmings

There couldn't be a more perfect way to celebrate St. George's Day than with a perfectly English Afternoon Tea. Graceful ladies in muslin dresses and big straw hats; gentlemen in starched collars and shirtsleeves, their hair slightly mussed from a brisk game of croquet or lawn bowls; fragrant, amber Earl Grey tea in delicate, china cups; cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off; fresh scones with clotted, Devonshire cream; and to top it all off, a "tipsy trifle" - such a lovely picture of a warm, summer's afternoon, straight from the pages of Alice in Wonderland or the gentle set-up of a Miss Marple adventure.

One could enjoy a more modern version of such idyllic bliss on one of our main shopping thoroughfares on the South Side, which boasts a lovely tea shoppe. The broad, tree-lined avenue is chock-a-block with trendy boutiques, high-end kitchen-ware shops, delightfully "olde-fashioned" ice cream parlors, and tiny specialty stores that cater to the summer crowds of festival goers. The tea shoppe, called Hanratty's, specializes in afternoon and high teas.

Hanratty's high tea, with all the trimmings, included some of the most delicious sandwiches and dainties to ever grace a three-tiered china serving plate. There was always a choice of teas, from rich, smoky Darjeeling or the darkly-complex English Breakfast blend to the fragrant and subtle Earl Grey.

Perhaps it's the hint of Bergamot that crowns the fragrant blend of florals and fruity notes, but Earl Grey has always been my favorite. When ever I catch the scent of its fresh-brewed aroma, I think of my Great Aunt Sadie's garden - a place of childhood enchantment.

It has always struck me odd that tea, that quintessentially English beverage, should have come from such diverse countries as Africa, home of rich red Rooiboos, India, renown for Darjeeling, and China and Japan, each the birthplace of its own unique, green and white teas. That we so closely associate tea with "things English" is a triumph of product branding.

When we were very young, our Granny permitted us something called Cambric Tea, or Nursery Tea, as I have also heard it called. When the grown-ups had their after-luncheon cuppa, we were also allowed our own cup of "tea" which consisted of about four swallows of tea poured into the china cup over two or three spoonfuls of sugar, and then drowned in enough milk to fill the cup. We felt quite grown up as we daintily sipped our lukewarm beverage.

I still adore Earl Grey, but my current favorites also include an organic Sencha Green Tea, and Imperial White Peach, both purported to be teas treasured buy the Imperial Courts of China and Japan. Whatever their true origins, they are both delightfully light and tasty, with a fresh, crisp finish.

Granny taught us how to make tea "properly", and no high tea is complete without a freshly brewed pot or three.

To make tea:

• Boil water
• Rinse tea pot in hot water, then fill from the kettle and set aside
• Refill the kettle and bring water to a full, rolling boil
• Once the kettle is boiling, empty the tea pot and add loose tea - one teaspoon-full of loose tea per person, and one more for the pot
• Fill with boiling water and cover with a tea cozy
• Let steep for at least a few minutes to achieve a full flavor, and to allow the leaves to settle
  
• If you wish to have your tea leaves read, swirl the pot before pouring
  

My mother always poured the first, weakest cup for herself, but Granny loved her tea full-bodied. They almost always swirled the pot, though. Tea-leaf reading was always the high point of most of Granny's afternoon teas.

No high tea would be complete without these delightful tartlets. There is some debate though about their origins. According to some, they date back to the court of Henry VIII, but others believe they originated during the reign of Elizabeth I.

Whatever the case, Maid of Honor Tarts are thought to have been created sometime in the sixteenth century. These tiny, delicious morsels are incredibly rich, so it's a very good thing they're only bite-sized.

Maid of Honor Tartlets

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp lard or vegetable shortening
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp ice water (or a bit more, if necessary)

Filling:

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup softened butter
• yolks of 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup finely ground almonds
• 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
• grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Method:

• Preheat oven to 375 F
• Sift flour and salt into large bowl
• Cut in lard and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs
• Add just enough ice water to bind the mixture into a smooth dough (may or may not require the full 2 tbsp)
  
• Roll out dough on lightly floured board to 1/8 inch thickness
• Cut out twelve rounds with a fluted, 2" cutter
• Press the rounds gently into a tart pan
• Beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy
  
• Add egg yolks and beat until blended
• Mix in almonds, sugar, and lemon zest
• Spoon filling into pastry shells
• Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
• Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to pastry rack to cool completely
• Dust with confectioners sugar
• Serve plain, or topped with fresh raspberries and a dab of cream

Enjoy

© 2010, Text by Elle Fredine, All rights reserved