British
Cream Tea should be served with small bit sized fruit (currant scones) scones, with jam and clotted cream. Or for a treat with Cucumber Sandwiches.
Cucumber Sandwhiches
½ medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
unsalted butter
6 thin slices white bread
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
Combine the cucumber and vinegar in a bowel. Toss and blend. Let sit for ½ hour and drain.
Spread a thin coating of butter. On 3 slices of bread, place the cucumber slices making sure the bread is well covered. Salt and pepper each sandwich. Cover with the remaining slices of buttered bread. Trim the crusts. Cut each sandwich into 4 pieces.
Currant Scones
(Makes 10 -12 scones)
2 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
¾ cup milk
1 egg
½ cup currants
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons cold water
Preheat oven to 350F
Sift the dry ingredients together. Using a pastry blender cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly.
Beat the milk and egg together. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until well blended. Add the currants, stirring until well combined.
Prepare a flat surface by flouring it well (the dough will be slightly wet and will absorb the flour quickly). Place the dough on the flat surface. Knead briefly (once or twice) and pat the dough until it’s ¾ inch thick. Cut out the scones with a 2 ½ – inch biscuit cutter and place on a greased baking sheet.
Beat the egg yolk with cold water. Using a pastry brush, glaze each scone with this mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot or cold, with jam and clotted cream.
Clotted Cream
(Makes 1 1/3 cups)
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
One hour before serving, pour the heavy cream into a bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Whisk in the sour cream and sugar, continuing to beat until the mixture is very thick.
Place in the refrigerator and chill until ready to serve. Should last for 4 to 6 hours.
Chinese
Black teas are mild and low in theine (or caffeine), and are suited to afternoon and evening teas. With the exception of Yunnan (YOU-nahn), they are never served with milk or sugar. China tea should be prepared in a Yixing Clay pot served in thin small bowls or cups. Or the traditional coolie cup and lid can be used.
China tea goes great with Almond Cakes.
Almond Cakes
(Makes 12 cakes)
4 jumbo egg whites, at room temperature
½ cup super fine sugar
1 cup finely ground almonds
1 cup self- rising cake flour
2 teaspoons almond extract 12 blanched almonds
¼ cup honey
Preheat oven to 325F. Coat a 12 – cup cupcake tin with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until very stiff. Carefully fold in the ground almonds, then the flour, until both are completely incorporated. Gently mix in the almond extract.
Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake tin. There should be enough batter to reach the rim of each cup. Place a blanched almond on top of each cup of batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cakes are puffed, firm, and golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Heat the honey in a microwave for 2o to 25 seconds or until hot and very fluid. Brush the honey lightly on the hot cakes. Let the cakes cool in the tin, then remove. Good for 24 hours.
Russian
Place 1 teaspoon of sour cherry preserves in the bottom of a glass tea cup, making sure there is at least one whole cherry. Pour tea over preserves. Serve.
If you want to truly authentic , use tea glasses that sit in metal stands.
The Russian tradition is to hold a sugar cube between your teeth as you drink. This is not an absolute rule, but we would advise against putting sugar in the cup and stirring. The preserves sweeten the tea and the idea is to drink it with the cherry surprising the palate at the end. Stirring would disturb this. If you like a little a little extra flavor, add a thin slice of lemon to the beverage.
Russian Tea Cakes
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4.5 cups of confectioner’s sugar
1.5 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups of all – purpose flour
.5 teaspoons salt
.75 cup finely chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 F
Cream butter in a food processor
Add ¾ cup of sugar and vanilla and process until mixed
Add flour and salt. Process until blended, but don’t overwork. Pour in the nuts and pulse just until they are evenly distributed.
Remove dough from food processor and roll into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on an un greased cookie tray and bake until firm and starting to brown on the bottom. Remove from oven.
Carefully roll the hot cookies in confectioner’s sugar. Let cool, then roll again.
Store in an air tight container – good for two weeks.
Japanese
The Japanese Tea Ceremony is the most intriguing of all the customs and rituals associated with serving tea. Guests arrive at the tea house by a special path and prepare themselves for the ceremony in the waiting room. They enter the tea room by crawling through a low doorway and are given a light meal before returning to the garden or waiting room.
At the sound of the gong they return to the tea room where the tea master has everything ready for the ceremony. He cleans all the utensils then puts three scoops of green powdered tea (match) into a bowl. He adds hot water from the kettle and whisks it up to produce an emerald green frothy tea. The guest of honor sips the tea, wipes the rim of the bowl and passes it on to the next guest.
The tea master then makes a second infusion of thin tea which is served in individual bowls and leaves the guest to talk.
Thai
Thailand Iced Tea
Bring the taste of Thailand to Pistol & Burnes, this is a classic recipe. Guaranteed to produce a Raving Fan
2 tablespoons loose black tea flavored with star anise
¾ cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
ice cubes or crushed ice
¼ cup half – and – half
Bring tea and water to a boil in a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 3 – 5 minutes, depending on taste. Strain the tea through a tea strainer and stir the sugar into the tea. Pour the tea over ice in a tall glass immediately , or after the tea has cooled to room temperature. Top with half and half.
India
Indian Spiced Chai
This traditional Indian spiced tea is a beverage that is becoming popular. It is fun to make and great to drink.
2 cups of water 2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons loose black tea ( Assam ) ½ cup milk
¼ teaspoon tea masla 1 tablespoon peeled and sliced ginger
2 cardamom pods
Combine the water, tea masla, cardamom, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Add milk and the rest of the sugar. Add the ginger 1 or 2 minutes after that or when the mixture is back to simmer. Wait 30 seconds the strain serve in a bowl.
