A Victorian Tea Celebration could be probably the most sophisticated of all. Every thing in Victorian occasions was carried out lavishly. So break out your grandmothers china, silver, crystal & serving pieces. The fancier the better. Of course if you have a truly prized possession that would break your heart if it was damaged, please don't use for the celebration. Accidents do happen! Before you get your house ready & prepare your food, you have to send out invitations.
INVITATION IDEAS
There are so many options here. With today's computer programs you can make some beautiful ones at home. Tuck an actual tea bags in the invitation. Perhaps make some using paper doilies & scrapbooking supplies.
DECORATING & SERVING
You will want to make the house as pretty as possible. Fresh flowers are a must, use them everywhere. I had a birthday tea in early June & I put vases of peonies everywhere, they are beautiful. Use traditional vases, or teapots that no longer have lids. Sometimes you can find then for a bargain since they no longer have a lid! Use candles both tapers & scattered votives or tea lights. I use some of those fancy shaped Christmas light that are sold now in all kinds of shapes. I have some pretty heart ones & some flower ones & even some dragonfly lights ( those are for the fairy tea celebration - see my page on fairy tea parties) Play soft music in the background. There are even tea celebration music CD's you can purchase. For tablecloths try lace or damask. Scatter silk rose petals on your table. Use real linen or fancy paper napkins. I found some monogrammed napkins at an antique store in California last year. They were inexpensive I guess because not too many people have an "O" monogram.
For Serving Pieces You Will Need At Least Some of the Following
Teapot Silver Or China
Sugar & Creamer
Salt & Pepper Shakers
Water Pitcher
Various Serving Trays
Tole Tray
China Serving Platters
Silver Serving Pieces
Crystal Serving Pieces
Crystal Plates
Crystal Bowls
Silverware
Pedestal Cake Plates
Porcelain or China Teacups
Pretty Plates(mix & match is OK)
Jam or Jelly Serving Jar
Demitasse or Fancy Spoons
You don't need to spend a lot of money. You can find some great bargains at your local thrift stores, flea markets & antique malls. Mix & Match is Definitely OK for teacups & saucers. Even mismatched sets are OK. Some I have been given as gifts, but most are from estate sales or thrift stores. I have at least 24 mix & match cups & saucers.
I love the pedestal cake plates or the tiered serving pieces. I have several I purchased at the Salvation Army. I bought a vintage Hobnail cake plate for $1. It has a repair on the pedestal part , but I cover with appropriate fancy ribbon! Be sure you use lots of scented candles, be creative with your candle holders. Use paper or tatted doily under or on your serving pieces.Be sure you have a nice glass or crystal on hand for water. Maybe not all of your guests drink tea.
To use for serving sugar or with teacups, or as celebration favors, be sure to see some of the demitasse spoons I sell. Aren't they sweet! Tie them up to a tea bag with a little satin ribbon & you have a darling tea celebration favor. If you can find some bargains, give each guest a fancy teacup to take home.
YUMMY FOOD TO SERVE
Offer your guests a variety of tea flavors. I leave them out in a lined basket. It is fun to use decorated sugar cubes & sugar tongs too!
TEA SANDWICHES
There are many varieties of tea sandwiches you can serve. Try to find a firmer style bread, cut the crust off & cut sandwiches either diagonally so you have 2 triangle sandwiches or in 4's for a bit smaller sandwiches. Cucumber sandwiches have long been a tea celebration tradition. This is an easy one that everyone likes. Just spread softened cream cheese on bread & top with thinly sliced cucumbers. Simple. For a fall or Christmas time tea try turkey & cranberry sauce sandwiches. Use your favorite egg salad or chicken salad recipe. try adding sliced almonds to your chicken salad recipe, yum! For other fillings you can use, watercress, tomatoes, cheese, deli meats, smoked salmon or ham salad. For Children spread softened cream cheese on bread & top with jelly, cut with cookie cutter. On top of the sandwich spread just a bit of softened cream cheese & dust with sprinkles.
SCONES BISCUITS COOKIES & CAKES
You cannot have a Victorian Tea Celebration without scones. You can find a variety of scone recipes on the internet. I have used scone mixes before as well. If you have a Panera Bread Store in your area, they have wonderful orange scones. You might like to have traditional devonshire cream, lemon curd or jelly or jams for your scones & biscuits.
Lemon Curd Recipe:
3 eggs1/2 cup fresh lemon juice1/2 cup salted butter 1 cup sugarMix together melted butter & sugar. Add well beaten eggs & lemon juice. Place in double boiler or over simmering water. Stir continuously for 15 minutes or until thick. Allow to cool & refrigerate. Will keep for about 2 weeks.
Traditional Tea Cakes Recipe:
4 cups flour1 cup butter2 egg yolks, beatenmilk1 egg white, beaten1/4 cup sugarCaraway seedsMix all ingredients together, mix to paste with a little warm milk, cover with a cloth and let stand for about an hour in a warm place. Roll out cut with round or shaped cutter & bake on lightly greased or sprayed sheet at 350 degrees until they are golden brown. For other treats serve a variety of breads, cakes & cookies. Serve sliced banana bread, shortbread cookies, your favorite holiday cookies, lady fingers, lemon cookies or biscuits, orange cake, peach or strawberry tarts or tartlets, petit fors, applesauce cake, brownies or fudge, carrot cake, gingerbread, or tiny cupcakes.
TEA Celebration THEMES
Do you need an excuse to have a Victorian Tea Celebration?? Next time you host a baby or bridal shower, make it a tea celebration, a birthday celebration for a friend, a Christmas tea is always beautiful. Host one for your ladies group at church or ladies Bible study. Celebrate an anniversary, invite over your grandma, or granddaughters, let your little girl invite her friends for a fancy dress up day! Combine a tea celebration with an etiquette class, have a garden tea celebration in the summer, and of course there is always Valentine's Day, my favorite. Be sure to visit my website for tea accouterments and tea celebration favors!
3. Be sure to maintain it frozen to protect its freshness particularly if you do not intend to cook it immediately. Frozen chicken will final for months within the freezer. Chicken ought to be saved in correct wrapping to prevent freezer burn up. In the event you do not intend to cook it inside two months, it is strongly recommended to transfer it to some plastic container with lid for storage and double-wrap it in freezer secure foil.
These recommendations on How you can Grill the right Chicken Breast are fairly simple and when you have mastered the artwork of it, quickly sufficient you'll be the 1 providing out your personal recommendations on grilling like a seasoned chef.
Getting back again to barbecue chicken it begins to make perception why people get worried especially if cooking an entire chicken. Not just have we received to make sure the temperature in the core is right but additionally the bird is cooked within the center. Whenever you think about how you can grill chicken, we're applying immediate warmth to 1 region in the chicken an anybody time instead of an oven exactly where the warmth is totally free to circulate all round the bird. So when performing a grilled chicken recipe, would not it be excellent if we could cook the chicken within out? Nicely really you are able to which will be the way I prefer to get it done.
6. Transfer the chicken towards the absent in the warmth supply towards the other aspect in the grill. Using the lid down, cook the chicken about 40-45 minutes for breasts and Chicken leg quarters, 30-35 minutes for legs and thighs. The easiest way to inform is having a meat thermometer inserted in to the thickest part in the piece. Even though the regular temperature for grilled chicken to become 'done' is 165 degrees, 170 will make sure the chicken doesn't have any of that slight pink colour that almost all individuals are hesitant to consume.
Chicken is certainly one of initial options for each grilling and well being aware foods. If correctly ready, chicken breasts are higher in protein and reduced in body fat. The important thing phrases right here are "properly prepared". If chicken is not correctly cooked it could be considered a supply of meals borne sickness. Various other factors when grilling chicken breasts are whether or not to depart the skin on or eliminate it and whether or not or to not select an natural item. Getting rid of the skin cuts down on the majority of the body fat existing inside a chicken breast, however it helps make the meat much more susceptible towards the warmth. For your functions of this recipe we're assuming the skin continues to be eliminated. Natural chicken continues to be elevated without any steroids, antibiotics, or other undesirable chemical substances utilized within the procedure. Whilst it expenses a bit more, natural chicken represents a more healthy item for the family members.
Chicken may be additional to Italian dishes this kind of as chicken piccata, French recipes like chicken pot-au-feu, or Indian dishes like chicken pakora. Asian recipes like almond chicken, Kung pao chicken and other people can include selection for your daily foods. Arroz con pollo adds just a little south-of-the-border spice for your table. Every various culture also provides versions on chicken soup to create also.
It is an effective concept to understand what sort of chicken you choose cooking with. Boneless chicken arrives in refreshing and frozen kinds, and every has its personal benefits. Refreshing chicken must be utilized rapidly, and provides you with much more restricted choices. Packaged frozen chicken may be bought in bulk and doesn't have to be utilized as rapidly. Nevertheless, thawing it will take some advance preparing, probably even understanding that which you wish to make the evening prior to.
Have you at any time observed that when meals is slow-cooked and also you crave the way in which it smells, the way in which it appears, the taste and tenderness of it, it just tends to make you would like to consume it quick?
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
One entire chicken, reduce into pieces1/2 cup flour1/2 cup corn meal1 teaspoon black pepper1/2 teaspoon white colored pepper1 teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon onion powder2 teaspoons poultry seasoning1/2 teaspoon Cheyenne pepper1/2 teaspoon paprika1/2 to one teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon nutmeg1/4 teaspoon celery seed1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper1 egg1/4 cup milk
When you toss a celebration, sooner or later everyone needs to entertain within their house. This occasion could be a fantastic time in the event you understand how to strategy, cook and serve the meal. Obviously, you would like your visitors to appreciate great meals and also have a great time. That which you may not understand is the fact that your visitors also wish to appreciate your business and discussion also. In the event you invest all of your time within the kitchen area, continuing to fuss with this particular or that last-minute dish, you are robbing your visitors of one's business and it is not a lot enjoyable for you personally both! Right here are some strategies for throwing a celebration you are able to appreciate as well. The key? Simple entertaining recipes!
Chicken is among the leaner meats, which suggests you may make well being lean foods. This kind of meat is leaner than most and it is among the leading options of meats for anybody who's attempting to shed excess weight or preserve their excess weight whilst counting calories. Whenever you make chicken recipes, you'll by no means need to sacrifice great style or wholesome diet. Actually, it's among the primary options for wholesome consuming in accordance to numerous differing types of well-liked and operating diet plan ideas these days.