A High Tea Thank You

One small thank you I did come up with for the strong supportive Christian women (prayer warriors) from Philadelphia Church (my sending church) was a tea party, SSCC style! This is one thing I was excited to come home for, seeing my instructors and attending high tea at my culinary school. You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do a tea party, I'm going to attend this one but I"ll have put a mother daughter tea party for the amazing women (and the cutest kids ever) from my Mars Hill Community Group! I love how feminine it is, with the pastel dresses, floral tea sets, variety of eye appealing finger foods and can't forget the flavorful teas (coconut being my current favorite). And of course, the playful conversations women can't resist at these events.

This time last year, my station was cooking in the fine dinning restaurant with two other students. We were researching different flavor combinations for tea sandwiches and had a blast with the fine details and presentation that goes into high tea. The sandwich I came up with, with the help of Martha Stewart's Hors D'Oeuvres Handbook, (part of Chef's collection and I highly recommend) had a compound butter made with figs softened on the stove in Port wine making a reduction; a sweet, rich, fruity flavor paired with a thin layer of salty prosciutto, all on dark bread cut into circles with a small heart cut out exposing the light pink of the prosciutto. I came up with the design honoring my grandma who was in the hospital (just days before she died). She was great lover of food and supporter of my culinary career, having lunch several times at my school. How excited she would be to see what partnering with God has done to my career! I will be in at least 4 different countries cooking, learning about and my friends (the best part) consuming food. God is GOOD!

The tea was a great success, apart from one of my guests being unable to attend (we boxed up her treats for her). First we ordered our tea, choosing from: a green tea, lychee white, Earl Grey, or sweet licorice mint. I went with the licorice mint- lovey. All loose leaf tea so we had our own individual strainers, a fun special touch. The whole room had a spring feel to it with floral tablecloths, fresh cut tulips and pink and yellow sparkly sugar on the table. Two of my very good friends and fellow culinary competition team members came out and said hello and happen to be in the station putting together the food, so I knew we were in good hands! Our starter was a "Creme DuBarry "- cream of cauliflower soup with a drizzle of Herb De Provence oil. Smooth, rich and creamy with a slight herb finish- fantastic savory start to the meal. Then came the three tiered platters with the 5 different kinds of tea sandwiches, 2 types of cookies, brioche, scones, muffins, cupcakes, raspberry jam and Devonshire cream. Holy moly that cream is delicious! It was all excellent, when food is this good it makes me giggle- not sure why.
The sandwich I enjoyed most was probably the jerk chicken on wheat with apricot chutney or the tarragon salmon mousse on white bread with pickled red onion. Both had a great depth of flavor, as it was in my mouth I could taste more and more flavors. Having a large sweet tooth, there's no chance I could pick one dessert as my favorite, but the two that get my vote were the lemon curd tartlet with I believe, a lavender meringue (pictured above). Great texture to the pastry shell, sharp lemon filling with a gentle lavender flavored meringue cloud on top. I love unique flavor parings like that. Second, would be the petit four glace (pink triangle shaped one in the picture above), it was beautiful to look at and equally pleasing to eat.

Petit fours are small layered cake squares, circles or in this case a triangle, usually with a fruit filling, draped in a blanket of shiny icing, with a design on top. The almond and raspberry flavor is what sold me on this dessert. Almond paste was used verses extract, because there was a thickness to the bite and a more pronounce nutty almond flavor, both appealing aspect to me. The picture above with the six small desserts was our third course, we each got our own plate of these desserts. Then lastly was chocolate covered strawberries made to look like a gentleman's suit and bow tie. I purposefully went hungry to high tea, tummy growling and all but still couldn't finish all the food. You literally have dessert after your dessert.

In addition to catching up with these wonderful women in my life, I got to see my favorite chef! Chef Houot, who was an unexpected joy throughout my time as a culinary student, I have no idea how he does what he does. Very blessed by being in the kitchen and learning under this Frenchmen. He came right out to my table and gave me a big hug and after lunch I sat down in his office to get a lamb recipe (for Easter) that we made in school, and with my pen and mini notebook I jotted down his directions. It was a familiar moment, it felt just like I was back in school getting a quick recipe from him, as I did so many times before I was off to the kitchen to cook something.

You can't put a value on mentors and close close friends that will speak life into you. I'm blessed with just that.

PS- Absolutely in love with the song "At the Cross" and is appropriate for the Good Friday/ Easter season, Hillsong's version on Youtube is simply beautiful.

God Bless,