I love to take tea. I enjoy getting out my 3-tiered stands and preparing a few treats for a gathering of friends at 4p. I even revel in taking tea all by myself. It is July, it is hot, people seem miserable and something as simple as tea and a book can make the world seem a little more civilized. What's not to love?
So, what does one serve on a beautiful 3-tiered stand when temperatures are in the triple digits? The beverage, of course, must be an iced tea. Whether you infuse your tea with peach or lemon or just a hint of sugar, pouring a quality tea over a few ice cubes is incredibly refreshing. It can be enjoyed on your porch, deck, or patio, but if you really need to beat the heat, your air-conditioned dining room is even more enticing.
The bottom of your stand is for savory things, but they do not have to be complicated. Cheese cubes on toothpicks and small chunks of ham or chicken wrapped in bacon can sufficiently fill this tier on a hot day. Tea is more a snack than a meal, after all, there is no need to make it fussy. Even if you wish to be formal, the dressing of the table and attendants is all it takes to refine your tea.
Scones are supposed to occupy tier number two. Typically served warm, there is no reason this teatime staple cannot be served room temperature. The jam or clotted cream with which you adorn your bread can also be room temperature but serving them cool is not a bad idea in the dog days of summer.
Tiny, sweet bites top the stand for the final course. When it is too hot to be hungry, grapes, chunks of watermelon, or chilled apple slices can be the perfect, light ending to a summer tea. Of course, a lemon cookie or "biscuit" is never a bad finish.
No matter what you choose to serve or enjoy at tea, take your time with it. Take one hour to turn off the screen, put down the phone, and settle into a tradition from a simpler time. I know it always me feel a little more like a human being and not just a human doing...
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