ESC #23: Afternoon Tea Edition

Well, as usual, I didn’t take photos, and that seems particularly unforgivable when you’re stacking lovely little tea goodies on étagères…. But as there’s no going back, I’ll just give you notes on the menu. Personally my favorites were the mini lobster rolls and the scones, the latter of which got a little melty in the oven; I think I should have chilled them before baking. But they were still tender and delicious thanks to the omission of the eggs that often make scones tough as hockey pucks…. The cucumber sandwiches (which I can’t find the exact recipe for online, but this one is really close if you just sub mint for basil) were delicious but got a bit dry on the outside in my climate; I think they would tolerate a light water misting before serving, though, so I’ll try that if I ever serve them again–or better yet, I’ll reserve them for picnics where they can be sealed in tins till serving. The Scottish Perkins were easy and very tasty. The hand pies turned out just OK–I don’t think I like cream-cheese pastry-dough recipes. The beet and ginger cake is *very* beet-y, so whether you like it will depend on how you feel about beets, but I liked the way the strong ginger notes played against the earthy base.