I Teatim!
All around the world, the daily ritual of teatime is a revered
tradition, especially when it means bringing together your
friends or family members. From Japan to China to India to
Britain, teatime is an occasion to eat tasty food, enjoy delicious
drinks, and spend some fun time together. In these pages, youll
find loads of recipes for shareable treats and yummy drinks
to help you host the perfect tea party. All the classics are here,
from scones and tea sandwiches to tartlets and cupcakes, plus a
selection of savory treats such as sushi, gougres, and pot pies.
When the weather is warm, invite a bunch of pals to an alfresco
summer tea bash with Frozen Chai (page 100) and Strawberries
& Cream Cupcakes (page 45). Or cozy up on a cold winter day
with a warm Apple-Orange Tea (page 109). For an after-school
tea gathering, serve Colorful Macarons (page 27) and Mint
Tisane (page 105). This collection of recipes and ideas will give
you plenty of inspiration to celebrate teatime anytime.
Whos invited?
Once youve decided to host a tea party,
the first step is to make a guest list. How many
people would you like to invite? Remember,
the more people you invite, the more planning
and prep you will have to do. A handcrafted
note explaining the detailswhat day, what
time, what the occasion isadds a personal
touch to your invitation.
Whats cookin?
These recipes are designed to delight your
friends. Do your chums like chocolate?
Fruity desserts? What about savory
snacks? Pick several recipes that you think
your friends will like. When in doubt, a
combination of sweet and savory treats
cant be beat. Youll want to prepare as many
dishes and decorations ahead of time as you
can so that youll have time to enjoy the fun
when the party rolls around.
Whens the party?
Do you want your next birthday to be a
tea-party extravaganza? How about having
friends over to hang out after school? Or
would you like to host an outdoor party on a
summer afternoon? Or a fireside tea
partyand sleepoverin winter? The time
of year and the weather, as well as upcoming
holidays, will help you come up with ideas
for the theme, location, colors, and menu.
Get creative and have fun!
Why teatime?
Imagine your tea party: Are you gathering
friends to watch movies together? Or to
play in the backyard? Or to craft gifts for
the winter holidays? Whatever the occasion,
think about what kind of games youd like to
play or activities youd like to do.
Pulling it all together
Staying organized is the key to hosting
a fun partyand to enjoying the party
yourself! To help you prepare for the
occasion, make a checklist of everything
youll need to do beforehandit will help
you keep things running smoothly. Think
about what ingredients youll need for the
recipes, supplies youll want for making party
decorations, any party favors you might want
to hand out, and what youll need to set up
beforehand. The more you plan and do ahead
of time, the more time youll have for fun!
Teatim Pre
When you are planning a tea party for your friends, ask
yourself the following questions to get started:
Te Part Idea
You can use the themes below to help you start planning your teatime
partyand to create other themes. Feel free to mix and match these
themes and dishesyour choice of snacks, decorations, and activities
will make for a unique party with your own flair!
SUMMER ALFRESCO
Nothing says a summer party like cool drinks and tasty treats made with produce from
a farmers market. If your party will be in the sunny outdoors, try picking recipes with a
rainbow assortment of fruits. Lemon Tartlets with Sugared Flowers (page 33), Watermelon
Layer Cake (page 77), and Summer Fruit Buttermilk Tart (page 63) make the most of the
fresh fruits and berries available. An elegant Garden Flower Sandwich Cake (page 80), Fresh
Tomato Tart (page 85), or veggie-filled Rainbow Sushi (page 96) will round out your menu
with yummy savory treats. If its a hot day, a cool Mint Tisane (page 105) or frosty pitcher of
Apple-Orange Tea (page 109) will help keep your guests cool.
AFTERSCHOOL TEA
If youre eager to enjoy an afternoon tea-party play date, or a relaxing Saturday gathering
with friends, whip up a few dainty treats to share. You can have fun with a pink-and-orange
color theme by serving crispy Colorful Macarons (page 27) with Pink-Orange Tartlets (page
56) and Little Apple Galettes (page 67). A warm teapot filled with Apple-Orange Tea (page 109)
or cool glasses of Frozen Chai (page 100) will taste wonderful with these fruity desserts.
COZY CLASSICS
Brush off the winter blues with a teatime party celebrating global snacks and drinks. You
may be familiar with Scones with Jam & Cream (page 18) and Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
(page 24); theyre often served at British teatime. Impress your friends with your knowledge
of culinary traditions from around the world by making Hanami Dango (page 35), sweet
mochi dumplings popular in Japan. Serve them with Strawberry-Coconut Boba Tea (page
106) for a tasty pairing. Or choose treats from India, like Potato & Pea Samosas (page )