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This week I celebrated my birthday! I’ve always wanted to host an intimate tea party in my home and this was the perfect opportunity to pair up my favorite Tadin teas with some classic and new tea accompaniment recipes I’ve recently created.
The menu included two main accompaniments: A tangy lentil salad in cute cucumber vessels, and a savory green chile and olive sandwich with sunflower seeds and almonds. Dessert included my favorite tea cookie: orejitas and Chantilly cream with strawberries.
If you are short on time, the sandwich spread, lentil salad and orejitas can be made the day before. The only prep needed the day of your gathering is creating the cucumber vessels, sandwich assembly and preparing the cream.
Because it’s my birthday celebration, I decided to serve my favorite tea varieties: Tadin’s Canelita and Chamomile flavors. Canelita tea is very dear to my heart. It reminds me of a very special time in my life. Chamomile tea is an all-around favorite. It’s pleasant, subtle and doesn’t contain caffeine. Great for kids and guests new to drinking tea.
These are just a few options to serve at a casual tea party. They are simple, with few ingredients and delicious to enjoy with either iced or a piping-hot cup of your favorite Tadin tea. Try my recipes below and tell me which one is your favorite. Enjoy and happy sipping!
Lentil Cucumber Cups
Makes 20
Ingredients
1 cup canned (or cooked) lentils, drained
3 tablespoons celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons radishes, finely chopped
Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 cucumbers
Instructions
Combine lentils, celery, radishes and vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Toss to mix well. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Peel strips off cucumber with a vegetable peeler, alternating colors to make design. Slice cucumber into ½-inch slices. Scoop out seeds with a tip of vegetable peeler or melon baller, making a small well.
Spoon in lentil salad in each well. Serve and enjoy.
Ingredients for Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk vigorously to emulsify.
Green Chili and Olive Sandwiches with Sunflower Seeds and Almonds
Makes 20
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature and softened
2 tablespoons salted almonds, finely chopped
2 tablespoons salted sunflower seeds finely chopped
3 tablespoons green olives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons canned green chilies, drained and finely chopped
Pinch black pepper
10 slices wheat bread
fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
Combine all ingredients (except bread) in a medium bowl. Stir to mix well.
Spread an even amount of cream on 5 bread slices, cover each bread with remaining slices. Slice crusts off and cut sandwich into 4 pieces. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Decorate with thyme leaves, serve and enjoy.
Chantilly Cream
Makes 1 ½ cups
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberries
Instructions
Combine heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on high-speed until desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately with strawberries.
