A special event hosted by the Pioneer Unit’s Culinary Group.
An English Afternoon Tea is always a lovely idea. A social event for friends to enjoy dainty sandwiches, scones, savories, sweet treats and the latest delightful conversation. Of course a cup of a favorite tea blend completes the occasion. Originally it was designed to stave off hunger between breakfast and a late dinner. It has evolved into a delightful event all its own.
The Culinary Group of the Pioneer Unit invites you to Tea with Friends complete with select recipes.
Resources
Hynes, Angela. The Pleasures of Afternoon Tea. Los Angeles: HP Books. 1987.
Wild, Anthony & Pastor, Carol. The Perfect Afternoon Tea Recipe Book. London: Hermes House, 2023.
www.teatime.magazine.com
www,historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Afternoon-Tea/
www.britishmuseum.org/blog/tea-rific-history-victorian-afternoon-tea
SANDWICHES
CORONATION CHICKEN SANDWICHES
(Served on lettuce leaves at Queen Elizabeth’s wedding)
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast
3 to 4 Tablespoons fat free yogurt
1 Tablespoon Muchi Curry or other hot curry (Whole Foods)
6 to 8 Tablespoons Hellmann’s mayonnaise
2 – 4 Tablespoons mango chutney
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup golden raisins, soaked in hot water
2 ounces chopped dried apricots
1-ounce ginger chunks
Bread for sandwiches
Directions
Gently braise chicken breast until completely cooked and set aside to cool. Combine all remaining ingredients. Chop the cooled chicken breasts into small enough pieces for a food processor or chop into small enough pieces for chicken salad. Combine chopped chicken with all other ingredients in the food processor. Make sandwiches
Pat Garrett
SMOKED SALMON ON PUMPERNICKEL BREAD
Ingredients
1 package Thin Sliced Smoked Salmon\
1 loaf Pepperidge Farm Bread (or other dark rye)
1 container whipped cream cheese
Melted butter (to prep bread)
HAS Pioneer Unit DILLY DASH BLEND herbal seasoning*
Directions
Lay out the bread slices and lightly butter each one. Generously coat each slice (tops and bottoms) with whipped cream cheese and sprinkle Dilly Dash Blend on them, Carefully lift the Smoked Salmon slices from the package. Cover the bottom bread slices, with the salmon. Place tops on, and cut each sandwich in half.
Pat Garrett
*Dilly Dash Blend from THYME WELL SPENT SHOPPE
6 T dill Weed, 1 T black sesame seeds, 1 T white sesame seeds, 1.5 tsp Lemon Peel, 1.5 tsp Orange Peel, 1 T minced Onion, 1 T minced Garlic, 1 T Parsley & 1 T Caraway seeds. Place all ingredients into a processor and grind until it looks right. Pour into a well-sealed container.
CUCUMBER TEA SANDWICHES
Ingredients
2 English cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
½ tsp. salt, plus more as needed
40 slices thin Pepperidge Farm Thin white or wheat bread
2 sticks unsalted butter (8 oz.) or cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ tsp. ground white or black peeper
Optional herbs: watercress, mint leaves, lemon zest, dill, chives, parsley
Directions
Salt the cucumbers: line a baking sheet with paper towels and spread the cucmbers on top. Sprinkle lightly with salt and leave for 20 minutes. Pat them dry with more paper towels. Taste the slices, sprinkle with more salt.
Add the spread: set bread slices on a cutting board and spread one side of each slice generousl with butter or cream cheese. You will need about ½ teaspoons per slice of bread.
Arrange the cucumbers on the bread overlapping them to cover the bread, lay the cucumbers on half of the bread slices. If the cucumbers are very thin make 2 layers. The cucumber filling should be ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle the cucumber slices with pepper and one of the optional ingredients. Top with second slice of the bread.
Cut into small sandwiches pressing down firmly. Cut the crusts off, and then cut into rectangles, triangles, or quarters. Arrange on platters and serve.
Barbara White
ROAST BEEF AND HORSERADISH SANDWICHES
Ingredients
Roast Beef
Cream Cheese
Horseradish
Directions
Spread cream cheese seasoned with horseradish over crust-less bread. Cover with thinly sliced roast beef
Jeanne Schilling
OLD FASHIONED HAM SALAD SPREAD
Ingredients Serves 6
3 cups of leftover baked ham
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
3 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon sugar
Directions
In a food processor, grind ham into small pieces. Add remaining ingredients to the ham and blend until desired consistency, add more Miracle Whip one tablespoon at a time. Serve on a sandwich, croissant or with crackers.
Barbara White
CREAM CHEESE OLIVE SANDWICHES
Ingredients
6 – 8 ounces whipped cream cheese
½ cup mayonnaise
½ Cup chopped stuffed green olives (rinse & dry)
½ Cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 Tablespoons olive juice
Ground pepper to taste
Directions
Mix ingredients by hand. Spread a very thin layer of butter on bread then put filling between two pieces of bread and cut as desired.
Ann Allen
SCONES
APRICOT SCONES served at Jane Press’s Bread & Breakfast
Ingredients
4 cups plus ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 Tablespoon grated orange zest
¾ pound cold unsalted butter, grated
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 cup diced dried apricots
1 egg beaten with 2 Tablespoons water or milk for egg wash
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus Tablespoons
4 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, ¼ cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look Lumpy! Combine the dried apricots and ¼ cup of flour, add to the dough and mix on low speed until blended.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough ¾ inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn’t stick. Flour a 3-inchround plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.
Brush the tops with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until tops are brown and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.
Connie Gwynn
CRANBERRY WALNUT SCONES
Ingredients
½ cup walnuts
4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 ½ cup cold heavy whipping cream
2 cups fresh cranberries or sweetened dried cranberries
½ cups coarse natural sugar.
Directions
Toast walnuts in a single layer at 350F degrees for 7-9 minutes. Let cool and chop coarsely. Increase oven temp to 450 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Incorporate butter until it’s the size of small peas. Add half the cream, then stir in other half until just mixed.
Gently knead in cranberries and walnuts. Gently roll into a circle until ¾” thick. Cut into triangles. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
Bake 12-15 minutes.
Phoebe Lake
BLUEBERRY SCONES (from Sally’s Baking Addiction)
Ingredients
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands and work surface
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp.; 113g) unsalted butter, frozen
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream (plus 2 Tbsp. for brushing)
1 large egg
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 heaping cup (140g) fresh blueberries
for topping: coarse sugar
Directions
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and combine with a pastry cutter, 2 forks, or your fingers until the mixture comes together in pea-sized crumbs. Place in the refrigerator or freezer as you mix the wet ingredients together.
Whisk 1/2 cup heavy cream, the egg, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the flour mixture, add the blueberries, then mix together until everything appears moistened.
Pour onto the counter and, with floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can. Dough will be sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. If it seems too dry, add 1–2 more tablespoons heavy cream.
Press into an 8-inch disc and, with a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut into 8 wedges; or use a scone pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Brush scones with remaining heavy cream and, for extra crunch, sprinkle with coarse sugar. (You can do this before or after refrigerating in the next step.)
Place scones on a plate or lined baking sheet (if your fridge has space!) and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Use the scone pan or line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. After refrigerating, arrange scones 2–3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 22–25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes before topping with vanilla icing, if desired
Leftover iced or un-iced scones keep well at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Cathy Nitsch
PUMPKIN & WHITE CHOCOLATE SCONES
From the kitchen of Chris & Amy Ayer
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
½ tsp. Ground Ginger
½ tsp. Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Salt
1.4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 stick Butter, cold unsalted
½ cup White Chocolate Chips (or semisweet)
½ cup Pumpkin
1/3 cup Buttermilk
1 tsp. Vanilla
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine all dry ingredients. Slice cold butter into parts, then using a pastry blender cut into flour mixture until crumbly.
Mix pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add white chocolate chips to mixture, then add the wet ingredients. Roll and pat out into a circle, about ¾ inches thick. Lightly flour pizza roller/knife, and cut into about 8 slices.
Put on cookie sheet, about an inch apart, and brush with egg wash (1 egg + 1 Tbsp. milk).
Bake at 400 degrees F for 18 minutes, cool for a few minutes, and enjoy.
Julia Johnson
BREADS
BLUEBERRY OR STRAWBERRY BREAD
Ingredients
2 C fruit 1/2 C water
1/2 C sugar
Combine and set aside. Let stand to make juice.
In another bowl mix:
2 cups sugar
4 beaten eggs
1 cup oil
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
Directions
Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients a little at a time until mixture is evenly mixed. Add fruit to the batter. Fill greased loaf pans 3/4 full. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Makes 2 large loaves or 4 mini loaves.
Barbara White
PEACH BREAD
Ingredients
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
4 eggs
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ¾ cup peach preserves
2 ½ cups sifted flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups chopped pecans
Directions
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and preserves. Sift dry ingredients together and add to preserve mixture. Fold in pecans. Bake in two greased (bottom floured) loaf pans at 325 degrees F for one hour.
Ann Allen
SWEET TREATS
ALMOND TARTS
Ingredients
One recipe pie dough ( I use phyllo cups)
Raspberry Jelly
1 egg
2 Tablespoons butter, unsalted
1 cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon almond extract
Directions
Line individual miniature muffin tins with pastry. Place ½ teaspoon raspberry jelly in bottom of pastry. Mix remaining ingredients in order given. Put 1 heaping teaspoonful of mixture into pie shell on top of jelly. Do not fill to the top. Decorate with narrow strip of pastry in the center of tart, if desired. Bake in a 375F degrees oven until light brown, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Ann Allen
GLAZED CITRUS ROUNDS
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks (12 Tablespoons) unsalted butter: at room temperature
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ Tablespoons grated citrus zest (orange, lemon); divided
2 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon lemon extract
¼ teaspoon orange extract
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 to 3 Tablespoons fresh citrus juice (use the same as the zest)
Directions
Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon citrus zest and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, then beat in the lemon and orange extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until a soft dough forms.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop rounded Tablespoons (or smaller if you want the cookies smaller) about two inches apart. Freeze at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the cookies straight from the freezer. 1 baking sheet at a time until the edges are set and the bottoms are slightly browned, 15 to 17 minutes. (Less if making the cookies smaller.) Let cool 3 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, 2 Tablespoons citrus juice and the remaining ½ Tablespoon zest in a medium bowl until thick and smooth. (Add more citrus juice if the glaze is too thick.) Spread on the cookies; transfer to a rack and let set; about 1 hour.
Cathy Nitsch
Food Network Magazine December 2012
LAVENDER SHORTBREAD Yield 36 – 48 cookies (1/4 inch slices)
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks salted butter), softened
1 ½ Cup flour
½ Cup cornstarch
½ Cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ tsp or more “cooking grade” lavender buds or chopped rosemary
Cling wrap, and a firm tube from a paper towel or wrapping paper roll
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Sift together flour, cornstarch, and sugar. In a processor (electric mixer or by hand) beat butter, add sifted flour, cornstarch, and sugar. Add lavender buds for the final spin. Roll the dough into a tube shape; cove with cling wrap; chill in the refrigerator overnight. Slice into ¼ inch slices and bake 12-14 minutes until set, or a pale gold on bottom.
To make perfectly round cookies, place the dough on plastic wrap, form it into a roll that can be stuffed into the paper towel tube. To evenly distribute the dough in the tube – tap on the cardboard roll – thus when frozen they are perfectly round – simply take out of freezer, thaw so they can be cut easily – slice off a dozen or so and bake. Yield depends on the width of each slice.
Pat Garrett
SAVORIES
SOUTHERN CHEESE STRAWS
Makes about 48 cheese straws.
Ingredients
8 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 ½ cups (7 ½ oz.) all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and chilled
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp paprika
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons ice water
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Process cheddar, flour, butter, salt, paprika, baking powder and cayenne in food processor until mixture resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds. Add ice water and process until dough ball starts to form, about 25 seconds.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter and knead briefly until dough fully comes together. Pat dough into 4 inch square. Roll dough into 10 inch square, to about ¼ inch thick.
Using a fork, drag tines across entire surface of dough to make decorative lines. Using pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut dough into ½” wide strips in direction of lines.
Evenly space straws on prepared sheet about ½ “apart. Bake until edges are light brown, 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet. Can be stored in airtight container at room temp for up to one week.
Cook’s Country December 2019
Phoebe Lake
EASY LAMB MINCE CURRY
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large onions, diced
1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon chili lakes
2 tablespoons tomato puree
500 grams reduced fat lamb mince (less than 20% fat)
Freshly ground salt and black pepper
120 grams frozen peas
Freshly chopped coriander (optional garnish)
Directions
Gently heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the onion until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Then stir in the ginger and garlic paste, cooking for a further minute.
Add the spices and tomato puree and cook for another minute.
Add the lamb mince in batches and cook, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon for about 6-7 minutes until cooked through. Season to taste.
Stir in the frozen peas and cook through, about 5 minutes.
Serve with plain basmati rice, naan, or chapatis, garnished with chopped coriander.
Jeanne Schilling
SCOTCH EGGS
Ingredients
8 large eggs
1 1/2 pounds ground sausage, see blog post “What Kind of Sausage Should I Use?” for links to three homemade sausage recipes
1 1/2 tablespoons English Mustard
3 tablespoons chopped chives, can substitute parsley or a combination of the two
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, whisked
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
Directions
Boil the eggs to your desired level of doneness (hard, medium, or soft) then immediately place them in ice water to cool down. Shell the cooked eggs under running lukewarm water. Set them aside until ready to use.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground sausage with the chopped chives/parsley, mustard, and spices, using your fingers to thoroughly combine the mixture.
Divide the sausage mixture into equal portions (you can weigh them for accuracy). I find the easiest way to wrap the eggs without the sausage sticking to your fingers is to lay down a piece of plastic wrap and give it a light spray with oil. Press the sausage mixture out the plastic wrap to a diameter of roughly 5-6 inches. Place the egg in the center of the sausage. Gather up the sides of the plastic wrap and bring them together so that the sausage closes around the egg. Lightly press the sausage to fully enclose the egg. Remove the sausage covered egg.
Place the flour, whisked eggs, and breadcrumbs in separate bowls, seasoning each of them with a little salt and pepper. Dredge the sausage covered egg in the flour, fully covering all sides, followed by the beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Transfer the Scotch egg to a plate and repeat this process for the remaining eggs. Refrigerate the eggs while you’re heating the oil.
Heat the oil in a small but deep saucepan or use a dedicated deep fryer. 340 -360 degrees.
Carefully lower a Scotch egg down into the oil, waiting a few seconds before releasing it from the spoon. If the oil doesn’t fully cover the Scotch eggs, use the spoon to gently turn them over to enable them to fry evenly on all sides. Fry until they’re nicely browned on all sides. (The internal temperature of the sausage should be 145 F.)
Use a slotted spoon to remove it and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep the plate in a warm oven while you repeat the process for the remaining Scotch eggs.
Scotch eggs are served either hot or cold depending on your preference. See blog post for serving recommendations.
Notes
Baked Scotch Eggs: Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C. Give the prepared Scotch eggs a light spraying of oil (this will help make the breading crispy as they bake). Lay them out on a lined baking sheet with some space in between them and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through, turning them over halfway through.
Air Fryer Scotch Eggs: Preheat the air fryer to 390 F / 200 C. Spray the air fryer basket with some oil. Cooking in batches, place the Scotch eggs single layer in the basket, allowing a little room between them. Cook them for 12 minutes, turning them over at the halfway point.
Cammie Beierle
https://www.daringgourmet.com/scotch-eggs/
