Our annual Queen's Tea was held Sunday, June 4th. The tables were set with matching china and a bouquet of fragrant fresh herbs and soft pink roses. The menu, adorned with assorted photos of the Queen announced what was to come.Following a champagne toast of Long Live the Queen! and Long May She Reign!, the tea began.
The first course featured a Parmesan, Pear and Pecan Salad with Garlic Basil Vinaigrette topped with fresh basil, spring onion, ripe pears, Parmesan and feta cheeses, and chopped pecans. The recipe is from the book Eating Royally, Recipes and Remembrances from a Palace Kitchen by Darren McGrady.
The sandwich plate included Sliced Cucumber Round with Mint Butter (very fresh and crisp tasting), Summer Garden Rose Petal Sandwich (a Rosemary House original which transported us to the Buckingham Palace Rose Garden), Strawberry Sandwich with Cinnamon Mascarpone Cheese (a sweet sandwich), a Miniature Basil Zucchini Muffin with a Herb Butter Rosebud, 1953 Coronation Chicken Salad Triangles (fresh mango and chutney chicken salad with raisins), and a Roast Beef and Tomato, Horseradish Parmesan Spread on Puff Pastry. Sandwiches fit for a Queen!
The scone course included a Kensington Palace Scone (the florette shaped scone) and the Claridge Hotel (in the heart of Mayfair) Scone with Currants. Sweet Cream and Lemon Curd accompanied the scones along with fresh fruit.
Dessert included a White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie and the Queen's favorite Chocolate Biscuit Cake. According to Darren McGrady, in his Eating Royally book, "Everyone has a favorite cake and the Queen of England is no exception. Hers is chocolate cake, either made with a sponge or biscuit base. Once a chocolate cake is made, the Queen has it brought out again and again at teatime until it is gone."
As we celebrate and honor the Queen today, we remember the tragic events in England these past few weeks and send our heartfelt prayers and thoughts to the people of the United Kingdom. We stand united with them.
6 comments:
Such wonderful tea food items and what great fun!
Your menu is perfect. What a lovely event to honor the Queen!
I check Rosemary's Sampler every day and love to see the comments, this time I have decided to leave a comment and a question about the sandwiches,you were served a summer garden rose petal sandwich,I would love to know if the petals are in a jam form ? that is what it looks like to me , if so do you make your own, ? That sounds so lovely and it would take me to the palace garden too, Can I purchase this from your herb store? thank you Ruth Staley
Ruth - Thank you for your comment. Our mother was the first to serve Rose Petal Sandwiches when she hosted teas in the garden. We continue to honor her by serving these colorful and rosy tasting sandwiches when the roses are in full bloom. The sandwiches use fresh rose petals on soft white bread. A mixture of cream cheese and rose water is spread on both sides of the bread to hold the rose petals in place. Here's a link to a blog post we shared in 2008.
https://therosemaryhouse.blogspot.com/2008/06/rose-petal-sandwiches.html Thank you for your inquiry. Nancy
Your tea to honor the Queen looks delicious. I always love the Coronation Chicken in any form and your's sounds especially yummy. The rose petals too is one I would want to try, but then I want to try it all. The chocolate cake, oh my! Our hearts are definitely saddened by all the violence in England and around the world.
What a lovely way to honor the Queen! Sure do wish I lived close enough that I could have taken part!
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