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Come Party With Me: Tea Party - Menu (Sweet Appetizers)

partysugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:58:32 -0700

Today I am putting together a menu for an afternoon tea party. I've invited over some of my girlfriends and am praying that Saturday afternoon will be beautiful and sunny so we can sip tea and eat finger sandwiches in my courtyard patio. Tea parties, which until recently were reserved for old ladies and little girls, are making a huge comeback and modern makeover for 2007. Tea bars and tea tastings are all the rage so a tea party is timely and appropriate. Tea parties are also a sophisticated way to host a bridal or baby shower: if you are throwing one in the future, bookmark this plan to help you organize your event. I'm doing my event buffet style with an assortment of savory and sweet treats. Scones and classic tea sandwiches, puff pastries filled with chocolate and shortbread cookies round out the light, nibble-friendly menu. For the sweet appetizer recipes, read more

I've made these Petit Pains Au Chocolat for lots of my parties and they are too easy for the rave reviews they receive. The puff pastry filled with creamy chocolate is a bite sized treat and the Almond-Orange Shortbread cookies can be made in advance and baked the day of the event.

Petit Pains Au Chocolat
From Epicurious

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (one 17.3-ounce package), thawed, each sheet cut into 12 squares
1 large egg beaten to blend with 1 tablespoon water (for glaze)
4 3.5-ounce bars imported bittersweet or milk chocolate, each cut into six 2x3/4-inch pieces
Sugar

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Brush top of each puff pastry square with egg glaze.
Place 1 chocolate piece on edge of 1 pastry square. Roll up dough tightly, enclosing chocolate. Repeat with remaining pastry and chocolate.
Place pastry rolls on baking sheet, seam side down. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pastries with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate remaining egg glaze.)
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Brush tops of pastry rolls with remaining egg glaze. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake until pastries are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 24.

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Almond-Orange Shortbread
From Everyday Food magazine

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
Grated zest of 1 orange, (about 2 teaspoons)
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Make the dough: In a mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar, almond extract, and salt until smooth. With mixer on low speed, add flour and orange zest; mix just until a dough forms.With a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, or your hands, gently mix in almonds.
Freeze the dough: On a piece of waxed paper, form dough into a rectangular log, 12 inches long, 2 1/2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. Wrap log in the paper, and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 months. If freezing longer than 1 day, wrap log again, in plastic wrap.
Bake the shortbread: Preheat oven to 325 degrees; remove dough from freezer. (If dough has been in freezer a long time and is frozen solid, let it sit at room temperature 30 minutes so it slices without crumbling.)
With a sharp knife, cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.
Bake until edges just begin to turn golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet; transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 40 cookies.

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What would you serve at an afternoon tea? Please share with me below. Come party with me tomorrow when I discuss drinks (an essential part of a tea party!).

Come Party With Me: Tea Party - Menu (Savory Appetizers)

partysugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 06:58:42 -0700

To celebrate the arrival of Spring I am planning an afternoon tea party this weekend. After guzzling down way too many beers last Saturday during the St. Patrick's Day festivities, I felt it was time for an elegant afternoon of relaxed entertaining. While a stuffy image of little old ladies in oversized hats may come to mind when you think tea party, my tea time is going to be modern, chic, and youthful. To set the mood I sent a floral present shaped invitation to my friends requesting their presence and asking that they sport floral prints. Whenever I plan a party after I'm done with the invite I move on to arranging the menu. Food is an integral piece of any party and I'll be offering my guests classic tea time snacks. To see my scone and tea sandwich recipes, read more

I'll set up a buffet of several scones and tea sandwiches. The menu should be light because the party is after lunch and to best pair with the teas I'll be pouring. I'll plate classic Cream Scones with Parmesan Chive Scones and have small silver bowls of jams and creams to top these scones. Crustless triangle finger sandwiches will be filled with smoked salmon or fresh turkey.

Cream Scones
From Joy Of Baking

2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (76 grams) cold unsalted butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream or milk
Glaze:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon cream or milk
Garnish:
Jam or Preserves
Clotted or Whipped Cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.
In a small measuring cup combine the whipping cream, beaten egg and vanilla. Add this mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Do not over mix.
Knead dough gently on a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick.
Cut this circle into 8 triangular sections. Alternatively, you can cut the dough into rounds with a 2 1/2 inch (6.5 cm) cookie cutter.
Make a glaze of one well-beaten egg with 1 tablespoon cream or milk. Brush the tops of the scones with this mixture. This helps to brown the tops of the scones during baking.
Bake for about 15 - 18 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean.
Remove from oven and then turn your broiler on high. Sift confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar heavily over the tops of the scones and place them under the broiler. Broil for just a few seconds, turning the pan as necessary, until the sugar has melted and turns golden brown. Make sure to watch the scones carefully as the sugar will burn very quickly.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with Devon cream or softly whipped cream and your favorite jam.

Makes 8 triangular scones or 10 - 2 1/2 inch (6.5 cm) round scones.

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Parmesan Chive Scones
From Apartment Therapy

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1/2 cup chives, chopped fine
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup cream

Heat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sift or mix the dry ingredients, including the Parmesan and chives.
Chop the butter into small squares and work into the dry ingredients with your fingers until texture is like tiny peas or marbles. (Alternate method: put the dry ingredients and butter into a food processor and blend until well mixed. This has the benefit of keeping the butter cold.)
Add the egg and cream and mix with your hands just until the dough barely holds together.
Turn out onto a floured countertop and shape into a rough wheel. Again, handle the dough as little as possible; if it's lumpy and floury that's OK.
Cut the wheel into small triangles and put on the baking sheet.
Bake for about 25 minutes or lightly golden.

Makes 1 dozen.

Make ahead: these scones freeze very well.

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Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches
From Ina Garten

Herb butter:
2 1/2 pounds unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons minced garlic
5 tablespoons minced scallions (white and green parts)
5 tablespoons minced fresh dill
5 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
5 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Sandwiches:
5 loaves dense 7-grain or health bread, unsliced
40 slices smoked salmon

For the herb butter: combine all the butter ingredients in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until mixed, but do not whip.
For the sandwiches, have the store slice the bread lengthwise on a meat slicer into 1/4-inch-thick slices. (If that isn't possible, you can slice it crosswise with a very sharp knife.)
Lay out 40 slices of bread and spread them all with a thin layer of herb butter.
Place smoked salmon on 20 of the slices. Top with the other 20 slices of bread, butter side down.
Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet and wrap with plastic.
Refrigerate until the butter is very cold. Place the sandwiches on a cutting board.
With a very sharp knife, cut off the crusts, cut each large sandwich in half crosswise, and then cut each half diagonally twice to make a total of 40 small triangles. (If the bread was cut crosswise, follow the assembly directions, then cut off the crusts and cut diagonally, twice, to make 20 small triangles.)
Serve chilled.

Serves 50.

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Smoked Turkey Tea Sandwiches With Arugula Mayonnaise
From Epicurious

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup (packed) coarsely chopped arugula leaves plus 30 whole arugula leaves (about 4 large bunches total)
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
12 thin slices firm white sandwich bread, crusts trimmed
10 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey

Mix mayonnaise, chopped arugula, shallot, parsley and lemon peel in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Place bread slices on work surface. Spread mayonnaise mixture on each slice, dividing equally.
Top 6 bread slices with turkey, dividing equally. Place 5 arugula leaves atop turkey on each.
Top with remaining 6 bread slices, mayonnaise side down, pressing to adhere. Cut each sandwich diagonally into quarters.

Serves 6.

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Would anyone like a sweet appetizer? Stay tuned later today I'm featuring a few more recipes for the tea party.

Come Party With Me: Book Party - Menu (Sweet)

partysugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 10:13:18 -0700

Gorgeous cookies decorated to look like little packages are perfect for my Pride & Prejudice themed party. Elegantly placed on a variety of plates at different heights, these cookies will enhance the look of the party. I'll pair them with a decadent box of store bought chocolate truffles to round out a light snack menu of grissini with prosscuito and tea sandwiches. These cookies take a while to prepare, so if you are short on time make a quick, tried and trusted cookie recipe or simply buy pretty cookies from your favorite local baker. However if you're like me and couldn't imagine not having a homemade dessert at any party, get the recipe for these delicious treats, just read more

Tea Cake Sandwich Cookies
From Bon Appetit magazine
Image Source

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups (21/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Assorted decorations (such as powdered sugar, icing, colored sugar crystals, and edible glitter)
2/3 cup preserves (such as apricot, seedless raspberry, or seedless blackberry)

Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl to blend well. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in milk, lemon peel, and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and beat until blended. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly before rolling out.)
Roll out each dough disk between sheets of waxed paper to 14x11-inch rectangle, occasionally lifting waxed paper to smooth out wrinkles. Refrigerate dough on baking sheets, still between sheets of waxed paper, until cold and firm, about 30 minutes.
Place 1 dough piece on work surface. Peel off top sheet of waxed paper. Press same waxed paper gently back onto dough. Turn dough over (still between waxed paper sheets). Peel off top sheet of waxed paper and discard. Using 2 1/4-inch scalloped round cutter and with dough still on waxed paper bottom, cut out cookies. Using 1- to 1 1/4-inch scalloped round cutter, cut out center from half of cookies. Gather dough centers and excess dough around cutouts; shape excess dough into disk and chill. Slide waxed paper with cutouts onto baking sheet and chill. Repeat with remaining dough disk, cutting out rounds, cutting centers from half of rounds to make top rings, and gathering and chilling excess dough. Roll out excess dough between sheets of waxed paper, making more cookie bottoms and top rings. Repeat rolling and cutting until all of dough is used.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Using metal spatula to lift cutouts from waxed paper, transfer cookie bottoms to 1 prepared sheet and top rings to second sheet, spacing slightly apart (cookies spread very little). Sprinkle some top rings with colored sugar crystals (or leave plain to decorate later). Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until pale golden, about 8 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks; cool completely.
Arrange cookie bottoms on work surface. Spread each with 1 teaspoon preserves. Sift powdered sugar over plain cookie rings or decorate with icing and sugar crystals or edible glitter as desired. Press 1 top ring onto each prepared cookie bottom. (Cookies can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper in refrigerator.)

Makes 32 cookies.

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Come Party With Me: Book Party - Menu (Savory)

partysugar — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 09:01:38 -0700

The book party that I'm planning begins in the late afternoon - between lunch and dinner - so a light, afternoon snack will be great for guests. Choose dishes that fit the theme, time, and tone of your book. If certain foods play a prominent role in the book, make variations of those dishes. Pride & Prejudice will be the topic of discussion, and since it's a book about the fabulous frivolity of girls, the menu will consist of appropriately girlie dishes. Wrap long, skinny breadsticks with paper thin slices of proscuitto. An assortment of homemade tea sandwiches are dainty, bite sized, and perfect to munch on while chatting about the delicious Mr. Darcy. You can find the all vegetarian recipes for radish, apple and cheddar, and goat cheese chive tea sandwiches if you read more

Radish Tea Sandwiches
From Everyday Food magazine
Image Source

1/2 bar (4 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
8 slices (sandwich-size) whole-grain pumpernickel bread
4 large red radishes, ends trimmed, halved and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 leaves Bibb lettuce, or butter lettuce, ribs removed

Spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese in center of each slice of bread, spreading to the top and bottom, leaving a 3/4-inch border on sides. Layer half of bread slices with radish slices, overlapping slightly.
Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper; top with lettuce and remaining bread slices (cream cheese side down) to make 4 sandwiches.
With a serrated knife, trim off crusts; cut each sandwich in half. Serve.

Serves 4.

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Apple and Cheddar Tea Sandwiches
From Trish Magwood

1 large loaf (1100g) or two small loaves (550)g artisan style raisin walnut bread
1/4 cup honey and Dijon mustard (50 mL)
6 Granny Smith apples
10 slices extra old white cheddar cheese

Slice large loaf into 10 slices (to make 5 sandwiches).
Spread each slice with honey mustard.
Thinly slice apples with a mandolin or a sharp knife.
Top bread with a single layer each of cheese and apple slices.
Cut crusts off and cut each sandwich length-wise into three pieces.

Makes 30 sandwiches.

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Goat Cheese and Chive Tea Sandwiches
From Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook via Heidi Swanson
Image Source

8 ounces fresh goat cheese
24 very thin slices of white sandwich bread, crusts removed
1 medium bunch watercress leaves, enough to make about 2 lightly packed cups
2 bunches of fresh chives, finely snipped to make 1/2 cup
2 tablespoons homemade or prepared mayonnaise

Spread goat cheese liberally on all the bread slices. Arrange the watercress leaves in an even layer on 12 of the bread slices. Top each of these slices with a second slice of bread, goat cheese side down.
Place the chives in a small shallow bowl. Halve each sandwich on the diagonal. Using a small spatula, carefully spread mayonnaise along the long side of one tea sandwich, and then dip this long edge into the chopped chives. Repeat with each tea sandwich.

Makes 2 dozen.

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Come Party With Me: Tea Party - Drinks

partysugar — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 06:58:32 -0700

It's tea time! This week I'm planning an afternoon tea party. On Monday I sent out beautiful floral invitations to my girlfriends and yesterday I put together a menu full of scones, tea sandwiches, and shortbread cookies. Now it's on to the drinks, the tea of the tea party. Start by picking out which teas you will offer your guests. You could make several pots of the same kind, or a few different kinds. I am a fan of options and will brew a couple different kinds of tea. At all of my parties I like to offer an alcoholic beverage, so for those who are in the mood for an afternoon aperitif, I'll shake up a green tea martini. For my tips on brewing the perfect cup of tea and the recipe for the mar-tea-ni, read more

In honor of the tea party that I am planning this week, I thought it was necessary to go over a few basic suggestions for brewing a warm, wet, wonderful cup of tea.

To ensure freshness, store in an airtight container in a cool, dark space.

A good cup of tea is only as good as the water used, so choose fresh, flowing, cool, bottled/filtered water.
Take care when measuring out the tea because the tea's strength and flavor depends on the quantity of tea in the pot and the amount of steeping time.
Generally one bag or 1 teaspoon of leaves is considered a 1 person serving.
Do not overboil the water because once it begins to lose oxygen, the flavor of the tea will weaken.
The most important step of tea making is the correct brewing time. Brew for too long and the tea will taste bitter, brew for too little and the tea won't have maximum flavor.

Tea Brewing Time Chart
Tea Type Steep Time (in minutes)

black tea 3-5

herbal tea 5-10

green tea 1-3
Wrap the teapot with a towel or cozy to retain heat while steeping.
Strain tea leaves or remove tea bags before pouring into a cup and enjoying.
Milk dissolves the best into hot tea so plan accordingly.
Do not leave tea uncovered for a long period of time after brewing - drink or refrigerate to retain antioxidants and prevent bacteria from growing.
For the best tea, fill a teapot with hot tap water to warm it up; likewise warm up your teacups in a cup warmer or with hot tap water.

**Tea Brewing Time Chart**
Tea Type	Steep Time (in minutes)
black tea	3-5
herbal tea	5-10
green tea	1-3

Green Tea Martini
From That's The Spirit

Ice
1 ounce green tea, chilled
2 ounces citron vodka
1 teaspoon Cointreau
1 teaspoon simple syrup
Orange twist

Fill a shaker with ice. Add green tea, vodka, Cointreau and simple syrup.
Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with an orange twist.

Makes 1 cocktail.

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What are your secret tips for brewing the best cup of tea around? Please share them with us below. Next up on the party plan to-do-list: the look.

Come Party With Me: Tea Party - The Look

partysugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 05:59:13 -0700

This week I am putting together a tea party plan for you to follow when you want to host an afternoon tea sipping soirée. Contrary to popular belief, tea parties can be a great, contemporary way to celebrate the arrival of Spring (or a baby or a marriage). My fingers are crossed in hopes that this Saturday will be a glorious sunshine-y day and that we will be able to sit outside in my courtyard while we drink tea and nibble on finger foods. I invited a small group of girlfriends earlier this week with pretty little floral invites. The buffet will be set with a dazzling array of sweet and savory classic tea snacks and I'll pour several pots of freshly brewed tea as well as offer a green tea martini to those friends who are in the mood for a cocktail. To see how I'm turning my house into a spring haven, creating a lady-like look with lots of fresh flowers and tea inspired accents, read more

First things first, decide where you will arrange the buffet. I'm planning on hosting the party in my front garden; I live on a cul-de-sac and have a small courtyard that will conceal guests from the street. I plan a lot of parties and have several fold out tables in various shapes and sizes. I'll set up a long, low, rectangular table with the tea and cups. On the round table I'll place the food platters.
You should have one chair for each guest to sit, relax, and enjoy their cup of tea. If you don't have enough, chairs can be rented cheaply from you local party supply store.

Spring is the theme so use pastel colors, white, and green to reflect rebirth and light.
I'll dress my table in white eyelet tablecloths with periwinkle satin trim (to match the invitations). White cotton eyelet is a cheap fabric that is easily washable and can be used again at other outdoor events.
Floral print cocktail napkins and small pretty clear glass plates will pair perfectly with the dainty menu.

Fill old tea tins with water and fresh flowers. Choose flowers that complement the colors in the tea tin: yellow, white, or pale pink keep with the theme.
Set up an outdoor umbrella for guests who prefer to stay out of the sun. Likewise, if it's cooler set up an outdoor heater or fire pit.
Cherry blossoms are in season for only a short part of the year and I'll take advantage of their beautiful blooms by scattering branches around the yard.

The party should be over before nightfall, so candles are not necessary.

How would you decorate your garden for a springtime tea party? Tell me your ideas below. Tomorrow, last, but not certainly least, the music.

Come Party With Me: Knitting Party - Drinks

partysugar — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 07:02:12 -0800

I love ripping pages out of magazines. There's something so satisfying about hearing the tear noise when I rip the pages out, it just makes me happy. I rip out everything and anything: fashion ads to decorate with, recipes to make, beauty products to buy, images to use as inspiration. A while ago I ripped out a page of Harper's Bazaar magazine that had the most beautiful charcoal gray cowl neck knitted sweater. I didn't want to purchase the sweater, I wanted to make it. There was only one teeny little problem: I had no clue how to knit. Well, I actually still don't really have a full understanding and that's why I am hosting a knitting party this Saturday afternoon. It's time to get up off the couch and plan a party that will gather together my girlfriends and teach us a new useful skill as well. The invites were sent and the menu is planned, so today I'm talking about one of my favorite parts of any party: the drinks! For my drink menu, read more

The party takes place in the late afternoon which is the time for both tea and cocktails. Thus I will be offering both options. First I'll set up a Tea Bar by brewing several kettles of different flavored teas. I'll offer a whole bunch of accompaniments for the tea: mini bottles of liquors (amaretto, rum, frangelico, etc.), milk, cream, sugar, lemon, whipped cream, flavored syrups, wedges of fresh citrus, ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla. The tea will be drank from Moroccan style embellished glass glasses.

It's the dead of winter and to liven things up I'll make a tropical Raspberry Rum Punch for the girls who are more in the mood for cocktails than tea. The punch is a vibrant pink color and fits in lovely with the purple/pink color scheme. The punch can be placed on the same banquette where I create the tea bar. It shall be served in festive red wine glasses tied with a piece of dark purple satin ribbon.

As with all of my parties I'll have pitchers of both sparkling and still waters. If anyone fancies a glass of white wine, I'll have a few bottles of Pinot Grigio chilling in the fridge too.

Click on the image below for the recipe:

Next up on the plan: the decorations!

Do you know a cock(or mock)tail that would be absolutely divine at a knitting party? Tell me about it below.

Share Your Party Pics!

partysugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:00:52 -0700

Whenever I decide to host a party the first thing I do is look for inspiration. It can be found anywhere, but I always enjoy checking out pictures of other people's parties for ideas. I love looking at party pics so much I have created a group - Super Special Occasions - on TeamSugar where you can share all of your party pics with me.
If you're hosting a child's birthday party, be inspired by the 8th birthday party just donna recently threw her daughter. The tea party has a girlie, fun pastel color theme. The menu involves crustless sandwiches that are cut into age appropriate festive shapes, and a variety of dainty cupcakes. To check out all the pics from her adorable party, read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member just donna

View 32 Photos ›

Come Party With Me: Cookie Swap

YumSugar — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 00:05:03 -0800

Cookie swaps are all the rage these days. Never one to be ashamed of jumping on a rolling bandwagon, this winter I’ve decided to host my own. Instead of making ten different kinds of cookies this year I’ll give a cookie exchange for my friends. Each guest makes several batches of their favorite holiday cookies then brings the treats to my house where the cookies are shared with all. Guests leave with a goodie bag full of delicious cookies to take home and share with their family. To learn more about this party read more

Invites: To celebrate the fact that everyone involved has to partake in the baking, I type invitations as if the cookie swap party is a recipe itself. This allows room for an explanation of the event in an innovative and creative way. Remember invitations are important because they set the tone, atmosphere, and theme of the party before the party has even begun. With that said here is how I will format my recipe invites:

Cookie Swap

Ingredients
12 girlfriends
12 cookie recipes
One winter afternoon
Cookie transporting supplies (ribbon, boxes, parchment/wax paper, tins, saran wrap)
One delicious cocktail
Three savory hor'dourves

Pick out your favorite holiday cookie recipe. Email your hostess with the recipe so she can create the cookie menu.
Bake cookies according to recipe, double or triple the batch to make enough cookies for each of the twelve girls to take home.
Put on your party outfit, pack up your cookies, and head to 12 Main Street (hostess: insert your address here) around 4:30 pm on Saturday December 23.
Eat, drink, and be merry with your friends. Have a fabulous time. Leave the party with the feelings of happiness in your heart, satisfaction in your belly, and cookies in your hand.

Menu: Cookies are obviously on the menu as a few will inevitably be nibbled while on display for all to see. But I would serve two savory options to ensure that you do not overload on sweets. Spiced nuts can be purchased at the store if you do not have time to make them. Mini bacon, leek, and gruyere tarlets are a tasty treat and pair nicely with tuna tartare on crackers.

Decorations: With all the different kinds of cookies that are going to be coming into your house it's best to keep the decor simple. Have the party in your kitchen to make it feel homey and cozy. Set up stations around the kitchen: a station with the savory tartlets, tartare, and nuts; a station with the bellini bar; a station where the cookies are displayed; and a station where the cookies can be packed up to take home. At the cookie display station set out all of your best serving platters for guests to arrange their cookies. Make cookie place cards with the name of each guest's cookie. At the cookie packing station arrange cookie boxes (ask your local bakery for some empty boxes) or Chinese takeout containers (easily found in all sizes and colors at most craft stores) for the guests to prettily pack their treats. Parchment paper, saran wrap, scotch tape, and decorative ribbon are necessary additions to the station. An easy party favor for your guests to add to their bags before they leave is a recipe booklet that has all of the recipes used for the cookie swap.

Music: I like the idea of playing jazz Christmas music for this party to create an air of simplistic sophistication. Diana Krall's Christmas Songs, and A Smooth Jazz Christmas by Dave Koz & Friends are great picks.

Drinks: Set up a bellini bar with prosecco and seltzer water. Guests can mix their own drinks. Offer hot apple cider and tea for those who prefer a hot drink.

Read more on cookie exchanges: party planners and cookie recipes.

Come Party With Me: Moroccan Dinner - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:00:00 -0700

My Moroccan dinner would not be complete without sweet mint tea. This hot concoction is a common commodity on the streets of the North African country. Although alcohol is not traditionally consumed in Islamic culture, at my party I'll offer guests an alcoholic variation of the tea in the form of a green-tea cocktail. Water - both sparkling and still - local beers, and a couple bottles of wine will round out the drink menu.

For the recipes to both the hot and spiked teas, read more.

Moroccan Mint Tea
From Gourmet magazine

Ingredients

1 tablespoon loose Chinese gunpowder green tea
5 cups boiling water
3 to 4 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
1 large bunch fresh mint (1 ounce)

Directions

Put tea in teapot and pour in 1 cup boiling water, then swirl gently to warm pot and rinse tea. Strain out and discard water, reserving tea leaves in pot.
Add remaining 4 cups boiling water to tea and let steep 2 minutes.
Stir in sugar (to taste) and mint sprigs and steep 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve in small heatproof glasses.

Serves 6.

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Green Tea Cocktail
From Eat Entertainment

Ingredients

1 oz. green tea liqueur
1 oz. vodka
5 oz. white cranberry juice
1 lime slice or rosemary stick

Directions

Mix the green tea liqueur, vodka, and white cranberry juice, stirring to combine.
Serve in an ice-filled highball glass. Garnish with a lime slice or a stick of rosemary.

Makes 1 cocktail.

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