ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, May 29, 1996 TAG: 9605290048
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES FOOD EDITOR
A couple of years ago, when Lynne Harrrison lived in New York, one of her favorite pastimes was to meet a few friends in the Palm Court of Manhattan's Plaza Hotel for afternoon tea. The elegantly appointed gatherings - often attended for no special occasion - were always revitalizing and memorable, the former caterer and tea room owner recalled.
Recently, Harrison, showed a class at Provisions Gourmet in Hunting Hills Plaza how to create perfect teas of their own. The Blacksburg resident taught about six tea preparation classes in Roanoke and Blacksburg since she began offering them at the end of last year. The students have been a mix, from mothers and their teen-age daughters, to Virginia Tech students, bed-and-breakfast owners, members of church committees and curious cooks. So far, none of them have been men.
"It looks pretty and elegant, but it shouldn't scare anyone off. It's really not that complicated," Harrison assured her audience of a dozen insecure sippers.
Her ready laugh, relaxed approach and interesting sprinklings of tea history and lore helped remove some rigor from a ritual that started in the mid-1800s.
The 4 p.m. tea, begun years ago to satisfy the cravings of Anna, seventh Duchess of Bedford, should not be confused with Cream Tea - or "elevenses" as they say in Britain - a light snack of tea, scones and clotted cream or spread, served about 11 a.m.; nor with High Tea, a hearty meal of savory meat pies, sandwiches and sweet desserts, served about 6 p.m.
Afternoon tea, served in the early afternoon, usually consists of three courses - small sandwiches, freshly baked scones with preserves or clotted cream and cakes and pastries - which may be served separately or set out all together. Something sweet and something savory is customary, Harrison said.
The sandwiches should be of simple light ingredients on thinly spread, thinly sliced crustless bread, which can be eaten in one or preferably two bites.
Obviously at ease with preparing large quantities, Harrison demonstrated a quick-fix method of cutting full-sized bread slices into quarters or triangles. Cutting the bread with cookie cutters took longer but yielded prettier sandwiches. Among the possible fillings she showed, blanched fresh asparagus, rolled up in thin squares of lightly buttered bread, delighted palate and eyes.
"Scones are the only thing you really have to have for tea," Harrison said. "You want to allow at least two per person."
She cut some scones with small cookie cutters to coax many servings from little dough. For faster preparation and a different look, she used a cookie scoop to form dough into balls, which she flattened slightly with a spatula before baking. When at home, Harrison said, she sometimes pats the dough into a pie pan and scores it with a serrated knife. That's the quickest preparation method, although the scones are larger than what you'd want for an average tea.
Presentation is especially important with tea, Harrison said. She placed fresh flowers on the table and food platters to add flair to the service. She used some accessories, such as cozies to keep the pots warm, and she mentioned that she has a personal set of tiny tea napkins. But all you really need for a tea is the pots and tea strainers, she said.
Hosting a tea is a good excuse to bring out the silver service, frilly doilies and fine china. But it's not the only option. Harrison said she believes in adapting and personalizing the tea to fit the occasion and the host. She said that she enjoys collecting, mixing and matching patterns and textures among her own linens and serving ware.
She gets ideas for teas from varied resources, including Tea magazine, available at some bookstores; and books and pamphlets such as "Having Tea" by Catherine Calvert, "The Tea Lover's Treasury" by James Norwood Pratt, "Tea Time," by Dalton King, and "Suited to a Tea" and "Victorian Parlors and Tea Parties" by Patricia Mitchell of Sims-Mitchell House Bed and Breakfast in Chatham.
"Tea can be anything from cozy to posh, whatever the occasion calls for, from casual friends to full-fledged formal," Harrison said.
Teas make wonderful children's parties, where the kids get to dress up and play adults, she suggested. They're perfect for showers, graduations, brunches, dances, church socials, fund-raisers, maybe even Father's Day. One year, Harrison and her husband, David, celebrated an anniversary with tea at the Plaza in New York City. Harrison said that she's even heard of funeral teas.
"One nice idea was a tea shower where guests brought different cups as gifts," she recalled.
Have you got a great idea for personalizing a tea? Tell us about it by writing to Tea, c/o Almena Hughes, Features Department, The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010-2491. The most unique ideas will be featured in an upcoming story.
For more on how to present a perfect tea and other cooking classes that Harrison teaches, call her at 552-5075.
Here's how to make great hot tea:
1. Preheat teapot by filling with hot tap water and letting water sit.
2. Bring freshly drawn cold, tap water to rolling boil in tea kettle.
3. Pour hot water out of teapot and put in tea leaves (about 1 teaspoon per cup)
4. Bring teapot to kettle and pour boiling water over leaves. Cover pot with cozy, if you have one, and let sit 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Pour tea through tea strainer right away into cups or, if tea will be sitting awhile, decant into another warmed tea pot.
- LYNNE HARRISON
Recipies for:
BUTTERMILK OATMEAL RAISIN SCONES
SAVANNAH SHRIMP SALAD
LAZY DAY CANAPE CUPS
CHICKEN PECAN SALAD
TEA TIME TARTS
CELERY-DILL SPREAD
BRITISH CREAM SCONES
LENGTH: Long : 115 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: CINDY PINKSTON/Staff. At a workshop on afternoon teaby CNBheld at Provisions Gourmet, instructor Lynne Harrison (left) aimed
to remove the anxiety about tea-giving for students Jima Moran,
Sonya Riche and Barbara Murphy. 2. Afternoon tea is an opportunity
to use your fine linens and china. And don't forget the fresh
flowers. color.