Host An Afternoon Tea Party! {includes Classic Tea Sandwich recipe}
By Kelly, Contributing Writer
Hosting a simple, yet elegant afternoon tea party is a delightful way to celebrate the special women in our lives whether it’s honoring our moms on Mother’s Day, hosting a bridal or baby shower, or just sharing a fun afternoon with good friends.
Simply dress up your table with some pretty linens and fresh flowers. And don’t be shy about borrowing extra china or serving platters from friends. Personally, I love the eclectic look of mismatched dishes and platters.
Keep the menu simple, yet elegant. A selection of assorted finger sandwiches pair nicely with tea. Lemon Dill Cucumber Tea Sandwiches (see recipe below), as well as egg salad and chicken salad are all traditional favorites. Another classic pairing with tea is biscuits or scones served with homemade jam and clotted cream.
For dessert, consider serving dainty treats such as little Lemondrop Cupcakes, Thumbprint Cookies, or Raw Cookie Dough Bites.
And of course, the most important part of any tea party is the tea! Set up a traditional tea service with teapots, cups and saucers, and a nice selection of tempting teas. Traditional favorites such as English Breakfast, Darjeeling and Green Tea are all delicious. For a special touch, consider creating your own unique tea blends such as Rosy Black, Lemon Tisane, or other Health-Boosting Herbal Teas.
Afternoon tea is all about simple pleasures – a time to sip tea, relax and enjoy a memorable afternoon together. It truly is a wonderful way to honor and appreciate the special women in our lives!
Lemon Dill Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 oz. cultured cream cheese softened
- 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh dill or 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
- 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
- 1 tsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 English cucumber peeled and sliced thinly
- 6 slices of your favorite wholesome bread
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, blend together the cream cheese, dill, lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Then, season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cut crusts off the bread (reserve for making breadcrumbs or another use). Spread a generous layer of the cream cheese mixture on each slice of bread.
- Layer the cucumber slices among three of the bread slices. Add a few sprigs of fresh dill, if desired. Top with the remaining three bread slices. Slice into quarters on the diagonal and serve (Or cut sandwiches into pretty shapes, using a favorite cookie cutter.)
My 2 dd love tea parties, and we have hosted several for birthday parties and one of the must haves is always Lavender Lemonade and Lavender Tea Bread, and tea sandwiches made with cream cheese and homemade blueberry jam- delightful for young girls and a wonderful ritual for families. Thanks for posting, your photos are beautiful and inspiring!
Hi, Felicia! Your lavender lemonade and tea bread sound wonderful. Feel free to link the recipes here! And yes, I didn’t mention that tea parties are perfect for young girls birthdays. I SO appreciate that you took the time to share that idea! Lots of blessings, Kelly
Your photos are pretty! I like to have soft, jazzy music playing in the background at teas (Billie Holiday, older Bing Crosby, etc)… it adds such a nice touch. I’ve made petit fours for teas as well which are pretty, but tedious to make. A labor of love.
What a GREAT point to select music to play – thank you so much for taking the time to share that idea! And yes, petit fours are definitely a labor of love! That’s why mini-cupcakes are my go-to sweet cakes. Thanks again for sharing! Blessings, Kelly
My friends and I did this recently, the host even bought us all our own vintage tea cups that we kept to use at a future tea party. It was so lovely to sit with ladies drinking tea and eating delicious and delicate food. Soo feminine!
How fun, Alexandra! Sounds like you had a wonderful time together – and the vintage tea cups sound beautiful! What a great hostess! Thank you for taking the time to share with us! Blessings, Kelly
This is so fun! You got me inspired to have a Mother/Daughter Tea party! Thanks for the recipe and all the links!
Thanks for your sweet note, Rachel! I hope you and your family enjoy a special day together! Happy Mother’s Day! Blessings, Kelly
I love the ease of this social gathering. It’s so nice to simply enjoy good company without a whole lot of prepping. Wonderful article!
Thank you so much, Susan! Appreciate your kind words! Blessings to you, Kelly
We did this at church last year. It was fun. Another option for the sandwich is thinly sliced radishes or pea greens (really nice fresh pea flavor)
Oooh, those sound lovely, Stephanie! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this yummy idea! Blessings, Kelly
I am 12 weeks pregnant, and it is so hard to find quick and easy healthy lunch things I can tolerate with the nausea and all…I am HOOKED on these cucumber dill sandwiches! Thank you SO much! They are soooo yummy! I’m addicted!