Spoonfuls Tea

Having afternoon tea with friends is always a delight, but this afternoon tea definitely was the highlight of my recent trip to Southern California.  A dear friend honored me and three other friends by having tea in her home.  The theme had to do with spoons and there were many delightful spoons involved in tea.  The hand carved spoon in the red rose centerpiece was carved by her great-grandfather to prove his worth and ask for his future brides hand in marriage.
We started our afternoon tea with Baozhong Oolong from Taiwan on the patio.
All the food from the sesame cashews to the rose petal ice cream were so lovingly prepared.  Beside tea on the patio, we had Golden Star Sparkling White Jasmine Tea, Chinese Golden Monkey Tea, and flaming brandy with Dong Ding Oolong.
There were three different scones served with clotted cream and Marmalady's Rose Tea Jelly.
Amazing savories and sandwiches which included a cheese boat with young preserved walnuts, a salami and fontina panani,  ham and boursin cheese sandwich, cucumber with lovage, hummus and turkey roll, strawberry butties sandwich, egg salad sandwich, and smoked salmon roulade with mascarpone cheese.
After the flaming oolong was served, we enjoyed wonderful desserts of rose petal ice cream (made from roses in my friends garden), lemon tart squares, creme brulee in a spoon, and macarons.
This afternoon tea will always sit in my memory as the best tea made by a friend. 
It was indeed an honor and joy to sit at this table and share with dear friends.