A Very Special Teatime

 In winter time there usually is one teatime by the fireplace.

Yesterday was that day.

A day not too cold, but just right to sit for awhile and nibble.

 There was a bit of sipping too, tea in fact.

A lovely tea from India called Sungma Organic Musk, a second flush 2018 Darjeeling.

 An old family quilt served as a tablecloth.

Vintage teaware is my delight.

And a painting of roses, a bouquet from France.

 The nibbles were egg salad, always my favorite, and toasty hot mushroom on toast.

 Then a carrot cupcake with chocolate hearts on top,

a definite nod to the upcoming Valentine's.

What inspired me to make teatime in the middle of the week you say?

This old recipe box I have had sitting on my shelf for years.

One of my favorite tea sandwiches comes from this box; 

so I decided there must be more to explore.

So from time to time I will share a recipe as I try them.

Today was Hot Mushroom and I loved it.

The box comes from the very first time I went to afternoon tea many years ago.

A friend took me to the lunchroom of the Palo Alto Auxiliary at the Allied Arts Guild

in Menlo Park, California. The lunchroom was a non-profit project to maintain beds

for children at the Children's Hospital at Stanford University.

The Recipe for Hot Mushroom tea sandwiches:

2 cups chopped mushrooms, do not chop fine

2 green onions including some of tops, chopped

1/4 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup flour

white wine

1/3 cup sour cream

Saute mushrooms and onion in 1/4 cup butter. 

Cook about 2 minutes.

Add flour and cook 2 more minutes.

Combine mushroom juice with white wine to make 1 cup liquid,

add and cook 3 minutes. Cool. Add sour cream.

Spread on toast and broil.

My toast was cut with a heart cookie cutter,

but you cut the bread any way you would like.

Enjoy!

Take an afternoon off in the middle of the week
and have tea.