The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Tea Party/Book Club: Radish Ruffle Canapés

So last October, every Wednesday, I have been a part of a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We started on The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis, and when we finished moved on to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This is different from my book club and the Book Club Picks I have been reviewing (and desperately need to catch up on). 

The second week we were inspired by the time Edmund spends with the White Witch. 

“Perhaps something hot to drink?” said the Queen. “Should you like that?”

Yes please, your Majesty,” said Edmund, whose teeth were chattering.

The Queen took from somewhere among her wrappings a very small bottle which looked as if it were made of copper. Then, holding out her arm, she let one drop fall from it on to the snow beside the sledge. Edmund saw the drop for a second in mid-air, shining like a diamond. But the moment it touched the snow there was a hissing sound and there stood a jewelled cup full of something that steamed. The Dwarf immediately took this and handed it to Edmund with a bow and a smile; not a very nice smile. Edmund felt much better as he began to sip the hot drink. It was something he had never tasted before, very sweet and foamy and creamy, and it warmed him right down to his toes.

‘It is dull, Son of Adam, to drink without eating,” said the Queen presently. “What would you like best to eat?”

‘Turkish Delight, please, your Majesty,” said Edmund.

The Queen let another drop fall from her bottle on to the snow, and instantly there appeared a round box, tied with green silk ribbon, which, when opened, turned out to contain several pounds of the best Turkish Delight. Each piece was sweet and light to the very centre and Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious. He was quite warm now, and very comfortable.

Of course as that only mentions one thing to eat, we ended up adding other recipes that sounded good. We decided to go with: Rose Petal and Green Tea, Rose Petal Earl Grey Tea, Blueberry Rose Petal Scones, Radish Ruffle Canapés, Zuppa Toscana Soup, Meatloaf, and Turkish Delight.

One thing I will be doing differently here than in my earlier posts, is that I will be sharing discussion questions that your group can discuss as you read and eat. I didn’t post discussion questions in the previous posts on The Magician’s Nephew, as I wasn’t in charge of that book. For discussion questions, click on this link.The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Discussion Questions Chapter 4-6.pdfDownload

This recipe comes from Tea Time Magazine.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• ½ teaspoon ground peppercorns
• 3 slices firm white sandwich bread
• 4 medium radishes
• Garnish: additional ground peppercorns

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine butter and peppercorns, stirring to blend.
2. Set aside.
3. Using a 1½-inch round cutter, cut 12 rounds from bread.
4. Spread peppercorn butter onto one side of each bread round. Set aside.
5. Using a mandoline, shave 48 paper-thin slices from radishes. Fold each slice in half and then into quarters.
6. Place 4 folded slices radish on top of each buttered bread round, arranging to resemble a flower.
7. Garnish each canapé with additional ground peppercorns, if desired.
8. Make-ahead tip: Butter can be made a day in advance and refrigerated in a covered container. Let come to room temperature before using. Bread rounds can be cut a day in advance and stored in resealable plastic bags. Canapés can be assembled an hour before serving.
9. Drape with damp paper towels, and refrigerate until needed.

These were delicious and beautiful!

For more from our The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe teas, go to Blueberry Rose Scones

For more recipes, go to Honey French Toast

For more canapés, go to Salmon, Cucumber, and Radish Canapés

For more tea posts, go to Jane Austen Birthday Party: Party Favors II

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Tea Party/Book Club: Honey French Toast

So last October, every Wednesday, I have been a part of a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We started on The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis, and when we finished moved on to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This is different from my book club and the Book Club Picks I have been reviewing (and desperately need to catch up on).

Thats me

One thing I will be doing differently here than in my earlier posts, will be sharing discussion questions that your group can discuss as you read and eat. I didn’t post discussion questions in the previous posts on The Magician’s Nephew, as I wasn’t in charge of that book. For discussion questions, click on this link.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Discussion Questions: Chapters 1-3.docxDownload

So this book made choosing the recipes extremely easy as they have several meals. For our first tea, we were inspired by what Lucy and Mr. Tumnus have together.

“Meanwhile,” said Mr. Tumnus, “it is winter in Narnia, and has been for ever so long, and we shall both catch cold if we stand here talking in the snow. Daughter of Eve from the far land of Spare Oom where eternal summer reigns around the bright city of War Drobe, how would it be if you came and had tea with me?”…

Now, Daughter of Eve!” said the Faun. And really it was a wonderful tea. There was a nice brown egg, lightly boiled, for each of them, and then sardines on toast, and then buttered toast, and then toast with honey, and then a sugar-topped cake. And when Lucy was tired of eating the Faun began to talk. 

The first week we had Chami Teas Winter Grey: Deviled Eggs (for brown egg lightly boiled); Salmon, Cucumber, and Radish Canapés (in place of sardines on toast); Bagels (buttered toast), Honey French Toast (for toast with honey); and a Bear Claw Coffee Cake (for sugar topped cake).

This recipe comes from Farm Flavor.

Party time!

Ingredients:

• 2 Eggs, well beaten
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup Honey
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6-8 slices Bread
• butter, for frying

Directions:

1. Combine eggs, milk, honey, and salt.
2. Dip bread slices into honey mixture.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet. Fry in butter over medium heat until golden brown, turning once.

These were delicious and a great addition to any tea party. I don’t really like honey, but I really enjoyed these.

And eat scones!

For more recipes, go to Salmon, Cucumber, and Radish Canapés

For more recipes, go to Snickerdoodles

For more tea posts, go to Jane Austen Birthday Party: Party Favors II

The Magician’s Nephew Tea Party/Book Club: Turkey-Apple Tea Sandwiches

So every Wednesday, starting in October, I have been a part of a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club on The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. This is different from my book club and the Book Club Picks I have been reviewing (and desperately need to catch up on). I also need to catch up on these recipes, week two was Chami Spice Ginger Plum Tea, Dark Chocolate Ginger Scones, Curried Egg Salad Triple Stacks Sandwiches, Turkey-Apple Tea Sandwiches, Fotina Flower Pastry, and Lemon Gingerbread Cake.

I couldn’t share the recipes in October as I was in the middle of Horrorfest IX, so I am catching up and of course after sandwich number one, we have sandwich number two.

YUM!

This comes from Tea Time Magazine. 

Turkey-Apple Tea Sandwiches Ingredients:

• 4 Slices Honey Wheat Bread
• 8 Slices of Smoked Turkey
• 1 Red Apple
• 1 Recipe Cranberry Spread
• 8 Leaves of Baby Spinach

Directions:

1. Using a serrated knife, cut and discard crusts from bread slices, creating a perfect 3-inch square.
2. Cut each square diagonally into 4 triangles.
3. Cover bread with damp paper towels to prevent drying out while preparing other ingredients.
4. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut 8 triangles the same size as the bread triangles from turkey.
5. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut 8 very thin vertical slices from the apple.
6. Spread a layer of the cranberry spread onto each bread triangle.
7. On the cranberry side of 8 bread triangles layer a spinach leaf, a turkey slice, and an apple slice.
8. Top each with a remaining bread triangle, cranberry side down.
9. Serve immediately, or cover with damp paper towels, place in a covered container, and refrigerate for a few hours until ready to serve.

Cranberry Spread Ingredients:

• 1/3 Cup of Mayonnaise
• 3 Tablespoons of Jellied Cranberry Sauce with Cranberries
• 1 Tablespoon of Yellow Mustard
• 1/8 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1/8 Teaspoon of Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, cranberry sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper.
2. Whisk well.

These were delicious sandwiches and a perfect fall time tea savory.

For more from The Magician’s Nephew Tea Party/Book Club, go to Curried Egg Salad Triple Stacks Sandwiches

For more recipes, go to Dark Chocolate Ginger Scones

For more Tea Time Magazine Recipes, go to Tea Time Magazine’s Ham and Cheese Tea Sandwiches

For more sandwiches, go to Cucumber-Four Peppercorn Goat Cheese Canapés

For more tea posts, go to Mini Apple Pies

Cucumber Sandwiches

So last month my friends and I were supposed to meet up for high tea, as this is something we have been trying to do about every three months to stay connected as it is seems to get harder the older you get.

We had the date and reservations at this amazing historic tea place, but then COVID-19 happened.

So we decided to do our own tea party, a virtual tea party.

We each set up a space with snacks and tea, I drank Earl Grey Tea of course.

I decided to make a new type of Cucumber Sandwiches and Earl Grey Tea Cookies. Both of which were extremely delicious, and I decided to share them with you here, starting with the cucumber sandwiches, which originally come from Spend With Pennies.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Cream Cheese
• 3 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise
• 2 Teaspoons of Chopped Fresh Dill
• 1 Teaspoon of Chopped Fresh Chives
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Long English Cucumber, Thinly Sliced
• 1 Loaf of Bread, Crusts Removed

Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese and mayonnaise in a small bowl with a hand mixer, until smooth.
2. Stir in herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Cut crusts off bread slices.
4. Spread bread slices with cream cheese mixture.
5. Thinly slice cucumbers, layer over half of the bread slices.
6. Top with additional herbs, if desired.
7. Top with remaining bread slice and cut each sandwich into three pieces.

These were delicious! I’m glad I was the only one eating them as I wanted to eat them all!

 

For more recipes, go to Lemon Curd

For more tea sandwich recipes, go to Basic Chicken Salad

For more tea party recipes, go to Scottish Oat Scones

Irish Soda Bread

So every year I do a post on 17 or 7 Irish heroes in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, and each post I mention how I will be making Irish Soda Bread.

It is so good-and I usually spend the rest of the week eating the bread for breakfast with my tea.

from Under Capricorn (1949)

So this year I decided it is time for me to actually share the recipe I use, borrowed from my sister blog MysteriousEats.wordpress.com, so you can make your own for the holiday.

Ingredients:

• Shortening
• 2.5 Cups of All-Purpose Flour, plus extra for later
• 2 Tablespoons of Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
• 3 Tablespoons of Butter
• About 1 Cup of Buttermilk
• Additional Butter, Softened

Directions:

1. Heat Oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Grease cookie sheet with shortening.
3. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
4. Cut in 3 tablespoons of butter, using a pastry blender or crisscrossing two knives, until mixture looks like fine crumbs.
5. Stir in just enough buttermilk so dough leaves the side of the bowl.
6. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, gently roll the dough to coat.
7. Knead 1 to 2 mins, or until smooth.
8. Shape into a round loaf, about 6.5 inches in diameter.
9. Place on the cookie sheet. Cut an X shape about 1/2 inch deep through loaf with floured knife.
10. Bake 35-45 mins or until golden brown.
11. Remove from cookie sheet.
12. Brush with additional softened butter.
13. Cool completely, about 30 mins, before cutting.

It was delicious! I ended up making two (gotta use up that buttermilk) one for me and one for my Sunday School class. I wasn’t sure the kids would like the bread, but they surprised me and ate almost the whole entire thing.

Or in this case, bread

One thing that I find fascinating is that the the “X” you cut into the bread traditionally was supposed to represent a cross. With the cross on the bread, and bread representing the body of Christ- Irish Soda Bread always makes me think of communion and The Last Supper. Maybe I should make it for Good Friday this year as well?

Well if you make it for Saint Patrick’s Day or just to eat, for yourself or others-I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 🙂 I can’t stop eating it.

And an early-Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

For more bread recipes, go to Slow-Cooker Bread

For more recipes, go to Iced Blackberry Infused Earl Grey Tea