Tea and tiny cakes

The Press Thursday, 16 August 2007
Embrace your inner empress, says Kate Fraser, and join the tea-party revival.
If pink is the new black and cupcakes are the new muffins, afternoon tea is the new drinks party.
The last time tiered cake stands, embellished teapots and sugar tongs were regularly used household items, most women's lifestyles were bound by a formality that extended even to all-women occasions such as afternoon tea.
Invitations to these stately occasions were taken seriously, and it was understood guests would wear hats and gloves and carry a good handbag.
The timing of the tea party was informative.
Invited for 3.30pm meant a genteel spread with delicate sandwiches, bread sliced so thinly you could see through it (and only plain butter, never jam), gems and a sponge cake.
The teapot was silver if the tea came from Ceylon or India, and china if China tea was offered.
If asked for 4pm, afternoon tea would be wheeled in on a trolley rattling with matching bone-china cups, sauces and plates, and a polished selection of scone knives, butter knives and cake forks for the dainty scones, savouries, fairy cakes and cream pastries.
Then there was 4.30pm or even a 5pm high tea with hot toast, hot scones, pikelets and homemade jam, sandwiches, fairy cakes and a slice.
It was more about filling the hungry gap between noonday dinner and supper, but whatever the time, the rules were the same: tea poured at the table by the hostess, milk offered before sugar, and plates please – no picking up a savoury and stuffing all into the mouth.
I don't know what has driven the tea-party revival but I suspect it may be the realisation that a drunken night on the town "with the girls" is sad, mad and bad.
Afternoon tea followed by a glass or two of bubbly reeks of style.
As an entertaining occasion it is still
a novelty, but it is catching on.
Maureen Falloon, who started her business The China Cabinet in March, says it began when she and a friend who put on afternoon teas for each other – "with special food, and lovely china and linen, like the ones we remembered our mothers having" – considered the commercial potential.
Falloon had collected good china for many years and knew she had enough to hire it out.
Another friend, Angela Mullen, owner of Brigitte's in Merivale, Christchurch, suggested they combine forces and hold a Vintage High Tea in the cafe.
Falloon provided the table linen, flowers, china, cutlery, teapots, strainers, sugar bowl – the whole paraphernalia that goes with proper tea parties.
Brigitte's staff prepared the sandwiches, savouries, scones and sweet cakes.
The invitations were for Vintage High Tea at 4pm. Sparkling wine was served as well as tea.
Other events have followed.
A baby shower, a 21st, a wedding and a family get-together have all had their tables dressed vintage-style with The China Cabinet's stock of vintage linen, china, champagne saucers and table accessories.
"I do everything but the food," she says.
"I leave that to the caterers I work with."
One of her most popular items is a special-delivery afternoon or morning tea.
She arrives with cups, saucers, plates and the food on a silver tray – "Tea for two mostly, but for greater numbers if required.
"Older people enjoy a tea party because it brings back lovely memories, and younger ones enjoy it because of its vintage connections. I enjoy them because I love to see pretty china being used again."
The China Cabinet: 027 461 9333, or visit www.thechinacabinet.co.nz
Margaret Rose fairy cakes
A modern version of a fairy cake, or cupcake, popular when Princess Margaret was a child.
INGREDIENTS
125g soft butter 200g caster sugar2 eggs 125ml of full-fat milk12 tsp rose waterZest of half an orange150g self-raising flour12 tsp baking powder pinch of salt.
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180deg (fanbake).
Use a food processor to beat soft butter and caster sugar to a cream.
Add 1 egg and process until blended – don't whizz for more than 15 seconds or the mixture will curdle.
Repeat with second egg.
With the machine running, slowly add full-fat milk.
Add rose water (available in specialist food stores – 1 tsp almond essence can be substituted but the flavour will be different).
Zest half an orange (or grate the skin) and add, whizzing briefly to combine.
Now combine self-raising flour with baking powder and salt.
Remove the cover of the processor and sieve the mixture over the butter/egg mixture.
Use the pulse button to blend in the flour, taking care not to over-mix.
Put paper cases in a muffin tray for stability, or put one case inside another.
Three-quarter fill cases with the mixture and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cakes are golden and springy to the touch.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
When cold, ice and decorate.
Icing
INGREDIENTS
120g soft unsalted butter240g icing sugar1 drop of cochineal2-3 tsp squeezed orange juice.
METHOD
Beat butter and icing sugar in the food processor until fluffy.
Keep the machine running and add cochineal and squeezed orange juice.
Whizz briefly until the icing is a pale pink.
If rose water is not used, keep the icing colour cream.