Inspirations for afternoon tea, that most Anglophilic of traditions.
Key Ingredient
CaryTown Teas in Richmond is serious about health, offering blends such as Blood Cleanser, Flu Fighter and Immunity Booster. Discover Teas in Newport News creates surprising flavors, including Chocolate Chai and Jamestown Gunpowder. Dominion Tea in Purcellville celebrates the historical aspect of tea, stocking by type and source country. And in Salem, White Oak Tea Tavern sells inventive blends like Maple Blackberry and Hot Buttered Rum. CaryTownTeas.com, DiscoverTeas.com, DominionTea.com
If You Make Them,They Will Come
From roast beef and smoked salmon to egg salad and watercress, finger sandwiches are quintessential tea time fare. Get creative by pairing Virginia ham with pickled jalapeños, cornbread and just a little taste of honey. Match flaked smoked trout with cucumber, dill and onion and serve on pumpernickel bread. Add a spicy or piquant twist to your spread with okra, jalapeños or bacon. And, we hardly need say, always serve your favorite pimento cheese on white bread.
Do A Dollop
What would afternoon tea be without clotted cream? Hailing from Southwest England in Devonshire and Cornwall, clotted cream is an essential addition to your tea time menu. Sweet, with a heavy whipped consistency, it is typically dolloped atop scones, though we confess we like to add it everywhere we can. Make your own from scratch, or purchase it from gourmet international markets, such as Foods of All Nations in Charlottesville, or your local Fresh Market. FoodsOfAllNations.com, TheFreshMarket.com
Mac The Knife
Although not a traditional tea time offering (we beg your pardon, purists), macarons are very on-trend for afternoon tea. Serve a variety of flavors, such as chocolate, Nutella, pistachio and rosewater, all of which are available from Norfolk’s Hummingbird Macarons and Desserts. And for the crème de la crème, don’t miss two new Ladurée maisons in Washington, D.C. HummingbirdMacarons.com, Laduree.com
Pour Me Out
Waynesboro artist Jake Johnson shows us that teapots can be artful and functional. His 2015 exhibit 100 Teapots was featured at Curly Tale Fine Art in Chicago. His work may be found in galleries nationwide, and at Artisans Shop in Staunton. Bedford-based Emerson CreekPottery specializes in handmade and hand-painted ceramics, and the retaillocation offers a large selection of teapots, cups and saucers. JakesClayArt.com, EmersonCreekPottery.com
