I’m planning an afternoon tea for friends, been working on the menu. Read it and drool:

May Day Afternoon Tea

Menu

Cream of Asparagus soup with fresh herb and crème fraiche garnish
Buttermilk scones with preserves, lemon curd and Devonshire cream
Assorted Tea Sandwiches
Cucumber with herbed cream cheese on oatmeal bread
Ham, cheese and asparagus tip with herbed butter on pumpernickel
Radish, watercress and sweet butter on wheat and nut bread
Stilton cheese on sliced pears on oatmeal bread
Pimento cheese, tomato and lettuce leaf on pumpernickel
Mini quiches cheddar, onion & ham
Toffee Bread Pudding
Jasmine Tea Truffles
Fresh berries with crème fraiche

I will be making the soup, bread, scones, pimento cheese spread, herbed cream cheese & herbed butter spreads, mini quiches, bread pudding and truffles all from scratch! It’s mostly a lot of prep, shouldn’t be as hard as it sounds. I can buy the clotted cream &/or Devon cream at a local store The British Connection (visited there today, quite lovely proprietors!)

I’m combing eBay for bargains on silver sugar tongs, demitasse spoons, extra teapots, vintage naptkins etc. I visited a few stores today (had the day off) and things are so much cheaper on eBay. Little silver tongs that go for under $20 on eBay cost $80-90+ at the antique stores. I’d love to support local businesses but that’s just too much!!!!

I only have one teapot currently, a lovely pink 1940s Hall “Plume” piece. I’m trying to collect a few more in the Hall “Victorian” series, as well as a couple other styles. Sturdy, simple, but pretty.