Invite the girls for a lavender tea party!
It’s lavender season, and what better way to celebrate than with a tea party full of fragrant, fresh-from-provence flavors!
1 Bring out your prettiest china!
A tea party is the perfect excuse to take out all the pretty cups, dainty napkins, fancy trays and tiny spoons you rarely use. Don’t worry if your pieces don’t match—mixing patterns and shapes adds interest to your tablescape! To fit the lavender theme, use pale purple paper cocktail napkins or look for vintage teacups in a purple pattern at a secondhand shop. Finally, fill a low vase with purple flowers or place a small potted lavender plant in the center of your table!
2 Sweeten your tea with lavender sugar!
Offer guests one classic black tea and one caffeine-free herbal blend featuring lavender, such as Celestial Seasonings Lemon Lavender Lane or Harney & Sons Yellow & Blue. Set out an “enhancer tray” with cream, sugar, honey and lemon slices so guests can customize their cup. For an extraspecial touch, you can make your own lavender-infused sugar—it’s delicious stirred into any tea and sprinkled on desserts! Fragrant Lavender Sugar: Blend 1 Tbs. culinary lavender buds (available in large supermarkets, health-food stores and on Amazon.com) in a food processor until very finely ground. Add to a jar filled with 1 cup white sugar. Shake well and seal for 48 hours; stir well before using.
3 Make two-bite sandwiches!
A traditional tea starts with small savory delights! You can’t go wrong with cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches on white bread (remember, no crusts!) or your favorite chicken salad on mini croissants. Flavored butters are also popular at tea parties and taste delicious spread on breads, crackers, muffins and scones. Our recipe blends delicate lavender with zingy chives! Savory Lavender Butter: Using a fork, combine 1 stick softened unsalted butter with 1 Tbs. lemon juice, 1 tsp. culinary lavender buds, 1 Tbs. finely chopped chives, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. white pepper. Spoon into a small vessel, such as a little ramekin or cleaned-out votive holder, and chill at least one hour. Let soften 15 minutes before serving.
4 Finish with dainty desserts!
Tempt friends with miniature desserts, including one flavored with lavender! Dust homemade lavender sugar on top of vanilla frosted cupcakes or drizzle lavender syrup (such as Torani or Monin) on poundcake and serve with fresh blueberries. Feel like baking? Try our lavender-flecked sugar cookies: Lavender-lemon Sugar Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. On medium speed, beat 1/2 cup room temperature butter and
1/3 cup sugar until fluffy, 1 minute; beat in 1 egg until combined. On low, gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups flour, then 2 Tbs. lavender
buds and 2 tsp. lemon zest. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8" thickness. Using 2 1/2" round cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet, placing about 2" apart. Bake 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on pan 5 minutes; transfer to rack. Cool completely. Makes about 24 cookies.