Afternoon tea in an urban meadow

Yesterday at work we celebrated our 11th Birthday – why 11th, you ask?  Well, we forgot last year that the business had turned 10, so we’re celebrating now.  Also, my dear colleague Paul is leaving us and heading back to his native Australia.

So we celebrated with a very English afternoon tea in a meadow, believe it or not in the city.  We had a tented camp, bunting hanging from the trees, live music, and lots of good friends.  There were scones and jam, make-it-yourself knicker-bocker-glories, and baskets of tiny sandwiches. 

My colleague and I were responsible for the baskets of sandwiches, and had spent all morning making them.  We made three varieties: egg mayonnaise with lots of chives on a white Polish rye bread; smoked salmon with a tangy lemon cream cheese on a deep campagrain bread; and (my absolute favourite, and my own invention) my take on cheese and pickle, a Welsh blue brie with sweet onion chutney on a fragrant seeded bread.

So here’s a quick round-up of our lovely afternoon:

…How to make your knicker-bocker-glory…

…A table groaning under the weight of jam, cream and Jane’s utterly perfect scones (recipe coming soon!)…

…The wheelbarrow of drinks on ice…

…Soft white egg and chive sandwiches with pretty cocktail flags…

…and the band creating a lovely atmosphere…

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