Afternoon Tea Party at Earthbound Farm

When I saw 'Afternoon Tea Party' on the blackboard at Earthbound Farm's Farm Stand, I knew that the boys would have a great time there. My boys and I are huge tea-lovers. Huge. We love Tea Tasting in Chinatown. My little one doesn't leave for school without a stainless mug full of tea. And my husband brews his own kombucha.

We adore tea, tisanes, and any food that involves tea. We've poached pears in Earl Grey, folded mint tea into shortbread, made Matcha Ice Cream, used Earl Grey in brownies, marbled eggs in black tea, and poached cod in green tea...just to name a few. Lapsang Souchong adds smokiness to dishes without using, say, bacon!

And since EBF is just down the street from my office, I had the boys dropped off at the farmstand and when I finished my day, I joined them. What stunning tablescapes they had set up in the outdoor pavillion!

They had a Farm Stand Blend of herbs with bachelor button blossoms, fresh lavender, and chamomile for you to create your own concoctions. Quick note on the terminology here. If the brew doesn't include leaves from the tea bush (Camellia sinensis), it's not tea. It's a tisane. 

Step 1: Select a teapot and pick a teacup.

Step 2: Blend your herbs, blooms, and/or tea leaves. Pour hot water over them, letting them steep to your desired strength.

Step 3: Pour into your teacup and sweeten with honey or sugar, if desired.

Step 4: Enjoy the beautiful day and the company!

We had fun with the teas and tisanes, embellishing our cups with fresh flowers.

And since it's not a party without treats - right?!? - EBF provided lots of delectable bites, all of which included tea in one form or another. But I have to give a nod to our absolute favorite of the day: Earl Grey macarons with a honey buttercream filling. Ummm...yum. More, please!

D wanted to buy some and take them home to Daddy. To our chagrin, they weren't for sale. And there weren't any more for me sneak one into my bag either. I looked!

What a fabulous event. And despite my twosome eating more than their fair share of treats and making multiple pots of tea, the EBF crew told them to come back next month. We'll see.

If nothing else, I'll sneak down there for a break from work in the late afternoon. It was very relaxing. Until then, this might have been the push I needed to actually try to make macarons again...after my first attempt flopped.

photo by the Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf