Today we flavored, colored and whipped half a dozen different types of heavy cream, dumped a dozen macarons that were an odd blue color and made buttercream that was way too sweet.
For the past few weeks our kitchen has remained in a constant state of disarray. We are in the process of settling a menu for our Pumpkin Tea. Every fall we host an english tea party, a tradition that goes back to when our dining room couldn’t really seat all the people waiting to sip tea and butter scones.
I’m really not sure who christened it Pumpkin Tea, but this party recently started back up again. Usually mid to late September our house hosts a party generating a few dozen different baked goods and tables of goodies.
The crux of the event from our prospective is being able to try a lot of different baking techniques and recipes without eating too many calories. Of course too many calories is a relative term, but with Pumpkin Tea we get to play with a wide range of methods and flavors.
This year we are doing more traditional english tea party fare.
Think … finger sandwiches, tea cakes and tarts. There is also an almond cake with a variety of flavored creams and fresh berries as toppings.
One year we made four different cakes to find the right flavor and texture.
This year we went through several batches of macarons, realizing how hard it is to get those cookies consistently right.
Over the course of a month the menu expands, contracts and shifts as the testing points out items that may be tasty but require too much work. It also presents bakes that never seem to work out.
However, in the end we have a party spread and lots of good tastes … and we hope a good time is had by all.