Get a tiered stand and do it at home!
Photo courtesy Russian Tea Room.

How about a tea party?

Every day in New York City, children arrive, dressed in their best, at the famed Russian Tea Room for afternoon tea. The tea, served from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m, is a special occasion providing a peek into a world of elegance.

The tiered tea tray is filled with kid-friendly treats: PB&J on a blini (you can serve yours on bread with the crusts cut off), pig-in-a-blanket and a selection of grilled cheese sandwiches and tea sandwiches: BLT, cucumber with chive cream cheese, tuna salad and egg salad.

The second course, the pastry tray, includes chocolate mousse with mixed berries, a red velvet cupcake, a traditional warm scone and fresh apple slices with creamy caramel.

And there’s tea, of course. The six decaffeinated tea choices are chamomile, ginger tea, green tea, mint verbena, raspberry hibiscus and rooibos chai.

Another treat: chocolate tea—teas made with real chocolate, yet are virtually calorie-free. Find a delicious sampler at The Nibble Gourmet Market.

Don’t like tea? Have some hot chocolate with whipped cream.

With a porcelain tea pot and a tiered serving dish, you can recreate the experience in your dining room (here’s another tea stand in white).

You’ll find other uses for the tiered stand: from breakfast (use it to present croissants, danishes, muffins, scones and toast) to desserts. For lunch, make a few different types of sandwiches, cut them in diagonal halves or quarters and serve them on the stand.

You can adapt the Russian Tea Room menu, add your favorite tartlets and even make the sandwiches a bit more special—like the classic watercress and sweet butter or cream cheese and smoked salmon.

For more inspiration, treat yourself to a book on tea parties.
 
Learn everything about tea in our Gourmet Tea Section.