Mrs. Donovan’s Welcome Tea

(Mercy of the Fallen, page 137)

Attributed to Miss Mable’s Tea Room, Dickson, Tennessee

Featured Tea: English Lavender (served hot and/or over ice)

English Scones

  • 2 cups flour

  • 1/2 tsp. salt

  • 6 Tbsp. butter

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 4 Tbsp. sugar

  • 2 tsp. baking powder

  • 2 eggs

  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla

  • sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly butter a baking sheet. Sift flour into a bowl with sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter and work with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine the eggs, cream and vanilla in a bowl. Add to the flour mixture and stir until moistened. Flour your hands well. Working quickly, lightly pat the dough into an 8-inch round. With a sharp knife, score the round into 8 wedges. Brush scones with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 20min until top is browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove scones to a wire rack and cool for a few minutes. Cut along the score marks and serve warm with butter, preserves, or clotted cream. Makes 8 scones.

Hazelnut Scones
Makes 12

  • 2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour

  • 1 Tbsp. baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp. salt

  • 1/3 C.  packed brown sugar

  • stick butter

  • 1/2 C., hazelnuts, chopped

  • 1/2 C., buttermilk

  • 1 egg

  • 2 to 3 Tbsp. cream for glazing

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar. Cut in butter and mix with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in chopped nuts. Whisk together buttermilk and egg. Pour into flour mixture and mix to form a soft dough. Place dough onto a floured board and roll out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into hearts and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes until lightly brown.

Rose Petal Jam
Yields 9 cups

  • 1 box fruit pectin

  • 6 1/2 C. strong rose tea*

  • 7 C., sugar

*Rose tea may be prepared by steeping 8 teaspoons of loose rose tea for 10 minutes.

In 6- to 8-quart saucepot add rose tea and pectin. In separate bowl measure sugar and set aside. Bring tea and pectin mixture to full rolling boil stirring constantly. Stir in sugar quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and ladle into prepared jars to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe tops clean and cover with lids. Invert jars 5 minutes, then turn upright. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Chantilly Cream

  • 2 C. heavy cream

  • 1 tsp., vanilla

  • 1/4 C. sugar or powdered sugar

  • Grand Marnier to taste

Chill heavy cream in the refrigerator. Whisk well chilled cream in a mixer. Add sugar, then flavoring. Return to refrigerator and serve. You can substitute vanilla and Grand Marnier for 1 teaspoon of almond extract.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

  • Crescent Rolls

  • Store bought rotisserie chicken salad

Assortment of Fruit

Serve in-season fruits from Farmers Market. Round out with bananas and pineapple.