Tea Party for Downton Abbey

My parents and I have become addicted to the British drama Downton Abbey. We powered through season one and are deep into season two. We thought it would be fun to have a tea party to watch some episodes. Well... I sort of demanded we have one... I didn't have as much time as I'd hoped to perfect the menu. I ended up only making tea and tea sandwiches.

I mimicked the sandwiches I've had at a wonderful tea restaurant in Denver called the House of Commons. I made four different types. The first was cucumber slices with Alouette brand garlic and herb cheese spread. I think they paired quite well. I peeled and sliced the cucumbers very thin. Since my mom can't eat dairy, I made another cucumber sandwich with Sabra garlic hummus. That was a delicious alternative to the cheese. It might even be better.

I also made a roast beef and horseradish sandwich. I just used deli roast beef from King Soopers. I used simple prepared horseradish instead of creamy partly because of my mom's dietary restrictions and partly because that's what my family prefers. This was another delicious combo. The horseradish gave the sandwiches quite a kick! We were all snorting a little bit at the bite.

The last type of sandwich I prepared was apricot and cheese. I used Bonne Maman brand apricot jam and Kerrygold brand sharp white cheddar. I used thin slices of cheese along with a thin smear of jam. The cheese had a fairly strong taste so my family and I were surprised at how yummy it was with the jam. I've come to adore fruit and cheese pairings.

I used Sara Lee soft & smooth wheat bread because I needed something soft and thinly sliced. I was glad to find a soft wheat bread since I'm not a big fan of white any more. I cut off the crusts and cut the sandwiches into small triangles to make for easy snacking.

For tea, I brought over an amazing collection from Teavana that my brother got me for Christmas. My mom chose the Sakura Allure. It's a green tea that pours red because of the cherry and rose blossoms in it. It was delicious. We made a big pot to share among the family.

The tea and snacks put us in the perfect mood for some British drama.