Recipe for a Modern-day Tea Party

After drifting in my memory back to the tea parties I shared with my aunt Margaret as a small child, I wondered what I might serve to that little girl with big blue eyes and pigtails if, by some miracle of time travel and spatial manipulation, she was to drop by my kitchen today. Of course we'd have Ruffles, Coke and mini powdered donuts, but what else?

~ the Barefoot Contessa's pan-fried onion dip
~ tea sandwiches on white bread, the crusts cut off, smeared with homemade pimiento cheese, or goat cheese and artichokes, or mayonnaise with cucumbers
~ bread and butter sandwiches
~ whichever gorgeous chocolate treats from Cocoa Bella suit my mood
~ Krispy Kreme donuts in original glazed and dulce de leche filled
~ Cheetos
~ champagne or ginger ale cocktails with fizzy cherry soda and maraschino cherries (thanks to Little Star for the idea)

Catherine's Pimiento Cheese
Yield: 1 1/4 cups

This recipe is a mix of one I tore out of Everyday Food and my grandmother's tried and true. I realized with a shock a few months ago that many people, namely those who grew up west and north of the Mason-Dixon line, have never had it. You're missing out. The semi-spreadable cheddary cheese is spiced up with a hit of sweet red pepper and cayenne. It's best on crackers or bread and makes a killer grilled cheese sammidge.

3 TBSP mayonnaise (low-fat is okay)
2 oz. cream cheese (low-fat is okay here too)
2 TBSP chopped roasted red peppers (you can buy them or make them yourself)
1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
cayenne pepper (1/8 tsp for the faint at heart, 1/4 tsp for the moderately experimental and 1/2 tsp or more for the bold)
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a food processor (or a big bowl, using a spoon) blend together mayo, cream cheese and red peppers until combined.
2. Add cheddar cheese, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Pulse (or mix) again till spreadable and slightly chunky.

Comments

[Tracy]

I had my very first pimento cheese sandwich while a student at the University of Alabama in 1988 on my first college date. Growing up in Chicago I'd never had such a thing. I now jokingly divide my life pre and post pimento cheese.

Thanks for all of the fantastic reads. I look forward to your blogs every morning.

Tracy

[Catherine]

Yay! I love to hear about all the pimiento cheese converts!

[Little Sister]

Yum! This updated recipe sounds yummy, though i am always a bit of pimiento cheese traditionalist: cheddar cheese, mayo, pimientos, tobasco sauce, and a dash of salt and pepper, piled high onto saltines or mashed onto white bread for a sandwich.
AND i have to rave on the pan-fried onion dip as well. if you are tempted to make it but in doubt, go to your kitchen now -you won't be sorry!

[Daria de la Luna]

I have to comment that Tillamook extra-sharp cheddar is fabulous for pimiento cheese. Love the stuff!

[Mom]

I plan to try your "jazzed up" pimento cheese recipe soon. Also--NEVER forget that great Southern staple: egg salad (for wonderful sandwiches--always on white bread--it's sacreligious to use any other for egg salad sammidges)!!!

[Nikki]

I was happy to find a page about "tea parties" when I searched Google! My girlfriend and I are planning "another tea party" our 2nd in 38 years of friendship. We have the original lovely pedistal tea cups from the 1st tea party. And of course will have petit fours and finger sandwiches and any other special treat, maybe a little Kaluhua for flavor too! We will wear floppy garden hats and use the time to gossip away the hours about nonsense subjects while sitting amongst lace doillies and tablecloths and bouquets of grocery story bought flowers. Little crystal candy bowls brimming with chocolates will tower above the oblivious bowls holding the green olives and 1% milk in the little cream pitchers sitting so delicately on the luncheon table. And we will giggle at the memories of our previous party, the ladies we invited who were to sit around looking stupidfied at why one would have a tea party as they starred at a finger sandwich wondering when the "real" food would be served . . . and who knew there were some who had never heard of a petit four? Yes, it will be a glorious tea party, jasmine in the air and good friends to share the things that only ever can be experienced . . . at a tea party! Every once in a will the ladies need to have a tea party, I highly recommend it for all best girl friends or just good friends who love tea parties!