afternoon tea a la francaise...

Bonjour mes amis! Ca va? Did you have a wonderful weekend? Let's hope so. Because its Monday, so let the whirlwind begin. I actually have my last day of French class today, and its a pot luck party with a review for our finals at the end. Each student is bringing in a dish, and if I'm lucky they will all b French goodies, but la professeur said it can be dishes from our own countries as well. Please, let there be baguettes and brie instead of french fries and oreos. Not only that, but today is the last day for me to work on my extra credit paper I mentioned a few times- a review of a restaurant written completely in French. Oh la la. Wish me luck.

I am feeling inspired though. I was enlightened this weekend and came up with ideas magnifique for my budding tea party business and Etsy shop. A breakfast club is involved. So are limousines. And buffets of meringues, petit fours, mini almond brioche cakes with raspberry jam swirled in. The hardest part is getting my thoughts down on paper quick enough, because they are starting to pour out of me like runny pastry cream. I have the name. I have the concept. Now I just need some menus and, well, the hardest part...finding the gorgeous vintage china without having to sell a kidney. The more I look, the more I want everything. Does anyone have their own fave shops or sources for good tea sets or vintage flatware? Well, off to go window shopping and work more on these menus. What do you think? Should anything be added or changed?

xoxo

Menu

Tea Sandwiches & Pain

Asparagus Mini Quiche
Brie and Fig Spread on Brioche, open face
Endive Leaf with Chopped Chive and Egg Salad
Duck Mousse Truffle Pate with Cornishons
on Baguette Round, open face
Smoked Salmon and Dill on ___?
Buttery Croissants

Sweets

Hazelnut Cream Puffs
Éclairs (what flavors?)
Orange Pate de Fruit
Petit Fours
Almond Meringue
Mini Almond Brioche Cakes

Lemon Madeleine's
Macarons (what flavor combinations?)
Almond Cupcakes

Crème Fraiche

Rose Petal Jam

Tea & Minis

Rose Petal Tea

Lavender - Mint Tisane

Jasmine Tea

Pink Rose Sugar Cubes

Mini Cafe au lait

Location

Celebrate the awakening of Spring where one can indulge buffet style as well as a quiet sit down for two...

• Charter cruise sailing through the harmonious waters around Manhattan
• A decked out Brooklyn loft for a pop-up restaurant (more on that later!)
• Lavish boutiques or art galleries around town
• Bushwick park for a perfectly pretty Manhattan-view tea party picnic
  

Sitting Pretty
Make the table a rhapsody in pink and white (lace! doilies!)
At each place setting…

1. A luminous play on the eyes, making use of summery bright pastel color schemes from sunshine yellow lemons to bubble gum pink straws. Bell jars will hold sweet and tangy lemonades and punch while small mason jars are perfect for the alcoholic elixirs. (Note: Dujour Magazine has a great recipe for strawberry ice cubes as well!)
2. Head to bargain fabric shops for pastel floral scraps for the making of a perfectly pretty table runner.
3. Flea markets or garage sales are sure to have doilies I can use for place mats.
4. Florals...oh florals. Still lost there. Definitely sunflowers! Make use of mugs for arrangements, or a floating petal bowl as a centerpiece.
   

images via Tumblr