Bridal Shower- Victorian Tea

Summer is a favorite wedding season and the bridal shower may be the first of many joyous occasions given in the happy couple’s honor. Family and best friends gather together to drink a toast, enjoy one of the last bachelorette flings, and present the bride with gifts and loving wishes for a happy future.

Personalize this event by having it at home. It may be comfortable and casual, or romantic and fanciful. Consider a Victorian theme complete with lacy tablecloths, pink roses or lavender sprigs in tiny posies by each plate and frilly napkins and stemmed champagne glasses loosely tied with flowing ribbons. Then there’s the food. Everything should be delicate and dainty. And though the style may be in sync when it was ladylike for women to be finicky with food, there should be plenty of elegant pick-ups to satisfy healthy appetites

In the menu below, we suggest tiny salmon fritters dipped in a lemon mayonnaise. Tea sandwiches may be in the shape of hearts and diamonds or as ribbon sandwiches with a variety of fillings. Make it super-easy and buy prepared egg salad and tuna salad from the delicatessen. Chopped fresh herbs, olives, or sun-dried tomatoes are a sparkling addition. Dishes of fine chocolates and trays of sweet morsels make the tea complete. Bring out your prettiest serving bowls and dishes and bring out that rarely used china tea service. No china? A trip to the party supply store will yield an enormous variety of paper plates, cups and napkins to fit in with your theme and color scheme, all easily disposed of when the party is over.

For a celebratory cocktail to greet guests on arrival, place a fresh, unpeeled, rosy peach wedge in the bottom of each champagne flute. Pour chilled champagne over and serve immediately. Have cocktail picks nearby to spear the peach wedges.

Menu

• Peach champagne cocktail

• Chilled fruit gazpacho

• Tiny salmon fritters with lemon mayonnaise

• Basket of warm sliced breads

• Ribbon, hearts and diamond tea sandwiches

• orange apricot tea scones with whipped cream and apricot preserves

• chocolate cream kisses

• passion fruit pavlova

Chilled Fruit Gazpacho (pareve)
serves 10

2 cups unseasoned tomato puree
3 cups orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cups diced honeydew
1 cup diced cantaloupe
1 ripe papaya, peeled and seeded
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely shredded
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
1 ½ cups fresh blueberries
1 cup halved seedless green grapes
4 strawberries, halved for garnish

In the food processor, process tomato puree, orange juice, sugar, honeydew, cantaloupe, papaya, and lemon juice until almost smooth. Pour into a bowl. Stir in the shredded mint, diced apple, blueberries and grapes. Cover and chill. To serve, ladle into small bowls or glasses. Garnish with a strawberry half.

approx. nutrients per serving: calories – 126 protein- 2g carbohydrates – 31g

fat – 1g cholesterol – 0mg sodium – 27mg

Fresh Salmon Fritters with Lemon Mayonnaise (dairy)
makes 30 small fritters

2 ½ pounds salmon fillet, skin and bones removed
2 eggs
¼ cup creamy Italian dressing
2 cups low fat milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
oil for frying

Cut the salmon into 4 pieces for faster cooking. Place in a large skillet with ¼ cup white vinegar and enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the salmon. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until salmon is opaque when flakes are separated. Drain and cool. Separate flakes with a fork and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, dressing and milk. Beat in flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Gently stir salmon into batter. Heat about 1/8^th inch oil in a large deep, preferable non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Slip two tablespoons mixture for each fritter into the hot oil. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Fry 2-3 minutes until underside is nicely browned. Flip over and cook 3 minutes longer until other side is golden. Drain on paper towels.

To freeze: Cool thoroughly before arranging on a baking sheet. Separate layers with wax paper. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Label and freeze. To reheat: thaw and bake in preheated 375F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through.

Approx. nutrients per fritter: calories – 142 protein – 9g carbohydrates – 7g

Fat – 8g cholesterol – 37mg sodium – 187mg

Lemon Mayonnaise (pareve)
makes about 1 ¾ cups

1 ½ cups mayonnaise
juice and grated rind of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise with lemon juice, grated lemon rind and parsley. Refrigerate in covered container until ready to serve.

Approx. nutrients per tablespoon: calories – 86 protein – 0g carbohydrates – 0g fat – 10g cholesterol – 6mg sodium - 69mg

Ribbon Sandwiches (dairy)
makes 25-30

For hearts and diamond sandwiches, cut out slices of bread with shaped cookie cutters and sandwich with filling of your choice.

2/3 cup egg salad
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2/3 cup whipped cream cheese
2 tablespoon finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2/3 cup tuna salad
2 tablespoons finely chopped black olives
24 slices white or brown sandwich bread
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

In a small bowl, mix the egg salad with chopped dill. In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese with sun-dried tomatoes. In a third bowl, mix the tuna salad with black olives. Set aside. Thinly butter both sides of 12 slices bread . Butter remaining 12 slices on one side only. Place one slice, butter side up, on a cutting board.Spread with a rounded tablespoon egg salad mixture. Top with a slice of bread buttered on both sides. Spread a rounded tablespoon cream cheese mixture over. Lightly press another bread slice, buttered on both sides, on top. Finish with a rounded tablespoon tuna salad mixture and cover with a bread slice, buttered side down. Press lightly. With a serrated knife, remove the crusts (may be frozen and saved for breadcrumbs.). Cut into ½-inch thick slices. Repeat with remaining bread and fillings. Arrange on platter and cover tightly with saran wrap. May be refrigerated up to 4 hours.

Approx. nutrients per sandwich: calories – 80 protein – 3g carbohydrates – 7g

Fat – 5g cholesterol – 22mg sodium – 128mg

Orange Apricot Tea Scones (dairy)
makes 15-18

Instead of buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon vinegar to 1 cup milk. Let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature. Do not stir.

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
¾ cup finely chopped dried apricots
¾ - 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick vegetable spray. In a bowl combine flour and baking powder. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the orange rind and apricots. Make a well in center. Pour in enough buttermilk to make a soft but workable dough. Turn out on to a floured board. Pat into a round about ¾-inch thick. Cut out scones using a 1-1/2 inch fluted cookie cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes or until risen and golden brown.

Serve warm with bowls of softly whipped cream and apricot preserves.

Approx. nutrients per scone: calories – 75 protein – 2g carbohydrates – 16g

Fat – 0g cholesterol – 1mg sodium – 123mg

Chocolate Cream Kisses (dairy)
makes 36

1 pound cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
18 vanilla wafers
36 chocolate kisses, unwrapped
¼ cup currant or apple jelly, melted
36 fresh cherries, with stems
mint leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 375F. Place paper baking cups in 36 miniature muffin pans. Set aside.

Whip cream cheese, sugar, eggs and lemon rind until light, 2-3 minutes. Press half a vanilla wafer into bottom of each baking cup, then place a chocolate kiss on top. Spoon cream cheese mixture over to fill cups about three-quarters full. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes until cheese mixture is set in center. Cool. Brush lightly with melted jelly.

Garnish with a stemmed cherry and mint leaf on each.

Approx. nutrients per piece: calories – 108 protein – 2g carbohydrates – 11g

Fat – 6g cholesterol – 27mg sodium – 53mg

Passion Fruit Pavlova (dairy)
Serves 8-10

Passion fruit is an egg-shaped, 3-inch long, tropical fruit with deep purple skin and sweet, fragrant, golden flesh. The tiny black seeds are edible. Use as in the pavlova below or plain in fruit salads and desserts. Papayas may be substituted.

4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons chocolate fudge topping
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
2 passion fruit, peeled and cut in thin wedges
2 cups strawberries, sliced
¼ cup blackberries
confectioners sugar to sprinkle

Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly spray a 10-inch pie dish with non-stick vegetable spray.

Whisk egg whites to peak softly. Beat in sugar, ¼ cup at a time, until mixture is stiff and glossy. Fold in cornstarch and vinegar, mixing well. Spread in prepared pan to cover bottom. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until pale golden. Place dish on a wire rack to cool thoroughly. Cut the fudge topping into the whipped cream. Spread over cooled soft meringue in pie dish. Arrange sliced passion fruit, and strawberries attractively on top. Scatter blackberries over. Just before serving, sprinkle lightly with confectioners sugar.

Approx. nutrients per serving: calories – 200 protein – 2g carbohydrates – 28g