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Friday, August 20, 2010

How to Plan Your Tea Party Menu


I have planned and hosted a church Mother/Daughter Tea for 300, but most often I plan smaller parties for 6-8. Regardless of size, when planning a tea party menu, I always start by asking myself 5 questions:

How many people will I invite?

What type of tea am I planning (cream, light, traditional)?

What is my food budget allowance?

Will I prepare all the food myself or cater all or a portion?

How will I serve--by myself, with help, or buffet-style?

Once you have determined the answers to the questions of size, type and budget (money and time), it is time to think about the actual menu. Depending on your focus, you can approach this from two directions:

1. Start with the tea you will serve.

2. Start with the theme and foods items.

Many tea enthusiasts plan a tea party menu around the tea to be served, with the foods selected to compliment to the tea. Others prefer to plan a tea event with a specific theme, having certain foods already in mind and then selecting the tea to complement the food and theme. Either way is fine, as it is really a matter of personal preference.

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