Thursday, August 18, 2011

Lovely Ladies' Afternoon Tea

Madness! In the middle of trying to pack up my life in Sydney I decide to host an afternoon for a few (50!) female friends and family - a girly get together to catch up...  and to say goodbye to those I won't be seeing for a while.  It was an enormous amount of work but just as much fun and it is always lovely to get the Lawson Ladies together. Even if it was all too brief.  
There were a few savoury options of course but why waste time on chicken Waldorf or cucumber and mint sandwiches,  mushroom and leek custard slice, smoked salmon pate and a cheese platter when you have so many sweeties to contend with? This fudgey chocolate and cinnamon brownie was studded with pecans and rum soaked prunes... rich, rich, rich..
Crisp, golden Anzac cookies were laced with glace ginger.   I just finished the last one today -   satisfactorily snapping even after 3 weeks!
When the cupcakes took over the kitchen I knew we had enough...
A little help in the kitchen - thanks Mum and Kims (and Nessie and everyone else who helped out!)
Lavender scones with cherry and strawberry preserves and vanilla cream 
Lemon cupcakes with cheesecake frosting and lemon curd
The makings of the luscious truffles below (top)  - a concoction of white chocolate, matcha (green tea powder) and anko ( sweet red azuki beans).
The middle layer houses coffee and almond meringues.. inspired by a recipe in the cookbook - Movida Rustica by Frank Camorra and Richard Cornish. So delicious and very much welcomed by the gluten intolerents!

The lovely Natasha taking charge of the cucumber sarnies! 
As you can see - not a lot of tea was consumed on this afternoon.... Lushes!
Friends and family....
vanilla bean cupcakes with rosewater butter-cream and Turkish delight
Sadly I don't have time to post recipes now but will do as soon as I can sit down (probably not until I'm back in Kyoto in 5 weeks...). My new book started shooting this week and its rather hands on so everything else is taking a back seat for a minute.  Soon. Promise.  J x

5 comments:

  1. Wow, looks like you had a fab time, good luck with everything.

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  2. Thanks so much Deb! Hope you are doing better.

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  3. Sorry to have missed a great social and gastronomic afternoon! Thankyou for the invitation tho' - best of luck with your new book and very best wishes for the future Jane ... cousin(?) Lynne xx

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  4. Hey there - thanks "cousin" Lynne! yes, it would have been lovely to have seen you but probably a bit far to travel!! Thanks for your kind wishes re the book and what lays ahead. xx

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  5. ps - hope all is well in your neck of the woods. x

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