TEA AND TALES: Behind the Scenes (The Food)

The Tea Guild of Canada presented their 4th annual tea and food pairing fundraiser event, "Tea and Tales" yesterday.  I was there taking photos and helping as a back up runner.  The event started at 1pm, but the volunteers from Tea Guild arrived at the historic Montgomery's Inn at 10 am to help set up and prepare the 4 course afternoon tea.

I was lucky enough to watch two master chefs and their volunteer staff at work preparing the delicious food for the guests.  Bill Kamula and Laura Bryan are George Brown Culinary School Chef instructors and co-chair the Tea Guild of Canada.  Laura is a Certified Tea Sommelier and Bill also teaches the Tea Sommelier program at George Brown.

1st course:
Chicken Consume with spring garden vegetables served with a cheese sable cookie. The savory cookie with the delicious soup was a great combo.

Cups with spring garden vegetables, ready for hot chicken consommé to be added

2nd course:

Sandwiches & Savories included curried chicken in cucumber and tomato cups, Deviled eggs, homemade hummus and sliced apple on rice crackers, watercress and cream cheese on white bread, smoked salmon with lemon butter on dark rye.  A little something for everyone including those sensitive to gluten.  All delicious!

Chef Kamula at work preparing deviled eggs

Chef Bryan preparing curried chicken in tomato cups

Smoked salmon rosettes with whipped lemon butter, pieces of red onions, topped with pieces of arugula and lemon.

 I now know how to make those rosettes, I'm ready for my next tea party!

Deviled eggs topped with a light sprinkling of paprika

Think I need to set my white balance...daylight on those sandwiches and savories looks good!

Volunteers preparing chocolate dipped strawberries.  First the fresh ripe strawberries were dipped in milk chocolate and then in shaved white chocolate flakes.

Mmm, milk and white chocolate dipped strawberries

3rd Course:
Clotted cream and homemade Ontario jams (made by Chef Bryan)

Cream scones and Almond Scones (Gluten free)

4th course:
The sweets were all handmade.  There were biscotti, pinkies (delicious coconut squares with pink frosting), matcha cookies, chocolates (including handmade jasmine tea truffles with orange and grapefruit zest by Certified Tea Sommelier, Carol Savage - they were simply amazing!  Carol also made the almond scones), and the chocolate dipped strawberries.

The food's all prepared.  Hey, what about the tea?  Let's go check on how the Tea Sommeliers are setting up and preparing for their tales around this old manor turned museum while we wait for the guests to arrive...