Friends for Tea

I have tea every afternoon -- between 3:30 and 4:30. It's a ritual. Mostly it's hot tea except in the heat of a July or August afternoon when the humidity is 100% and temps are also close to that century mark -- then it's iced tea (and iced tea -- not ice tea for the hot tea is iced!)

And I love to have friends for tea -- especially friends of Lines from Linderhof. For anyone who comes to my part of the prairie, the doors to Linderhof are open and the kettle is on!!!!

This afternoon a Lines from Linderhof reader was invited to tea along with her friend who is also a friend of mine.

It was a busy day for me, but no matter how busy, I still stop for tea . . . and a nosh and I always welcome company.
The Wedgwood -- in blue and white, of course. Along with my silver sugar carrier (for cubes) and my smallest curate with cookies.
I love blue and white china and found this set eons ago -- it's the Asiatic Pheasant pattern (I think every pottery in England makes the Asiatic Pheasant pattern) and of course, besides blue and white I love anything with birds. That's what makes this such a great tea set!
I rushed home to make some cookies for tea -- shortbread which are a favorite of mine. Alas, my butter was too hard and so I zapped it -- but for too long -- it was too soft and the cookies spread -- shortbread never spreads -- but mine did! A quick taste test told me that although not as pretty as they should be the buttery flaky flavor was there.
A pot of tea, a curate of shortbread, stiffly ironed tea napkins and a "tea" spoon. With birds in the garden (as well as on the tea cups) and Mozart on the stereo, it's a great way to while away an hour of a Spring afternoon.

It's Tuesday -- please join Lady Katherine at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor for Tea Time Tuesday and Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday and Martha at Martha's Favorites for Tea Cup Tuesday. It's always fun when Tuesday has been a special tea time -- then I get to "play" thrice!

The shortbread recipe -- which came from my grandmother who got it from her Scottish grandmother -- it's easy and goes together well -- just remember to put the butter out the night before!

Grandma Dodson's Scotch Shortbread

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter

Mix flour and sugar and then blend butter in well. (I use a food processor -- Grandma didn't -- she used her hands!)

Divide dough in half and pat about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutter (I like to use rounds, squares or oblongs). Prick with a fork and bake at 325 for 25 to 30 minutes.

Let cool.