Azalea Tea Time

Seasonal blooms inspire an annual spring fete

By Mary Grace Chapman • Photography by Don Beard

The sometimes bright, sometimes delicate hues of the iconic azalea are a trademark of the regional landscape and a beautiful reminder that spring is finally here. The oh-so Southern blooms are often considered “garden royalty” and what better way to celebrate their arrival than with a tea fit for queens. For the past ten years, Ann Steen and Bette Simpson have treated their guests to an inspiring spring garden tea. No invitations, no set-in-stone date, just a sign in the yard and an always open door to view some of the prettiest blooms in town.

THE MENU

Assorted Finger Sandwiches

-Cucumber -Pimento Cheese -Chicken Salad -Egg & Olive

Tomato Bites
Baked Apple Pies
Candy Bar Clusters
Cocoons

Cucumber Sandwich Spread

3 English cucumbers, sliced
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire
3 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Drop of onion juice
(or shake of onion powder)

Slice cucumbers and marinate overnight in mixture of Worcestershire, sugar and vinegar. Flavor cream cheese with a dash of onion juice or a shake of onion powder, to taste. Remove crust from bread and cut into triangle halves or circles. Spread with cream cheese and top with cucumber slices. Yields enough spread for 18 finger sandwiches.

The Last Pimento Cheese Ever

Southern Seasons by Robert St. John

1/2 cup cooked bacon, chopped
1/2 pound extra sharp white cheddar, roughly grated
1/2 pound extra sharp yellow cheddar, roughly grated
1 cup roasted red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Mix and cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Egg and Olive Spread

12 slices white bread
6 hard-boiled eggs
18 olives
6 teaspoons mayonnaise
Olive juice

Hard boil eggs and chop cleanly. Cut olives in quarters, reserving a dash of juice to add to the final mixture. Combine eggs and olives with mayonnaise and olive juice. Mix lightly. Spread on crustless white bread, cut into thirds. Yields enough spread for 18 finger sandwiches.

Chicken Salad

8 cups cooked chicken, diced
3 cups celery, diced
4 slices bacon, crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise, more or less to taste
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons sweet pickle juice
5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing boil, mixing until well blended. Refrigerate until chilled through. Serve on crustless white bread. Yields 8 servings.

Tomato Bites

1 bag of Mary B’s Frozen Biscuits
1 cup mayonnaise
1 can Rotel, well drained
3 ounces bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 purple onion, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano

Thaw biscuits and cut into fourths. Press the biscuits into a tasssie cups or a mini muffin tin. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, Rotel, bacon, onion and oregano. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling into each cup or tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Freezes well. Yields 36 servings

Baked Apple Pies

1 piecrust
4 cans apple filling
2 teaspoons butter, divided
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Nutmeg, to taste

In a large bowl, combine apple filling, 1 teaspoon butter, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, mixing well. Roll out the piecrust and cut into rounds with a round cutter. Spoon a small amount of the apple filling mixture onto a piecrust round, fold over, using a fork to seal the edge. Brush each pie with remaining butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the piecrust begins to brown.

While one piecrust typically yields 6 to 8 rounds, you may have ample filling to do more.

Candy Bar Clusters

7 Milky Way bars
2 1/4 cup Frosted Flakes
1/2 cup almonds

Melt the Milky Way bars. Take off the heat and mix in the Frosted Flakes and almonds. Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper and let chill. Yields 24.

Cocoons

3 cups flour
1/2 pound butter, softened
1 cup chopped pecans
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
Powdered sugar

Sift flour and sugar together. Mix with butter, adding vanilla and pecans. Shape dough into “cocoons” and roll in powdered sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.