How to Select Food for an Autumn Tea Party

As summer fades into fall and the days grow shorter, celebrate the changing of the seasons with an autumn tea party. A tea party is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the bounty of the autumn harvest. Along with fragrant teas, serve guests a variety of seasonal comfort foods, hearty soups and decadent fruit desserts.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Autumn Beverages and Appetizers

1. Offer guests warm mulled wine and apple cider to take the chill out of the autumn air.

2. Serve a non-alcoholic punch of apple, pear and pomegranate juices mixed with ginger ale.

3. Prepare a rich chai tea with milk and honey.

4. Provide a selection of gourmet cheeses including blue, brie and sharp cheddar, along with fresh apple wedges.

5. Share venison-sausage-stuffed mushrooms caps with guests.

Autumn Main Dishes

6. Hollow out medium-sized pumpkins, and fill each one with hot curried-pumpkin stew. Top with a tablespoon of heavy cream and chopped chives.

7. Serve a salad topped with dried cranberries, walnuts and fresh goat's cheese. Finish with balsamic vinaigrette.

8. Prepare petite Cornish game hens with a wild mushroom and rice stuffing.

9. Mash turnips with heavy cream and Parmesan cheese for a new twist on a classic autumn vegetable.

10. Serve nutty wheat rolls with honey butter.

Autumn Desserts

11. Serve a selection of sweet breads, such as pumpkin, banana and cranberry nut.

12. Offer spicy gingerbread accompanied by a zesty lemon curd topping.

13. Serve dainty apple tartlets topped with homemade vanilla ice cream.

14. Offer a selection of teas flavored with cranberry, ginger, apple, and cinnamon.

Resources

• Etiquette Class offers all the do's and don't's of hosting a tea party.