The Afternoon Tea Collection
Our besottedness with all things English continues as various authors instruct us in their U.S. versions of tea time. In this collection, Clark leaves little room for guessing what kinds of sandwiches and pastries should be served, with more than 110 one-page recipes included for not only the traditional bread fillings but also for scones, tarts, friands (little cakes made with egg whites and ground nuts), little and big cakes, cookies, and slices. Much of her fare is traditional, including salmon and herbed cream cheese roulades, which nestle quite well with madeleines, pink velvet and carrot cakes, chocolate chip ­cookies, and raspberry-coconut slices. What might surprise? The section on friands, the tradition of big cakes (check out the tiramisu roulade), and oddities like the hedgehog (a mixed concoction of chocolate, sweet breads, hazelnuts, and raisins baked in sweetened condensed milk). Missing are the niceties, such as how to arrange a tea party, tea-serving etiquette, and table settings. Yet for sugar addicts, the author’s triple-tested recipes are not to be shunned. --Barbara Jacobs