Dearest Gentle Reader…I don’t read romance. That’s not because I dislike love—I love love! There’s just something about reading it that doesn’t land with me. I experience second-hand embarrassment at someone else’s attempt to describe intimacy or attraction. I guess I’d rather watch chemistry unfold on screen than have it explained. I’m also quite particular: I like it when some component of the whole thing is slightly askew. For instance, my favorite romantic comedy is My Best Friend’s Wedding because Julia Roberts is a psycho who doesn’t get the guy in the end. It’s perfect.
When it comes to emotion, I am also fairly stoic. I don’t cry easily in real-life situations, yet I am easily manipulated by emotional beats in fiction. Films or commercials with cheesy music or clichéd situations will always have the intended effect on me. That montage in Disney’s Up? Instant tears. Sarah McClaughlan’s ASPCA commercials? Take my money. I guess deep down I’m a softie.
So maybe it’s no surprise that my cold, black heart grew three sizes the day I decided to watch the Bridgerton spinoff, Queen Charlotte—perhaps one of the best depictions of loving someone through sickness and health that I’ve seen. From there, I watched Bridgerton, which is just sexy escapist romance. As a generally cynical person, it’s encouraging to see something so optimistic. Each couple is entitled to a happy ending every season, and that’s just nice.
I’m enjoying season four so far because Benedict is my favorite Bridgerton brother based entirely on one single scene where he gets high on opium-laced tea, knocks over a glass of wine, and then makes a derpy face. I’ve fallen in love with other men for much less. And I love to see an Asian leading lady, particularly in a period piece where we aren’t typically represented. So I had a little tea party for one to watch the new season (Part 2 comes out today, so that’s what I’ll be doing this weekend.)
In one of my first posts on Eating Books, I lamented sharing a recipe with a Sandra Lee-style semi-homemade approach, but here’s the thing…I am not a chef. I have also never claimed to be a great cook or baker. In fact, in one of my Korean recipes, I forgot to clarify the “hot pepper flakes” in the ingredients list was gochugaru, leading to a poor soul commenting he almost died from regular chili flakes. This is all just to say that, going forward, I will share whatever recipes work for whatever fictional food I happen to be making because that’s what we’re here for. Y’all know I’m not Martha Stewart. I don’t know why I bother to think otherwise.
I’ve included a recipe for the cucumber sandwiches, but the rest is just a hodgepodge of suggested bites and snackies, including some Korean treats, which felt appropriate for this season. Also, why don’t people use tiered trays for serving other foods more often? Like a pasta tiered tray with red and white sauce options and garlic bread? Wait, I’m giving away valuable information for free. Look away! I’m going to try it…
PrintRecipe: Bridgerton Afternoon Tea
Ingredients
Cucumber Sandwiches:
1 English cucumber
White bread slices
1 package of cream cheese (8oz)
1/2 cup of mayonnaise (I used Kewpie)
1 pack of ranch seasoning
Fresh dill
Small bites & sweets:
Macarons
French Madeleines
Blueberry scones
Lotte Choco Pie
Matcha & Strawberry Pocky
Strawberries to garnish
Tea:
Any black or English breakfast tea will do
Instructions
Cucumber Sandwiches:
1. Cut cucumber into thin slices
2. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and ranch mix
3. To assemble, spread cream cheese mixture and arrange sliced cucumbers on one slice of bread. Add fresh dill. Top with another slice and cut off the crusts. Then cut into fourths.
4. Optional: Garnish with more dill and a cucumber slice on top of the sandwich
Arrange small bites & sweets on the rest of the tiered trays (I do believe there is an etiquette to this, with sweets on top, scones and cream in the middle, and tea sandwiches at the bottom, but I just told you we half-ass things around here, so do whatever you want.)
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