Sunday 18th May



This week's adventure was meant to be working an at event with lots of cute dogs! That didn't happen as le beau went for me, his phone died so he didn't get many pictures. :( Would have really liked to go to that event but I had a surprise come up earlier in the week. An invitation to tea! I rarely get invited anywhere (probably because I'm the first to rsvp and found the event myself). :P Felicia won the tickets but couldn't go as she (and everyone else I know, and I) was working at Million Paws event. And that's how we found ourselves going to the a 'Craftlicious High Tea' in Mentone on this Sunday morning. 



It was on the veranda/porch at St Augustine's Anglican Church, which I'm so glad I looked up google maps street view as we were heading towards the bigger one down the road, till I saw this one. A red church, with green doors. Perfect for some pictures. 

Down the side there was a chalkboard sign and on arrive we were offered pink champagne - I love bubbles! Garnished with half a strawberry. For a special touch I would have dipped the empty flute's rim into water and then into cotton candy sugar. ;)




Lizzy Ann welcomed us and showed us to our seats, at tables of eight. I'm not really into communal tables and talking to strangers, but everyone was nice, especially the two ladies on my right. :) Ok that's not true, one woman did her best to make me feel unwelcome (she didn't say anything to me, it's just the way she looked at me), but I just ignored her. It was a lovely setting, a Sunday brunch/lunch/afternoon on the porch, with a tiny bit of wind and the sun was shinning. And there was only one bug (a fly) present over the entire event. I don't remember the last I was outside for this long, unless you count working at events, though last time it was muddy so not so pleasant. 

The lovely staff were introduced, Lizzy Ann herself would be running the event, being the crafty one along with Melina of Regnier Cakes, the pastry chef (she makes all things sweet)! As well as the gentleman whose name I forgot (sorry!) who makes coffee for those non-tea drinkers like me. A question/comment: I would have thought that the woman behind Regnier Cakes would have been Regina? 

We're missing a place setting (the only fault of this event) so Emily gave me one of her plates (plate or saucer I forget), though I went to the kitchen and asked for a plain white one - better for focusing on the food. Didn't ask for a teacup as I don't like tea, even if it does smell like chocolate. 


A table of sweet & savory delights, pink lemonade , fruit infused water and crafting! What a great way to spend a Sunday. :) But I do feel as though we're missing centerpiece, not a cake though. The scones were the centerpiece, but I feel as though it should have gotten more attention. The table was set out very well balanced in size and colour. I would have liked to have fake grass on the table - all over.








I forgot to try the fruit infused water as I love the pink lemonade, I mean how often are you offer pink lemonade? But Emily liked it, the pink lemonade was light, refreshingly and fizzy. I love how they were served, in milk bottles with polka dot paper straws that magically neither disintegrated or tasted like paper. 




Savories consisted of a range of wholegrain(white with seeds) finger sandwiches, of which the roast chicken was the best. There was smoked salmon, roast chicken (this one was amazing!), cheese & salad and ham & mustard.

I did feel as though we were missing the classic cucumber sandwiches and fruit salad (though I've never seen this at a high/afternoon tea) but it would have been nice to have some healthy options.




Tea - Not sure where the this came from, but T2 in Chrysanthemum and Osmanthus $6.50 for a pack of two (though I swear when I bought it last year it was a lot cheaper...). This one smelt like chocolate and vanilla, almost tempted to try it, but I didn't feel like asking for a teacup. Le beau normally does that for me, I miss him. Interestingly I'm very different when I'm with him compared to when I'm at work.



Sandwiches - Yes that is ham, no I didn't eat it. I found it on the smoked salmon platter. I gave smoked salmon another go, but I don't like it. To me it tastes uncooked. It's me, not the sandwhich in this case. Roast chicken was amazing though! One of the best sandwiches I've ever had (Jas's lamb & beetroot relish was amazing too), if only I could buy it at a cafe in the city. Think I had about three of those. Emily meanwhile ate a sandwich (4 fingers) and nothing else, with her either tiny appetite or desire to be small. 





At every tea there should be scones, and on this occasion we had two. A cheese and chives was dry and a bit salty to my liking. I would have liked to have this with sour cream. The plain scones were perfect though, accompanied with a dollop of freshly whipped soft cream and raspberry jam.

To eat these twist them open (so you get two halves) and butter them (optional) spread jam and add cream on top. Don't like Emily spread it on top of entire scone and chomp down. Unfortunately I didn't pay enough attention to see how she'd consume it. :P Though she's never been to high tea or any tea before so it's ok not to know on your first time. The scones were at room temperature, as it was a buffet setting. Tastes fine though at home I'd heat it a little in the oven. Also add raisins (but not everyone likes them).


By now you're wondering of I did anything other than eat (I know Emily was wondering that), and the answer to that is yes. Lizzy went around to each table and showed us how to make three things, with a background as an P-12 art teacher for 15 years she was a good teacher (unlike the passive unorganized last month). The first was origami cranes, because they're a classic (and something I struggle with). The coloured side of the crane is on the outside of the first fold.



When completed we got to put these in a lovely glass bubble to take home. I love these glass bubbles! Very popular at weddings, add a single flower or tealight candle. With fishing line string they seem to float! There's a place on ebay that's got them in a set at a great price. But in-stores they must be expensive. 



Next we made pompoms in between sips of pink lemonade, I made mine too big, whoops. I do like how it's different, using a variety of fibers. With a glue gun (I want one of these, but don't use a whole stick of glue, or use more than just a dot to justify it) we put hot glue on a nice clean stick and stuck that into the pompom and then added a felt left (which later at home I'd decorate).









With a slight breeze and pompom trimming we got fibers everywhere. Including on the petite fours. I was going to get three for the picture though there as four in the series. The sticky date was very sweet as expected and amazing. I also liked the lemon meringue, the caramel topped with mousse tart could be improved by using salted caramel (from Caramelicious). And the chocolate bite was nice, but not my style - nothing wrong with it though. I'm just not a chocolate cake person, unless it's very light and spongie.






In between dessert courses, we attempted to make a simple-looking wish bracelet using a fishermen's knot. This was challenging and didn't happen for us. You can buy the same bracelet on ebay, the knots are so you can slide the string to fit any size wrist.










The last course (it was self serve by the way) was going to be things in a jar, though the sticky date was super sweet and hence I wasn't feeling up to eating both jars. And as Emily isn't jas she won't eat what I didn't for a review, that and she barely ate anything other than four ribbon sandwiches and a scone. 

There were two jars, milk chocolate mousse and a cheesecake - which was amazing! The highlight of the buffet (well the sweet section anyway, that chicken sandwhich was amazing, if Mel had a cafe in the city I'd totally buy it). It was much lighter than the no-bake one I made (though really that was made just for pictures, for a project). I do hope Mel makes this one again for the next event. 




We had a great time, as Lizzy said they over-catered which is a good thing (the Unleash Creative event totally under-catered in terms of sweets) as there seemed to be at least one and more of everything for everyone, though the women at this event didn't seem to be into food as much as at unleash. 

Organization was great, especially as this is the first event in a series of collaboration with Lizzy Ann Studio (link) and Regnier Cakes. There was time for everyone to complete all three activities and take home finished products. 

Prices, an important factor when deciding to go to an event or not. For this event (further events may have different prices?) tickets for adults were $80 (ok it says $79, but I studied marketing and it's the opposite effect on me, where a 9 makes something look bigger). Tickets for kids under 15 are cheaper and your toddler 3 and under is free (obviously they need you to be there too). Considering that the Windsor buffet is $75 I think it's pretty expensive, but you do get to make things. But still I would say it's too expensive, and I would have put the value at $40-50. With a concession price of $40. Applying price to the target market (your audience) which seems to be mothers and grandmothers and perhaps young professionals (30+) and the geographical location the pricing was alright. I am not the target audience (20-something student, not particularly on a student budget, though tries not too spend too much) though do think it was a bit $$$. 



The next two events (picture above, click to enlarge as always) sound just as fun as this one, a theme, food ad crafting. On August 10th, well you can read the picture above. :P But the 'Under the Stars' theme sounds amazing! I'd love to go to that, if I can (pretty sure that's almost right before exams, and October has a lot of events I'll be working at). By now you're wondering how do I get into these craft events, and as they're in a few months time you'll have to follow it on fb to find out. ;)



Mentone Station, a short walk from the church. A unique looking cafe that I'll be back to try, in June (I have holidays) after I get their menu. Interesting name (OUAT!). We were very lucky and the train came within minutes on that Sunday.







Emily's pompom was small and neat, she didn't like it though so I kept it. I love how these two pompoms standing in a bottle could symbolize us. In personality, zest and size. She's petite by the way, apparently I am too (don't think so) but only because I'm short though don't qualify for the dress size. This is not the final version, I'm going to jazz up the leaves.





Post a Comment

Previous Posts ~ More Recent Posts