Happy St. Patrick's Day! BTS celebrates all things Irish with help from TeaTime recipes

March/April TeaTime Magazine source for St. Patrick's Day-themed tea recipes

St. Patrick's Day is traditionally celebrated with corned beef, green beer and that other drink, Irish coffee, (not that there's anything wrong with that, to borrow from Seinfeld wisdom) but it certainly doesn't end there. In fact, a perfect St. Patrick's Day can begin with an afternoon tea packed with scrumptious savories and sweets courtesy holiday-inspired recipes from TeaTime Magazine. 

Ingredients for Herbed Cucumber Tea Sandwiches include fresh parsley, chives and dill

The March/April TeaTime Magazine not only includes a visit to four charming tea rooms in County Kerry, Ireland, (oh, and a fascinating article on Newport's Chinese Tea House written by your humble BTS blogger), but "Ode to the Irish" a section filled with recipes and tablescapes fit for a festive St. Patrick's Day-themed afternoon tea. 

All of the recipes looked amazing, but we started with the "Herbed Cucumber Tea Sandwiches". It was fun and easy (two of my favorite "ingredients") and, ultimately, delicious.  The fresh herbs (chives, dill and parsley) give an extra, but not overpowering, punch to the traditional tea-time cucumber sandwich. 

Opting in for green coloring

Adding cucumber to cream cheese

We made a few modifications (eliminated the sweet onions, substituted honey wheat bread for honey white bread), but totally subscribed to the optional green food coloring. If Chicago can dye an entire river for the occasion, it's the least we can do to tint a cream cheese/cucumber sandwich filling. 

Spread mixture on bread, then cut into triangles

We're still working on adding to our afternoon tea menu. We've got our eye on TeaTime's matcha-currant scones, reuben puff pastry sandwiches, low-carb feta and olive scones and - faith and begorrah - GRASSHOPPER MINI-TARTLETS. 

Tablescape featuring emerald dishes, Waterford crystal and Irish Breakfast tea

Today, we've set our St. Patrick's Day tea table with emerald-colored glass dishes and tea cups, a green glass pumpkin, tiny leprechaun and a few Waterford bowls. We're serving it all with a pot of Irish Breakfast from Fortnum and Mason. 

For all the recipes and Irish-themed articles, check out the March/April issue of TeaTime Magazine.

Shamrock plant and Waterford glasses ready for toasting! (via Pam Mc-B)

All things Irish today - shamrock plants, Waterford crystal, and lots of blarney! We raise a cup of Irish tea to all today (and perhaps tonight fill our fancy glasses with something dyed green)  and cheer on all our tea friends with a proper Irish Toast (The Irish Post):

May you always find three welcomes in life, in a garden during the summer, at a hearth during winter and in the hearts of friends throughout all your years.  💚