I was meant to throw a Valentine's bash for my pals, but I could not see it through. I did have the ingredients, however, so I made the spread over the course of a couple weeks. This one was not my favorite, but I still think the recipes were quality.
Alice in Wonderland: Queen of Hearts Valentine’s Day Garden Party
The Queen’s Tea Sandwiches:
Strawberry Tea Sandwiches
3.5 stars
Very satisfying combination of flavors. The balsamic honey syrup boiled much faster than 5 minutes. I had to redo mine since batch 1 turned into hard, sticky goop. The taste on the strawberries is definitely worth getting right.
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
3.5 stars
The cucumber on top makes the sandwich crisp and cool. A delightful tea sandwich though I had a hard time finding cucumber dill cream cheese. I had to use onion and chives cream cheese instead. Still fits the flavor profile.
Asparagus, Pancetta, and Cream Cheese Sandwiches
3 stars
I’m not a fan of bell peppers but I must admit the yellow bell pepper blends really nicely in the cream cheese spread with the pancetta and pickled asparagus. Takes a bit of time to assemble so I would recommend making it earlier. If you let it sit overnight, however, the flavors infuse to the sandwich really strongly. It’s a little too much for me, but might be just the ticket if you like peppers.
Crowned Heart Sandwich Cookies
3.5 stars
Good to make ahead of time. Actually better a few days later and a bit laborious to make, even with the store bought dough and icing. I could not find strawberry icing at my local grocery store for the center of the cookie sandwich but, if it’s just visuals you’re looking to match, pink icing will do the trick.
Rose Strawberries
1 star
Maybe it’s just me, but the instructions to turn the strawberries into roses aren’t clear. I wish they included diagrams or step by step picture directions, but I understand that might dampen the aesthetic of the book to commit to that many more pages in that section. My “roses” aren’t terrible but it seems like a stressful part to add to your party planning. Also, in the context of a party, would they even be eaten? There’s a sugar overload on the cookie and drink (which, if you consume first, would ruin the fruit)and then I image you’d be stuffed by the three tea sandwiches so the strawberries may lay there forgotten. Seems to me a whole lot of work for very little appreciation.
Wonderland Royal Punch
3 stars
Very sweet and I used Diet Cranberry juice. The citrus juice I used was pineapple orange guava. That was a solid choice as the blend of favors paired very well. The splash of club soda adds a satisfying finish. A nice treat but a lot of sugar when paired with the cookie.
Overall
3 stars
A good solid spread but quite laborious to make and, again, for me, not my absolute favorite. Still, the tea sandwiches feel pretty unique or like a nice spin on a classic. Could not even begin to fathom doing the proposed activity (croquet), but that is a nice touch on a lovely garden party.
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