It's summer. I'm back cooking at the Tea Garden again. Here are yesterday's specials.

[cali]

What do you think?

Savoury Tart and green salad. Roasted pepper and tomatoes, caramelized onions and gruyere tart served with a salad of mixed greens, tarragon dijon vinaigrette.

Gazpacho or chilled curried zucchini soup served with french bread, brie and fresh fruit

Caesar Salad with Avocado, hard boiled egg tomatoes and croutons.

The Ploughlady's Lunch. Cheddar, Blue Cheese, French bread, tomato and basil salad vinaigrette, spiced pickled figs, fresh fruit.

Fresh Fruit Tart. Raspberries, strawberries and blueberries on marscapone pastry cream

Ginger, honey and mint agua fresca

That's in addition to our regular menu of cream teas, cakes, tarts, cookies and savoury plates.

[hippywife]

1. Yaaaaaa!

I'll have one Ploughlady's Lunch with the Fresh Fruit tart, please. Sounds like heaven! :9

Is that agua fresca a mixture of ginger, honey and mint? Would you care to share the recipe for that. My boss and I are organizing a before dinner social hour with appetizers for the residents each Tuesday in July. Each has an international theme and each will have a different agua fresca. I want to offer more than just different melon varieties.

Thanx, cali!

:hi:

[cali]

2. Here's my agua fresca recipe. very refreshing.

4 cups of water
2 cups sugar
1 cup honey
lots of fresh mint- like 3 or 4 ounces
1 large knob of ginger, sliced (you don't need to peel it)

In a large sauce pan bring all ingredients to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool then strain, pressing down on the solids to extract flavor.

pour 1/3 cup of syrup into a tall glass with ice, fill to the top with club soda.

[hippywife]

3. Thank you so very much, cali!

I'll see if he wants to give this one a whirl. I want to do a tamarind flavored one, too. :9

How many with this make, BTW?

[cali]

4. I'm not sure how many it makes but it's a lot

we served 8 or 9 or them and still had quite a bit left.

[hippywife]

11. What size glasses?

8, 10, 12 oz?

[beac]

5. Sounds delicious! Can't wait to make this myself.

:)

Would adding a splash of rum be out of the question? ;) (It's been a rough month.)

[beac]

6. Yum, yum, yum.

I'm having pretzels and paint fumes for lunch (house renovations) and you just made my mouth literally water.

[yellerpup]

7. Who wouldn't be delighted with that selection of specials.

I'm going to try your agua fresca recipe, too. Swoon-inducing!

[cali]

8. Thanks.

It's an amazing amount of work, but a ton of fun. And it's great using stuff from the garden- herbs and veggies and as much local product (cheeses and honey, etc) as I can get. And the setting is so beautiful that people are just happy to be there.

http://www.perennialpleasures.net/tearoom.htm

[yellerpup]

9. Thanks for the link.

What a charmed way to promote a nursery and gardening! I'd love to entertain guests in that setting. I know it's hard work, but what larks! Enjoy this beautiful summer.

[Monique1]

10. Thanks for sharing

This looks like a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the beauty of plants. I love tea. I'm also a collector of tea pots and tea cups. At one time we had a tea house near me but they closed, not sure why. I would frequently there with some friends - it was not as beautiful as your place though.

Yummy cucumber sandwiches!

[pengillian101]

13. Wow!

What a great setting - enjoy! It's so nice that you do share! It looks like a wonderful retreat.

Our setting is peaceful, like that, also - but we don't share it except for with family and friends.

[Flaxbee]

12. can i have one of each, please?

Would LOVE to have the savoury tart recipe... but I have no pastry skills, so is it possible to use a store bought one? The Ploughlady's Lunch sounds incredible.

I'm trying to cook more at home, and make enough to last a few days -- do you think any of those recipes would last well over the course of a day or two or three to cover a few meals?

:hi:

[Callalily]

14. What a charming and serene

place. I only wish that I was closer, I'd visit in a heartbeat.