18 recipes for a magical fairy tea party (vegan)
No need for journeying, Seeking afar:
Where there are flowers, there fairies are!”
–Cicely Mary Barker
Some say fay, some say fairies, some wee folk or pixies but the truth is that fairies don’t give a hoot what you call them just as long as you invite them to dine and serve plenty of sweets.
“We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.”
-Elf
Look who I spotted in my garden. Yasmin the effervescent, at times incandescent, Bluebell Fairy.
Like their drab cousins, the hummingbirds, fairies subsist mainly on nectar and sugary treats.
Social etiquette rule #1 amongst the fey; start all conversations with an insult of two aimed towards hummingbirds.
I always have a tin of Rose flavored Turkish delight on hand in case there is a wee rap at the window. Turkish delight is nothing but a magic spell suspended in sugar.
Social etiquette rule #2 amongst the fey; don’t say it if you don’t mean it. Fairies are literal.
When I served them this Copycat Unicorn Frapp created by the lovely enchantress Kathy and I told them to dive in. They did just that.
“Ooooh it’s cold” they called to me as they slid down the straw, “and yummy”!
Social etiquette rule #3 amongst the fey; say it with flowers.
Who do you think first taught humans the language of flowers? Yup you guessed it, fairies. Never garnish with mock-orange (stupidity) or hydrangea (heartlessness). I chose to add tiny pink roses (grace, and joy) to this airy dessert.
This lighter than air Lemon Mousse will having you floating on a cloud, a lemon flavored cloud.
Social etiquette rule #4 amongst the fey; too much is never enough.
Some say that Melisa Huggins is creative in the kitchen, I say she is obviously Glinda the good witch’s prettier sister. Honestly she must have used her magic wand to fit layer after layer of yumminess into these sugar free Cherry-Coconut Cheesecake bites.
Rebecca specializes in allergy friendly foods and her entrancing Ginger Glazed Sweet Potato Doughnuts had the fairies jumping for joy.
Social etiquette rule #5 amongst the fey; doughnuts must be served at every meal.
I’ll tear your dress, and cling, and tease,
And scratch your hands
and arms and knees.
I’ll stain your fingers and your face
And then I’ll laugh at your disgrace.
But when the bramble-jelly’s made
You’ll find your trouble well repaid.
-Song of the Blackberry Fairy, Cicely Mary Barker
I keep one of these diminutive ombre Raw Raspberry Rose cheesecakes in the freezer in the event of an impromptu tea party. A quick 15 minute thaw and we are good to go.
Social etiquette rule #6 amongst the fey; If you have time: you have to Rhyme.
Tell your guests that these sparking vanilla sugar cookies were plucked from the firmament just for them.
Social etiquette rule #7 amongst the fey; a fine gift poorly wrapped is no present at all; an empty box divinely wrapped is the greatest gift of all.
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.
Out of a misty dream
Our path emerges for a while, then closes
Within a dream.
She comes in colors ev’rywhere
She combs her hair
She’s like a rainbow
Coming, colors in the air
Oh, everywhere
She comes in colors
-The Rolling Stones
Although Kelly and I have never met I am sure that she is a magical creature. Who else could have created such a prismatic stack of Rainbow Pancakes? She and her bunny rabbit probably start each day with a fairy tea party.
“Roll me up! Roll me up in the dough and cover me with lemon glaze!!!”
Shouted a wee winged friend as she leapt up onto my counter where I had just rolled out the dough for these scrumptious Sticky Lemon Sweet Rolls.
And so I did.
Social etiquette rule #9 amongst the fey; Play with your food, play in your food, when in doubt play, play, play!!! .
Tink was not all bad; or, rather, she was all bad just now, but, on the other hand, sometimes she was all good. Fairies have to be one thing or the other, because being so small they unfortunately have room for one feeling only at a time.
-J.M. Barrie
I imagine Nicole sitting inside a golden squash blossom in her verdant garden guarding her vegetable patch from marauding pixies and concocting recipes to tantalize our taste buds. These Macaroons are everything a child dreams of on a summer afternoon, moist, coconuty and generously portioned.
Strawberries small
And wild and sweet,
For the Queen and all
Of her Court to eat!
– Song of the Strawberry Fairy, Cicely Mary Barker
Fresh Strawberry Almond Milk , Aka Unicorn laughter is the perfect drink to pour into thimbles for your wee companions. A word of warning anything pink intoxicates them.
Remember: Friends don’t let friends drink and fly.
When I placed these Lilliputian feather lite Pastelitos Guyaba on the picnic blanket there was a gasp of pleasure and each fairy dipped their finger into a pastry and dabbed a bit of guava jelly behind each ear. Guava is a fairy aphrodisiac. Love was in the air. Literally.
“The fairies, as their custom, clapped their hands with delight over their cleverness, and they were so madly in love with the little house that they could not bear to think they had finished it.”
–J.M. Barrie
“Thank you for the fantabulous green abode.” said the wee winged guest to my right when I pulled this stack of Matcha Baked Donuts from the Picnic basket.
“Actually, ahem, these are donuts” I corrected.
She cocked head and glared daggers at me. “I see, what I meant to say was, thank you for the awesome green DONUT house.”
And she entered her sweet baked house slamming the door behind her.
Fairies glitter my heart with giggles
T. Guillemets
Perhaps you’ve offended the wee folk in your garden and you find the almond milk is curdled and the dogs tail is woven with brambles.
There is only one course of action: whip up a batch of these Vanilla Buttercream chocolates, wrap them in a bright satin bow, grovel and make amends.
Cherries in garden and orchard,
Ripe and red in the sun;
And the merriest elf in the treetops
Is the fortunate Cherry-tree one!
–Song of the Cherry Tree fairy, Cicely Mary Barker
When I set these dreamy Watercolor Fruit Pops out the fairies bade me put them in a vase like bouquet of flowers.
My sapphire winged friend Zee fluttered over and gave one a lick. “Tastes like twilight with a dash of ennui” she pronounced.
“Of course you don’t believe in fairies. You’re fifteen. You think I believed in fairies at fifteen? Took me until I was at least a hundred and forty. Hundred and fifty, maybe. Anyway, he wasn’t a fairy. He was a librarian. All right?”
-Neil Gaiman
Such enchanting photos of one of my favorite fairies.
Your fairy almost made it in the post but Meghan photo bombed their shoot. Boo Hoo.
This is such a beautiful and original round up. I love it! I really enjoyed reading it and thank you for including my sweet rolls….(with fairies rolled up in them! :O)
Awww I’m so glad you liked it! Cause it wouldn’t have been a tea party without your scrumptious pillowy sweet rolls!
My goodness! This was so charming and fun to read! Thank you for putting so much work into this post. I plan on have many tea parties including your recipes. Thank you again you really brightened my life.