Dainty Finger Sandwiches (Alberta trip report, Part 3)

My interview with Jeff Cottrill about his new book, Guilt Pasta, is up on blogTO, for those interested. Also, looks like the NaNoWriMo site has started posting my NaNoWriMo comics. Other news: Urban Tapestry has a concert at FilKONtario! (see bottom of this Blathering for more info)

But back to my trip...

Alberta trip report thus far: Part 1 - Part 2

Photo at top of page: Dainty Finger Sandwiches that Cathy and I had during our Afternoon Tea at Lake Louise in the Fairmont Hotel. No actual fingers were harmed, I assure you. I've always wondered about that term, but I assume sandwiches were named because you eat them with your fingers (as opposed to with a knife and fork?!).

I've been fascinated by the concept of an "English tea" ever since reading about them in all the British children's books where the four heroines (almost always two sisters and two brothers) inevitably interrupt their adventures each day to have tea. I craved buttered scones years before I knew what a scone actually was.



Cathy (who has a British family background) warned me that the tea we had at Lake Louise wasn't a proper British "high tea," but I still enjoyed it thoroughly. It consisted of:

- A glass of Nino Franco Prosecco Rustico.

- Fresh fruit cocktail in cointreau syrup.

- Dainty Finger Sandwiches (English cucumber & Bourain cheese, egg salad pinwheel, smoked salmon & asparagus with mascarpone spread, curried chicken salad tortilla wrap).

- Buttermilk Scones with Devonshire cream and strawberry preserves.

- An assortment of homemade pastries and sweets: passion meringue tart, opera slice, white chocolate pastry cream eclair, strawberry pistachio shortcake, chocolate mousse pompons.

And tea, of course. :-) We both opted for maple tea.

We had our tea while looking out at the gorgeous mountains and turquoise waters of Lake Louise. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.



I did some research online but still found the whole tea thing confusing. According to this source, "high tea" is actually dinner, and there are three types of Afternoon or Low Tea: Cream Tea, Light Tea and Full Tea.

A Survey For You Brits Out There (or non-Brits who are familiar with the custom): How accurate is the description in the page above? Have you ever been to a "high tea" (that wasn't a regular dinner)? Do you have Afternoon Tea? If so, which type?



While in Calgary, Cathy took me to a tea shop where I picked up some Chocolate Truffle Tea and Soothing Throat Blend tea from Oolong Tea House. I'm not really sure what's in either; when I asked the woman behind the counter, she said, "I have no idea!" :-) But both are good, especially the Chocolate Truffle Tea....yum.

Speaking of tea, right now I'm having some lovely Lady Grey Tea from my UK friend Talis Kimberley. Talis was the one who got me hooked on the concept of a Tea Library when I visited her and Simon years ago. Congrats to Talis, by the way, on winning the Pegasus Award for Best Writer/Composer! And congrats to the other Pegasus Award Winners:

Best Filk Song: Rich Fantasy Lives by Rob Balder / Tom Smith
Best Classic Filk Song: Falling Down on New Jersey by Mitchell Burnside-Clapp
Best Performer: Dr. Mary Crowell and Seanan McGuire (tie)
Best Writer/Composer: Talis Kimberley
Best Dorsai Song: Shai! by Steve Simmons /Steve Macdonald
Best Song of Home: Emerald Green by Michelle Dockrey / Tony Fabris

It's worthy of note, by the way, that Michelle Dockrey and Tony Fabris are Guests of Honour at FilKONtario this year (April 4-6, 2008, in Toronto). Bill Roper is the Official Filk Waif, Marilyn Miller is the Interfilk Guest, and Heather Bruton is the Special Guest. Be sure to register soon! Plus Urban Tapestry has been invited to do a concert during the weekend! You can find more info about the convention at the FilKONtario Web page.





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