Our Italian Inspired One Year Anniversary Tea Party
There are few people in my life who understand and share my love for food. I’ve been fortunate to marry someone who gets it (Hi, Xak). Our relationship started with a mutual desire to learn the art of baking macarons, and this year we celebrated our one year wedding anniversary. There is only one way for afternoon tea lovers such as ourselves to celebrate such a special occasion: have a one year anniversary tea party.
Afternoon tea is always best shared with others who truly appreciate it. I like to think of these people as the kindred spirits that Anne Shirley describes in “Anne of Green Gables.” In particular, I think of Pablo and his parents, Marguerite and Dante.
Marguerite and Dante understand why Xak and I buy individual bulk sized bags of Skinny Pop instead of sharing one bag while watching Shark Tank episodes. They’re happy to check out any local breakfast/brunch/snack/food/grub eatery for enjoyment or for science when we call. Xak sees Marguerite as an inspiring baking mentor and every visit we’ve ever had with them has always involved something tasty… which is the best kind of visit.
During a previous brunch at the Cressini Cafe (aka Marguerite and Dante’s house), Marguerite expressed interest in planning a tea party to celebrate Xak’s and my one year wedding anniversary. We were very touched and also extremely excited because we knew if Marguerite, Dante, and Pablo were involved, we were certainly in for a a delectable time.
Tea Options
A tea party isn’t a tea party without tea, so Xak and I happily volunteered to supply some of our favorite teas for the party. For black tea options, we selected Taylors of Harrogate Earl Grey (loose leaf) and Yorkshire Red (tea bags). Since the party wouldn’t start until 4 PM, it seemed prudent to provide some decaf options as well so we brought along Yorkshire Bedtime Brew (tea bags), and Tea Forte’s Blueberry Merlot (loose leaf).
The table voted for Earl Grey and Blueberry Merlot to fill the two white teapots sitting on silver trays at the brewing station. Each guest could add their choice of white or Demerara sugar cubes, milk, and lemons wearing little shower caps depending on their preference. While some might argue that lemon is the only appropriate additive to Earl Grey (due to the bergamot oil typically found in Earl Grey), but at the Cressini Cafe, everything is always based on your preference.
I was totally intrigued by the lemon shower caps. Were they dressed up for the party? Marguerite and Pablo explained the “shower caps” catch the seeds from falling into the tea when you squeezed, and a demonstration ensued. I guess that makes more sense than my explanation.
Pre-snacks
As we sat in the “waiting area” for the party to start, there were plenty of treats to snack on in the mean time. A tray holding goblets of cashews and pistachios was placed on the coffee table for easy access. For anyone with a sweet tooth (Hi, Xak), Ferrero Rochers, Jordan almonds, monochromatic M&Ms, Perle di Sole Lemon Drops, and other fruity candy were also within reach.
Xak and I loaded up (but not too much) as we chatted excitedly in preparation for what would surely be a wonderful meal.
The dining table was beautifully set and I worried about how much hand washed dish washing would need to take place after our meal. I pushed that thought out of my head as we took our seats.
First Course: Soup
As we settled down in our seats, Marguerite and Dante came out with tea cups carrying our first course: Italian Wedding Soup and grissini (crispy breadstick). This is Xak’s favorite soup and a perfect way to kick off our anniversary party. Typically, this soup consists of little meatballs, green vegetables, a flavorful broth, and small pasta like acini de pepe. In America, this is a popular soup so you can find it in Italian restaurants and even in the supermarket soup aisle.
Strangely enough, the origin of the soup name is actually referring to the marriage of meat and vegetables inside the broth and not related to being served at weddings at all. Who knew? (Thanks, Wikipedia).
Our Anniversary Italian Wedding Soup was absolutely delicious and I could have easily eaten an entire teapot’s worth, but knowing Marguerite, we knew there would be several more courses awaiting us.
Second Course: Appetizers
Sure enough, once the empty soup teacups were cleared away, a three tiered tray was brought out filled with several savories including the following from top to bottom:
- Mozzarella stuffed piquante peppers (Peppadews)
- Polenta topped with Caponata
- Stuffed Arancini Rice Balls
Peppadews
I’ve never eaten a Peppadew before and to me they looked similar to grape tomatoes, however it had a completely different flavor. There was a little bit of spice in each bite which was cooled off with the creamy cheese. These are dangerous because they’re so easy to pop into your mouth and eat several. The tray contained two per person, so I limited myself to that. The Peppadews quickly disappeared and we moved onto the middle tier.
Polenta
The middle tier had one polenta disc topped with caponata per guest. Polenta is a pretty well known Italian staple made with cornmeal and can be fried, baked, grilled, or cooked over the stove depending on your preference (or your Nonna’s). Xak and I have had polenta several times, but this was my first time having caponata, which is a type of eggplant and olive relish. I absolutely love olives and it is the first thing I dive for on any charcuterie board. I also really enjoy eggplant now that I’m old enough to appreciate it. The polenta was a perfect vessel for the caponata. Xak is not as crazy about olives as I am, but he too ate his caponata covered polenta happily.
Arancini
The last tier contained yet another delicious delicacy: stuffed Arancini Rice balls. Arancini originated from Sicily and is a deep fried breadcrumb coated rice ball. The filling can vary (meat based, rice, cheese, etc.), and in our case we had a really delightful cheesy rice filling. I’ve never had one before, but I love anything and everything fried. Marguerite had pre-cut each Arancini in half and I most certainly ate two halves. These were so good!
Aside from some stray Arancini breadcrumbs and perhaps a few grains of polenta, there was nothing left on the tray. As we sat back happily in our chairs, Marguerite and Dante disappeared into the kitchen with the empty tray in tow, making way for our next course.
Third Course: Sandwiches
In no time, another full three tiered tray was placed on the table, only this time it held three wonderful looking sandwiches:
- Mozzarella with Pesto and Campari Tomatoes
- Capicola Picante
- Porchetta
Mozzarella and Tomato Sandwich
The first sandwich had thick slices of mozzarella topped with Campari tomatoes, and basil between two slices from a Tuscan loaf spread with pesto. This sandwich was an excellent transition sandwich between the appetizer course and the bottom two tiers.
Capicola Picante Sandwich
The second sandwich was capicola picante with arugula (or rocket, depending on where you live) and crema cacio e pepe (a type of spreadable cheese with cacio meaning cheese and pepe meaning pepper) served on ciabatta aka the Italian white “slipper” bread. Capicola is a seasoned pork cured cold cut (typically the shoulder and neck). It has similarities to prosciutto, with both being part of the salumi family (salted meat), but made from different cuts and originating from different areas of Italy. I’ve had prosciutto several times but never capicola.
The sandwich was excellent. Combined with the peppery arugula, the capicola had the right amount of spice. I could have eaten two more 😋
Porchetta Sandwich
The third sandwich was porchetta served on toasted foccacia. Porchetta is a heavily salted Italian pork roast usually seasoned with garlic, rosemary, and other herbs. Like everything in today’s menu, it was packed with so many excellent flavos. I’m also a huge fan of foccacia (basically Italian flatbread) and although Marguerite will disagree, I absolutely loved that the sandwich was well toasted.
Honestly, I cannot choose a favorite sandwich out of the three and I’m really glad I didn’t have to. All of them were excellent, and I really appreciated that they each had different bread and different flavors, making them unique and appealing with deliciousness guaranteed in every bite.
Fourth Course: Desserts
The fourth and final course was, of course, dessert.
As Marguerite and Dante went off to prepare the final three tiered tray, minimal words were spoken at the table. Xak and I made satisfied grunting sounds which roughly translated to how delicious the meal so far had been. Waistbands had also been significantly expanded at this point. Luckily, I had worn a dress for the occasion, anticipating this would be the case. 😄
The lights were then dimmed, and a bowl was brought to the table with a “1” candle clipped onto a bowl holding a lovely looking bombolone.
As we struggled to blow out the candle (joke), everyone clapped and we all turned our attention to the center of table where the last three tiered tray held the following desserts:
- Chai Donuts
- Cannoli
- Bomboloni
chai Donuts
At our wedding, Xak and I were completely united that we did not want a traditional wedding cake. Tea time always has a wide selection of desserts and we wanted to have something similar instead of cutting into a cake. One of the desserts we selected were chai donuts from a local baker in Warrenton. They were so incredible that Xak and I made a mental note back in 2023 to purchase more for our one year anniversary. During our most recent trip to Nora’s Terrace for afternoon tea in Warrenton, we fulfilled our promise and were more than ecstatic to share these donuts at our tea party.
Cannoli
If you’ve never had cannoli before, it’s a tube shaped fried pastry filled with sweet, creamy ricotta. Some variations contain chocolate, nuts, or additional flavoring. Cannoli is widely accessible at most Italian restaurants and bakeries here in America and while the taste might differ from the ones in Italy, it’s a yummy treat wherever you get it from including at the dining room table in the Cressini Cafe!
Bomboloni
The bottom tier contained additional bomboloni, a type of Italian filled donut. In our case, we had a selection of pistachio or strawberry. Just like the arancini, Marguerite had pre cut the bomboloni in order to allow us to try multiple flavors. I have never had a bombolone before (singular), but anything that even resembles a donut is always going to get high marks in our book. Xak and I really enjoyed the soft donut, and both fillings were great!
Final Thoughts
This was one of the best and most delicious celebrations I have ever attended. I’ve been to plenty of tea parties, tea rooms, and tea houses, yet this one was truly spectacular. There was so much thought, care, and preparation for this event and you could see (and taste) it in every bite. There was no better way to celebrate our one year anniversary.
Xak and I are so incredibly lucky to have Pablo, Marguerite, and Dante in our lives. Thank you so much for everything and we can’t wait to see you all again for another delicious adventure!
Bonus: The party Never Ends
I don’t think Xak and I have ever left the Cressini Cafe empty handed. Although every crumb was eaten from each tray tier, Marguerite always has leftovers. So naturally, we were sent home with a large bag of every single course to enjoy for the rest of the weekend. Thank God for sweatpants.
