Guinness with Your Tea

Guinness Soda Bread Scones, and other delectables

It was tea-times-two on Saturday!  A friend joined me for a tea party at my home before heading to our Japanese Tea Ceremony class, where she was the guest instructor on kimono dressing.

With a nod toward St. Pat's, I served the following.  All of these were vegan, except for the salmon and the macarons.  (I've had a nasty respiratory virus and am off dairy.)

Sandwiches:

• Blood Orange sandwich - This time, I used vegan cream cheese, blood orange rind, a drop of vanilla and a drop of orange extract
• Smoked salmon on rosemary butter (vegan spread) 
• Sprouts (made by the DH) on rosemary butter (vegan spread)

Scones:  Guinness Soda Bread Scones These were a big hit!  To make them vegan:

• Use 4 Tbsp of vegan margarine
• Use 1/4 cup of nondairy milk with 2 Tbsp vinegar to curdle it
• Use agave or sugar instead of honey
• I started with 1/4 cup of Guinness and added 3 Tbsp.  This kept the dough firm enough that I could cut out shapes.
• This version is just as good as the non-vegan...you won't notice the difference.
• PS - It just occurred to me, after I'd posted this, to check if Guinness is vegan. Technically, it's not.  If this is a concern for you, read more here.

Desserts: 

• Dates stuffed with pecan
• French macarons from a local bakery
• Fresh Strawberries!  I'm so happy because I wait for the CA ones each spring.