Mixed Plate: Tea With Radish and Wasabi

There's something wonderfully civilized about tea. Making it into a little event, complete with a good friend and teeny sandwiches makes it all the more special. Ms. Wasabi did her ladylike best to host a tea lunch with friend and fellow blogger, Ms. Radish and Rosé, and it was a delightful afternoon of sharing funny stories, happy memories, and trading thoughts on living la vida blogger. So raise a delicate cup with pinkie fingers up -- no wiping your face on the sleeve -- it's teatime with Radish and Wasabi... and yo, tuck that shirt in!

Tea and macaroons -- so freakin' charming, it hurts - Photo by Wasabi Prime

One of the greatest luxuries in life isn't in the material world -- no pimpin' houses, blinged-out dentistry, or exotic pets that will most likely attack you out of fatal irony. The most valuable asset is free time, and the luxury to spend it on simple pleasures. Life in a cubicle world definitely moved faster, the steady paycheck was really nice, but it felt like I was spending more money to essentially slow it down so that I could actually enjoy what little free time I had. Situations change, life happens, and the blessings show themselves. This was a nice opportunity to share an afternoon with a friend and to pull out my grandparents' vintage tea and dessert set from Japan that is so sadly underused. Brewing up several pots of Earl Grey tea, we chatted about cookbooks, movies, and all the little joys we were thankful to have.

In honor of Ms. Radish, I made sandwiches of toasted bread smeared with butter and layered with thin slices of radish and salt. Simply delicious and pure French countryside, all the things Ms. Radish loves and writes about in her adorable blog that features all her charming favorite things. Lovely macaroons are one of her favorite things as well, and she was a doll to bring little mini ones in a beautiful painted bowl -- an early and sweet Valentine's Day gift! It's Ms. Radish's most favorite holiday, so if you can, please drop by her blog on the 14th to send her pink heart Valentine wishes!

A bouquet of radishes -- elegant and edible! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Along with butter and radish sandwiches, I made curried egg salad and cucumber sandwiches, because you can't have tea without those things. Don't ask me why, just ask the Queen, because I'm sure she digs them too when she's not chasing after her pack of little Corgi dogs. The combination of the savory crunch of radish and the creamy spice of curried eggs was a delicious pairing. I toasted the bread, but I don't think I'll do that next time because while it holds the shape nicely, it can do a savage number on the roof of one's mouth as you bite into them. Ouch. I think I was concerned that the bread would become too soggy from the ingredients, but the sandwiches were immediately om-nommed, so sogginess is clearly not a factor worth considering the next time I make these. Lesson learned.

Bacon brittle -- come on, you know you want some. Photos by Wasabi Prime

Served alongside the sandwiches were clementines and a special gift from Ms. Radish -- Sir Francis Bacon Peanut Brittle. Yeah, you heard that right -- bacon peanut brittle with a sly nod to Western philosophy! How foodie-pimp is that?? In a word, it's smoky. It doesn't feel like you're biting into a slab of bacon, but it's definitely got that hearty smoked flavor, paired with the caramel brittle. The packaging is brilliant and it comes in the perfect sparing amount, as it's easy for the strong flavor to just overwhelm after a few too many bites. It was a great salty-sweet addition to the sandwiches and fruit because, really, when is bacon a bad idea? Admittedly, Mr. Wasabi thought the flavor was a bit strong for his liking, but I think if the brittle was crushed into smaller bits and sprinkled over a creamy vanilla ice cream, it would balance it out nicely for even the most skeptical of palates. Bacon brittle vanilla milkshakes anyone? Maybe for another post.

I knew those tiered cake stands would come in handy - Photo by Wasabi Prime

We concluded our tea with cranberry orange scones, a gift from another dear friend of ours. Dabbed with a pat of rich, sweet brandy butter, it was the perfect indulgence to go with our last pot of Earl Grey. The whole afternoon was a reminder of how very grateful I am to have a good friend like Ms. Radish -- I knew her before I started Wasabi Prime and she's one of the people I credit as being the encouraging voice who helped inspire this blog's existence. She's been a longtime reader of blogs in general, and would share favorite posts over morning coffee, introducing me to this magical world. This is an open thank-you note to Ms. Radish, for her support, her positive influence, and for her generous and kind soul.

Something to note, her writing has gotten some local attention, as it well-deserves -- you can see her blog, Radish and Rosé, noted on the News section of the Heathman Hotel's Trellis website. It's one of her favorite local spots for breakfast, and she has much love for their freshly-made doughnuts. If you're in the Kirkland area for breakfast at Trellis, tell 'em Radish and Rosé sent you!