each year cancer council australia holds one of the country’s most beloved fundraising events: australia’s biggest morning tea. the event, which has raised $90 million since its inception in 2004, sees local schools, businesses and communities come together to hold morning teas in support of vital cancer research.
in 2011, cancer council is aiming to raise $11 million nationally to continue to help fund vital cancer research, prevention, information and support services.
this wednesday, the 13th of april, will see some of australia’s favourite chefs launch the biggest morning tea campaign with an exciting live cooking demonstration at sydney’s martin place. if you’re in the area i strongly suggest you head down there at 8.30am to see adriano zumbo, callum hann, janella purcell and ed halmagyi cook up a storm.
and, if you’re feeling inspired and want to host your own morning tea, here are my tips to ensure it is a delicious, and more importantly, prosperous one.
the following images are from an event i organised for a gorgeous young lady who wanted to hold a morning tea and raise money for cancer research rather than receive birthday presents from her friends. such rare generosity inspired me to put my twist on the traditional morning tea, which ultimately saw the lovely laura raise $700!
the spread: save time and stress by combining store-bought and homemade treats. on this particular occasion, the large cupcake cake, assorted sweets, breadsticks, wafers and macarons were bought ahead of time. and yes, the macarons were from morning tea ambassador adriano zumbo’s patisserie: they are quite simply, the best. i also saved time by making the miniature chocolate and vanilla cupcakes several days in advance then freezing them, before icing, of course. this is a totally acceptable method that doesn’t ruin the cakes at all, trust me!
decoration: mix and match different kinds of plates, bowls and platters to create a vintage, eclectic feel. folded colourful napkins or pieces of fabric underneath the food work well to break up an all-white tablecloth. finally, when it comes to flowers, i really like to use one type of flower per vase. it’s an easy way to make an impact. as you can see we used pink, blue and white hydrangeas, although any flower will look lovely.
cucumber canapes: peel and slice cucumbers in to 1/2cm rounds. top with a small piece of smoked salmon, folded in half, one 1/2 teaspoon of creme fraiche, 1/2 teaspoon of black caviar and a sprig of dill. note: caviar can be bought inexpensively from your local fish shop, i promise!
my twist on the traditional chicken sandwich: get some beautiful fresh baguettes, one or two depending on the number of guests you are expecting. shred two cooked chicken breasts per baguette. next, combine two cups of good quality mayonnaise with the zest of one lemon, and a squeeze of lemon juice. season with salt and pepper. coat the chicken with the mayonnaise so that it is covered but not drowning in it. slice the baguette in half lengthways and top with the chicken. finish the baguette with a generous heaping of fresh watercress and slice diagonally into small sandwiches. much better than the crustless variety.
roast tomato and cannellini bean tartlets: grab equal quantities of truss cherry tomatoes and individual pastry shells, however many you may need for your guests. using a pair of scissors, cut the tomatoes from the vine, leaving the little stem in tact, as it looks pretty. roast on a baking tray in the oven with salt, pepper and olive oil until caramelised and soft. meanwhile, combine one drained 400g tin of cannellini beans with one clove of garlic, two tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper, and blend in a food processor until smooth and creamy. once tomatoes have cooled, fill each pastry shell with the bean puree and top with one tomato. you can eat the stems, don’t worry!
mini herb frittatas: preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease a large rectangular baking tin. finely chop a large handful each of three or four of your favourite herbs: parsley, chives, thyme, dill, basil, and chervil are ideal. beat twelve eggs and add 1/2 cup of milk. stir in herbs and add a generous amount of cracked black pepper. pour mixture into baking tin and bake in oven until puffed up and cooked through. allow to cool before turning out of tin and cutting into even cube shapes. top with a store bought or home made romesco sauce and a single slice of chive.
and there you have it! a brilliant and worthy excuse for a delicious get together. if you’re feeling inspired and would like to register to hold your own morning tea, call 1300 65 65 85 or click the link below. you can also search your state to find other morning teas, or simply make a donation.
bon appe-tea!
