Consider hosting an Easter afternoon tea. The timing easily follows church and an Easter egg hunt. An afternoon tea offers the culinary flexibility to design each platter of food with creativity and a colorful design. Ice bowls can be molded to encase fresh edible flowers. The ice bowls can hold spring green salads or seafood. Another beautiful technique is to utilize interesting mold shapes to configure egg salad or potato salad. Additionally, “painted” plates involve the young at heart. Be sure to use all edible sauces when “painting” the plates. For a hostess gift that lasts, give flowers produced from bulbs. When planted, the bloom marks the Easter season annually and thoughts of lasting friendship.

Easter entertaining allows for whimsical culinary showcases. For example, the cucumber sandwich platter can feature a cucumber carved in the shape of a rabbit. Thin slices of cucumber easily make the ears and the face can be carved from the tip of the cucumber. Just attach the head to an upright cucumber for the body. Cream cheese or picks adhere the components to the design. The following is a cucumber canapé recipe passed down from my Scottish ancestors. Kelly McBride Loft

Cut a simple round of white bread using a cookie cutter.
Cut another simple round but cut an additional smaller round inside that to make a doughnut shape.
Cut a thin slice of cucumber.
Finely chop parsley.

Assemble by spreading mayonnaise on one side of the first basic round. Set the slice of cucumber on that bread. Spread mayonnaise on one side of the doughnut shaped bread. Adhere the doughnut shaped bread shape on top of the canapé with the mayonnaise side down. Then, gently “glaze” the outside rim only of the canapé with mayonnaise and roll that edge in the chopped parsley. It makes a lovely tea sandwich, with the cucumber showing through the “doughnut” space.

Egg salad is an Easter tradition. If one wishes to serve it on tea sandwiches, just finely chop the ingredients. Otherwise, mold the mixture into an interesting shape for eggscellent entertaining! Happy Easter!

Egg Salad
1 dz. boiled eggs, finely chopped
In a bowl, mix ½ cup of mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons of dry mustard, 6 tablespoons of chopped dill, celery salt and white pepper. Combine the ingredients with the finely chopped boiled eggs. Just before serving add well-done crumbled bacon.