A Birthday Tea Party to Remember!

When Seher told me she wanted a morning tea party to celebrate her birthday, there was only one place I knew would do justice to the menu, Baker and Spice in Dubai! I spoke with Yael Mejia, culinary mastermind behind this wholesome Dubai concept and we collaborated on the perfect selection of food that was appropriate for the occasion.  There was plenty of food and enough variety to appeal to all palettes, including eggs, muesli, cured tuna, and fresh fruits.  We kept the beverages simple and served cappuccinos and espressos compliments of the Nespresso machine as well as iced citrus tea in mason jars with the colorful striped straws.  

 Pictured below was a special request by the birthday girl, a seasonally inspired corn scone with pulled chicken and cranberry chutney.  The scone was crumbly and soft on the inside, but had a perfectly crunchy exterior that provided that necessary element to balance out this yummy original dish. This was the most popular item on the table and rightly so, as it was aesthetically adorable looking and scrumptious.  

 Taking all things seasonal and fresh and capturing the true essence of a morning treat was this roasted vegetable and poached egg dish topped with a spicy aioli.  The vegetables were beautifully roasted and seasoned. The perfectly poached farm fresh eggs had a yummy runny yolk, which melded harmoniously with the spicy aioli, then coated the vegetables and hit the spot.  We served this dish with home-made bagel chips to give it that crunch factor which balances out the rest of the soft textures. 

This item consists of a couple of new techniques being implemented by the Baker and Spice team.  A house  cured tuna, thinly shaved and delicately placed on a caper and dill infused home-made cream cheese, nestled on top of griddle toasted english muffins made from scratch.  My mouth is watering just writing about it.  A unique taste and a unique twist on the original bagel with lox and cream cheese.  

Pictured below is a hearty and elegant salad with the freshest pears I have ever tasted, sitting on a bed of mixed greens and covered with heaps of creamy goat's cheese, toasted walnuts, all tossed in a lemon Parmesan dressing.  The freshness and seasonality of a salad such as this makes it almost feel like a dessert!

 Now these little beauties were a special request by yours truly!  I am a pumpkin fanatic to say the least. I am not afraid to admit that I am obsessed with the spiced rich developed flavors of this sweet treat which I have grown to LOVE over the past couple of years.  When Yael informed me they had a new pumpkin cupcake on the menu at Baker and Spice, how could I resist. Not only did these cupcakes have a moist and delicate consistency, but they were filled with sweet and creamy center and topped with a spiced frosting that literally melted in your mouth.  Needless to say, there weren't too many leftovers of these little guys.  Perhaps it's a good thing they are only I seasonal item.  If  they were around year round, I would probably turn into a pumpkin as a result of frequent indulgence. 

 It wouldn't be a birthday party with out a cake, and if I know my friend Seher, she is the cake queen!  Notorious for ordering the best cakes in town from New York to Dubai, I had to make this one extra special. Yael and I discussed a couple of different options, and she suggested this chocolate decadence cake  which was layered with chocolate and coffee ganache and a meringue center.  The birthday girl was impressed as were the rest of the ladies,  the presentation alone was whimsical enough for anyone to fall in love.....with chocolate! 

The very happy birthday girl and myself hosted a lovely morning for the ladies of Dubai.  Seher and I love to throw a good party and between the two of us, we have really raised the bar on the food component for gatherings the city.  If anyone ever attends an event at Seher's or mine, whether it's a birthday, BBQ, or Thanksgiving, they know they will be going home with full bellies and big smiles, because that's the motto we stick by! Good food, and plenty of it plus the pleasure of great company including friends and loved ones is the winning combination for an outstanding event.