I know I've mentioned that I'm blessed with many good friends. My blessings include the KKC (Kitty Kat Club -- we don't really remember how we came up with the name.) Every Christmas we have high tea at the Phoenician and it is one of my favorite days of the year.
The KKC was formed about 18 years ago (we think!) and our current membership counts four -- all original founding members (Kathy, Karen, Jill and me). Our bylaws do not permit expanding the membership. Our mission is to eat, dish, drink and laugh.
High Tea at the Phoenician is fabulous. We settle into our first class table with a spectacular view looking south at the Valley of the Sun. I order Delicate Orange Spice tea "a spicy cinnamon aroma is balanced by the sweet orange flavor, creating an inspired cup". Oh my, I was most inspired after my first sip of this holiday beverage. Then Natalie (who claimed to remember us from previous years) brought the first of many glasses of champagne... more inspiration.
First course is a selection of tea sandwiches. See photo. My personal favorite is egg salad which sounds very pedestrian but when it's on tiny circular bread placed on fine china, surrounded by other delicate sandwiches it becomes anything but common. Other sandwiches include English cucumber, hickory smoked salmon, Phoenician's lemon and thyme chicken salad, crisp asparagus and galic herb mousse and pepper crusted beef. Mmmmmm.
Did I mention that in between champage, tea and mini sandwiches we exchange gifts? Oh, that is the main event. At the end of each holiday tea we pick names for the next year's gift exchange. We have forgotten what the dollar limit is and we concentrate on quality and making the right choice. We also buy a "small" gift for each other person. The small gifts are usually identical. The KKC delights in reminding me that I was the last member to participate in the small gift exchange. This tradition morphed over time and it wasn't until year 9 or so that I caught on to this added pleasure. But I must say that a few of my small gifts have surpassed expectation thereby erasing my slow start.
Back to food.
Apres tea sandwiches, Natalie serves the buttermilk and cranberry scones. Best part of the scones??? Lemon curd! I love that stuff. At this point, I am sure we are going to see Mary Poppins clip by as it is all very British. Now we have opened nearly all of our gifts. So we focus on champagne and celebrity gossip.
After scones there is more bubbly, more tea and then the beautiful mini-desserts. This year I was too full from the two previous courses and, uncharactersitically, the Phoenician offered us doggie bags for our desserts. Pleasant surprise. Dessert include a fruit tart, maple cheesecakes, chocolate dipped strawberries, holiday eclair, brulee tart and chocolate cherry petit gateau.
Dessert is followed by a silver tray stacked with steaming cylinders of white linen napkins. An elegant and indulgent way to conclude the day.
We slowly gather our loot and make our way to the valet stand. There is always an obligatory stop at the Christmas tree for our group photo.
Then it's to the car and back down the hill to real life. Heading to 68th Street and back across the Salt River on Mill Avenue. With twinkle lights surrounding us through downtown Tempe, we continue dishing on husbands, kids and celebrities. Speaking of... Karen believes she saw Whoopi Goldberg getting on the evelvator at the Phoenician.
Stay tuned for posts about our lovely gifts.
