The resurgence in the popularity of high tea comes with some interesting new twists to the traditional menu of cucumber sandwiches and scones.

For instance, Joburg’s new champagne bar Zioux has a luxury high tea that includes small plates of wagyu sirloin katso in sticky sauce with cabbage and lime.

Then there are the scrumptious buttermilk-chicken steamed buns with salsa macha and pickles, served with tea or champagne.

Chef and lecturer at Capsicum Culinary Studio Ukhonaye Mconi credits the renewed interest in afternoon tea to the fact that food culture in South Africa revolves heavily around drinking — and to the effects of the pandemic lockdowns.

“More and more, people are into gin or craft gin and champagne, which is very much linked to those high teas,” Mconi notes, adding that the selection of beverages is important. In addition, you should consider the season when curating a menu at home.

“Most people tend to stay away from cocktails in the colder months, though there are some cocktails with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or clove. The alcohol you’d serve would be your whisky or cognac cocktails, which can bring in warmth that works in the cold,” Mconi says.

“Though generally, champagne, or rather MCC — we have great brands in the country — works really well for a high tea.”

You can also stay traditional in winter by offering your guests a selection of teas. These range from the famed English breakfast tea to something as exotic as butterfly pea-flower tea. In the warmer months, Mconi says, it’s best to offer something fruity and floral such as cocktails with rose, hibiscus, and elderflower. You can even offer your guests gin and tea.

For the menu prep, Mconi suggests always keeping in mind why you’re doing the high tea. “For friends and family you can do a share high tea — this is when people bring something to be part of the menu. Or if it’s a corporate high tea, I’d get a professional caterer to remove the stress of planning it.”

You can personalise a catered high tea by adding small gifts for your guests, or making a cocktail or the dessert yourself.

Mconi says there are generally two types of high teas — the traditional, where everything is laid out, from starter to main dish to dessert, and everyone eats whatever they want; or a mixture, where it’s half served and half placed, buffet style.

Quick tips:

• Plan ahead.
• Always try to impress with the dessert, because that leaves the lasting impression.
• If you’re hosting, don’t do everything – decide if you’re going to do the décor or the food, and outsource the other.
• Be mindful of food wastage. If you have 30 guests, only do 20-25 pieces of whatever you’re serving.

RRR (Raspberry Rooibos Rum) Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons raspberry compote (cooked fresh raspberries, pureed)
• Ice (2-4 blocks per glass)
• 2 shots rum
• Sugar-free Indian tonic
• 2 tablespoons rooibos syrup (equal parts sugar and water, infused with a rooibos tea bag)
• Rosemary sprig

Method:

• In a short glass, add raspberry compote and ice, and stir.
• Add rum and top off with tonic.
• Finish off with a gentle stir of rooibos syrup.
• Garnish with rosemary.

Pesto Chicken Baskets

Ingredients:

• 200g basil pesto
• 150g cooked chicken (deboned and shredded)
• 20g canola mayo
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 100g butter (melted)
• 12 sheets phyllo pastry (cut into 10x10cm squares)
• Chives, finely cut

Method:

• Preheat oven to 160°C (fan) or 180°C (without fan).
• In a bowl, mix pesto, chicken, and mayo, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• In a smaller bowl, mix the curry powder and butter, and place aside.
• Prepare a muffin tray with melted butter or baking spray.
• Brush phyllo squares with the curry butter. Place one square in a muffin cup, face up, then cover with another brushed square, face up and placed at an angle to the first square, continuing until you’ve used the squares from 2 phyllo sheets. Push these squares down into the muffin cup, making a small basket. Continue until all 6 muffin cups on the tray are filled.
• Spoon your pesto chicken mixture into the baskets, making sure that the corners of the phyllo squares are upright.
• Bake for 3-5 minutes (till golden).
• Garnish with chives.