Here are some delicious recipes from the book, as well as Cooking with Anne of Green Gables and Beyond Green Gables.  Each will give be highly enjoyed as you sip your tea.

“We must have sandwiches too, though they’re not very poetical.” ~ Anne of Avonlea, XIII

First Course: Sandwiches

Chicken salad, in particular, was considered an elegant type of sandwich in Anne’s time.  You would have it at wedding receptions, just as Anne did.  However, it would have been placed on lettuce leaves and eaten with a fork.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

1 cup finally chopped cooked chicken
¼ cup finely chopped celery
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp. finely chopped sweet pickle or sweet pickle relish
1 tsp. finely chopped green onion
2 to 3 tbsp mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
6 thin slices bread
Butter, at room temperature. 

In a bowl, mix together the chicken, celery, egg, pickle and green onion.  Stir in the mayonnaise until you have a nice moist mixture.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Keep the mixture in the refrigerator, covered, until you are ready to make the sandwiches – preferably close to the party time.

Butter each slice of bread on one side.  Spread the filling on three of the buttered slices and top with the remaining slices of bread.  Make sure the sandwiches are not too thick and that the ingredients are thinly chopped.  Trim the crusts off the sandwiches and cut each sandwich into shapes. ~ Makes 3 whole sandwiches.

Mrs. Rachel and Marilla sat comfortably in the parlour while Anne got the tea and made hot biscuits that were light and white enough to defy even Mrs. Rachel’s criticism. ~ Anne of Green Gables, XXX

Second Course: Biscuits, Butter and Jam

Tea Biscuits ~ from Cooking with Anne of Green Gables

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
½ cup shortening
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450F.  Sift or blend together flour, baking powder and salt.  With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in shortening until crumbly.  Stir in milk.  Mix lightly with a fork to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.  Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead gently 8 to 10 times.  Roll out or pat down until 1 inch thick.  Cut with floured 1 ¾-inch cookie cutter or floured glass tumbler.  Bake on ungreased baking sheet in 450F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until light golden brown.  Serve hot or cold, with butter and jam.  Makes 18 to 20 biscuits.

“I’m going to have the daintiest things possible…things that will match the spring, you understand…little jelly tars and lady fingers, and drop cookies frosted with pink and yellow icing, and buttercup cake.” ~ Anne of Avonlea, XIII

Third Course: Cookies and Fruitcake

Lady Fingers ~ from Beyond Green Gables

3 egg whites
1/3 cup fine granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
¼ tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. flour
Dash of salt

Beat egg whites until foamy; gradually add ¼ cup sugar and beat until stiff.  Beat yolks with remaining sugar and vanilla until foamy and light in colour.  Fold yolk mixture into whites; sift in dry ingredients and combine in a folding motion.  Cover baking sheet with clean brown paper and force mixture through a wide pastry tube in about 3-inch lengths on the paper.  Bake at 275 F for about 12 to 15 minutes.