The Heart of the Table | Generations & Legacy

Host a Father's Day Tea on June 19th, Plus Other Ways to Honor Dad

G reen grass and flourishing rose bushes, puffy white clouds shaped like animals, BBQs and of course, Father's Day. As a cookbook author, wife, and mother to three grown boys, I've witnessed many a happy Father's Day, and love weighing in on ways to get to any man's heart through his stomach. There are so many culinary inspirations this month. Hawaiian Foods Week is upon us (message me if you're interested in a contest I saw, to submit a recipe and win a trip to Hawaii!), Caribbean Cultural Heritage Month – basically, I can't walk past fresh pineapples and King's Hawaiian Rolls right now, without wanting to host a luau! That's what got me searching through Sunday Best Dishes for something with tropical fruit. I pulled up Popovers with a to-die-for-pineapple mango chutney – then it occurred to me how lovely it would be to have a Father's Day tea! There are plenty of masculine teas out there; it's not all rosehips and chamomile. I talked to Yogi Tea, a global company, about their "Men's Tea" flavor, and they said I'm more than welcome to link to their product, yay!

Citrus Popovers with Tropical Chutney

The Perfect Father's Gift

Father's Day tea service

You can always refrigerate Yogi Teas if you prefer your "spot of" cold; or ditch the tea concept altogether and create a spritzer out of club soda, seeped in your favorite summer fruits. Create your Father's Tea ambience, by serving Dad in the common area of your home. For some people that's the kitchen table, but another's happy place may be the living room easy chair. An ottoman, footstool, or coffee table make great surfaces for a breakfast tray and "tea service" – even if that’s just two mugs. Just make sure you let Dad talk about anything he wants. Sit back and patiently listen to why this or that politician is THE ONE. Don't interrupt! Offer a selection of newspapers if your pop is the strong silent type. Cue up Pandora on the stereo with his favorite soothing songs. Rainy Day jazz compilations work well! BUT…What about after tea time? After all, he's King for a Day...these gift ideas will make him feel that way!

I have more, but you don't have time to hear it. Father's Day is just 2 weeks away!! Here's my recipe for nibbles to go with the tea. The chutney part of it produces enough to put in a pretty mason jar and label it for Dad – hipster dudes love that kind of thing! Ciao, fellas!