Japanese-inspired afternoon tea party

• Sake is also served following the traditional Japanese tea ceremony meal. If you choose to serve sake, find a sake bottle and glasses set.

• Keep linens clean and simple. White would be best, organic bamboo fabric even better!

• A single flower set in a narrow vase should grace your table. You could surround it with some colourful pebbles.

Be sure your space has been thoroughly swept, trimmed and watered. Enhance the area with a lovely bubbling fountain and more fresh flowers and plants. Sandalwood incense can also be burned.

Music
The tea ceremony space is a quiet sanctuary from the bustle of life. If your garden is not as quiet as you would like, soften the atmosphere with a CD or download traditional Japanese instrumentals such as the Ichigenkin -- a single-stringed instrument.

Menu
You don't have to serve squeamish guests raw fish. The chakaiseki ("tea cuisine") was once strictly vegetarian. The purpose is to serve guests the freshest, most natural food consisting of soup, vegetables and rice. Be sure to garnish your food with plenty of fresh leaves and flowers. Here are a few of the Canadian Living Test Kitchen's Japanese-inspired recipes to get you started:

• Vegetable Miso Soup
• Step by step: Sushi
• California Rolls
• Smoked Salmon Maki Rolls
• Japanese Vegetarian Buckwheat Noodles
• Japanese Cold Noodle "Chef Salad"
• Edamame
• Fresh fruit

If you have an Asian food store close by, try to find tiny, chewy Japanese sweets for dessert.

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