Victorian Tea Rose Appetizer (Printable)

Savory salami and pepperoni folded into elegant rose shapes, served in porcelain teacups with optional garnishes.

# What Goes In:

→ Meats

01 - 18 large thin slices of salami
02 - 18 large thin slices of pepperoni

→ Garnishes

03 - 6 small porcelain teacups
04 - Fresh basil leaves or baby arugula, optional
05 - Edible flowers such as pansies or violets, optional

→ Board Accompaniments

06 - Assorted crackers, optional
07 - Mild cheeses (e.g., Brie, Havarti), optional
08 - Grapes or berries, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Arrange 6 slices of salami in a slightly overlapping line on a clean surface, then roll tightly from one end to form a spiral. Stand upright and gently loosen slices to resemble rose petals.
02 - Repeat the rolling and shaping process with 6 slices of pepperoni to form a pepperoni rose.
03 - Make a second set of each rose shape so that there are three salami and three pepperoni roses total.
04 - Optionally, place a basil leaf or a few baby arugula leaves at the base of each porcelain teacup.
05 - Place each rose inside a teacup, adjusting the petals to create a full, natural appearance.
06 - Optionally, tuck a small edible flower into the side of each rose for an elegant decorative touch.
07 - Arrange the teacups on a serving board surrounded by crackers, mild cheeses, and fresh fruit as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Looks impossibly fancy but takes less time than it takes to brew tea, which means you'll actually make it.
  • Requires no cooking skills or heat, just patience and the kind of focused attention that feels meditative.
  • Tastes like quality charcuterie but transforms it into something unexpected and Instagram-worthy.
02 -
  • Thin slices are everything—if your meat is too thick, it won't fold without cracking, so don't hesitate to ask the deli counter to slice it almost transparent.
  • Rolling from the right angle matters: start from the end where the slices overlap most tightly so the spiral builds naturally from that density.
03 -
  • Keep your work surface cool and slightly damp with a cloth to prevent the meat from sticking and tearing as you roll—this changes the whole experience from frustrating to smooth.
  • The first rose always teaches you something your hands didn't know; by the third or fourth, you'll have developed an intuition for exactly how much overlap creates the most elegant petal.
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