the meal was thoughtfully suited to the weather as well : a cool soup of fresh cucumber and mint , meat served in jellied aspic , beef very thinly carved from the joint , lightly boiled chicken ; and instead of pudding an array of cakes , with pots of jam , and excellent , fragrant tea ; all served on porcelain of the very highest quality , the one real extravagance laurence remarked : dishes of white and that particularly delicate shade of blue which could not be achieved by any european art , and the strength of real quality .