Ladies' Fashion Couture Tea: June, 2012

A sampling of goodies from our Ladies' Fashion Couture Tea

American-style iced tea is the perfect drink for a hot, sunny day.  It's never really caught on in the UK, probably because the last time we had a hot, sunny day was back in 1957.  ~Tom Holt


Salutations, dear Reader!  I hope my little post finds you well and enjoying this first, roasty day of summer.  After all, what is 93 degrees between friends? 

What's that you say? Nearly-triple digit temps may not be your cup of tea? (So to speak.)  Well, then I have good news!  June is National Iced Tea Month!  So, in honor of this cold counterpart to our favorite, steeped beverage, my coworker and dear friend, the lovely Ms. H & I threw a fashion-inspired iced tea soiree last weekend.

H and I dressed to go with our theme.

We decided our Ladies' Fashion Couture theme should be black and white so that each of our guests--decked out in their favorite colorful fashions--would "pop" against a neutral background, like so many delightful jewels.  So, it seemed quite fortuitous as I rummaged through the house for black and white fashion accessories & party-ware to come across a plethora of appropriate items.  In fact, I found so many ideal black and white pieces for a tea party that it turned out we only needed to buy the black and white monogrammed napkins (found 'em on clearance at Old Time Pottery) and a few ingredients for whipping up culinary deliciousness.

Shopping Cart Napkin Holder & Candlewick Luncheon Trays

The Buffet with Fashion Accessory Vignettes

Black & White Hat Vignette

High-heeled Gouda, Sprout & Tomato Tea Sandwiches

     























































Ah, let's talk about the menu!  H & I poured over our go-to issues of Teatime and Victoria magazine for weeks, deciding which of the gorgeous recipes we were going to try next (see the post on our March Spring Tea & Garden Party for more recipe ideas).  Firstly, I refuse to throw a tea party without tea sandwiches.  Not only are they delicious, but they provide the perfect culinary vehicle for taking your theme and making it edible.  This time, I used a high-heeled cookie cutter to cut out slices of whole-grain white bread.  I suspect this technique would also work for pita chips, certain types of scones and maybe even themed cut-out desserts.

The Menu for our Ladies' Fashion Couture Tea:

• 2 types of scones: Chive and Chevre (goat cheese) & fresh Blueberry

 

• Mini Carmelized Onion Pizzas

 

• Mini Poppyseed Chicken Salad Phyllo Cups

 

• Mini Phyllo Chocolate Coconut Bites

 

• White Chocolate-Marscapone Stuffed Strawberries

 

•  Fresh-brewed Black & Green Iced Teas with a choice of three homemade syrups: mint, lemon or pomegranate.

 We also invited our guests to bring a bite-sized dish to pass, if they liked.  They arrived with all kinds of gorgeous, delectable goodies from printed chocolates and mini fruit tarts to a cheese sampler and a refreshing pea and cucumber salad.

Another novelty is the tea-party, an extraordinary meal in that, being offered to persons that have already dined well, it supposes neither appetite nor thirst, and has no object but distraction, no basis but delicate enjoyment.  ~Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste

And enjoy, we did!  Here are a few shots of my lovely guests living it up!  

All in all, our fashion iced tea soiree was a smashing success!  Cannot wait until our next swanky tea party!  Looks like it might be a Mystery Tea in late October...will keep you posted...


A Proper Tea is much nicer than a Very Nearly Tea, which is one you forget about afterwards.  ~A.A. Milne

Tea quotes courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Yellow Iris

 Fingers now scented with sage and rosemary, a kneeling gardener is lost in savory memories.  ~Dr. SunWolf

How are you on this fine spring day, dear Reader?  I've spent the last few days recovering from minor oral surgery--had my wisdom teeth removed.  God has been very kind, though. I've not had too much pain.  

Actually, I even felt well enough this afternoon to step out into the gorgeous sunshine to shoot a few photos. Aunt's herb garden was in full bloom and beckoned irresistibly through the kitchen window.  So, I decided to test the theory (mine) that a person convalesces much better in a garden.  Here are the photographic results of my foray out in the herb garden:

Butterfly on Chives

     

Yellow Iris

Delphinium

West View of the Herb Garden

Yellow Iris

Chamomile

Coral Iris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sage

 

 

Butterfly on Chives

Yellow Iris

Chives in Bloom

Yellow Iris

Quote courtesy of the Quote Garden.

Chocolate Foil Bunnies in Wheatgrass Centerpiece

 On Easter Day the veil between time and eternity thins to gossamer.  ~Douglas Horton


Easter!  Yes, dear Reader, it is that wonderful time of year again when the world begins to green up, the bulbs start to put forth their best and the stores are overflowing with plastic grass and more pastel doo-dads than you can shake a basket at.  Chocolate bunnies, Easter egg hunts, little girls in pretty, frilly dresses and patent leather Mary Janes. What a wonderful season!

But all that stuff is just frosting on the cake.  Easter is about so much more--the Resurrection.  The God-man that came to earth to reconcile us to our Creator.  Is He really worth all the fuss?  Yep.  For all the bad stuff you and I have ever done.  For all the bad stuff we will do.  For all the bad stuff that's ever been done or will ever be done.  Anywhere.  Jesus has made it all right. 

All the pastel hooplah you can come up with in March and April wouldn't amount to a hill of jelly beans without Him.  Easter baskets and egg hunts probably would not be as much fun in hell.  Thanks to Jesus, if you know Him, you don't ever have to find out.  And you can come to God--all clean and new and blameless--for eternity.  A pretty good deal.  Food for thought.

The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances.  ~Robert Flatt
 
 This year, Easter has felt more precious than usual.  We've been relishing every moment.  So, here for your enjoyment, dear Reader, are the photo highlights from our Easter celebration:

This year's table setting.

Foil Bunny Vignette

Place Settings

Wheatgrass Centerpiece

One of Aunt Chef's handmade Easter Baskets

The Usual Suspects

Bird Detail

Everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Deviled Eggs

Cheddar Drop Scones

Delightful

Lamb, ham & delectable veggies make for a pretty plate.

Ah, dessert.  Grace's gorgeous trifle.

Sideboard Vignette

Who invited this guy?

Without Valentine's Day, February would be... well, January.  ~Jim Gaffigan

Do you know what I love about February, dear Reader?  I love that the soul's instinctive reaction to all the cold barrenness outside is to drape the house in red and pink and turn its thoughts to warmer things.  Whether its your beloved, a wee one in diapers, a dear friend or a companion of the four-legged variety, the object of your earthly affection somehow appears in an even warmer, fuzzier light in February.  At least, I hope so.  

 

And what better way to share that sense of warm affection than with a smart-looking Valentine!  The creative itch had been in the back of my mind for a few weeks.  Then voila! An email arrived from church with the tantalizing offer of a Handmade Valentine Exchange.  Immediately, my brain was full of different fabulous Valentine ideas.  A trip to Hobby Lobby (where the delightful designer papers were on sale) led to a slew of whimsical die cuts, some dramatic stick-on letters & a can of spray adhesive.  Thus armed, I headed home to create.      

The results of my blissful (if somewhat sticky--spray adhesive can be dangerous) creative effort are presented here for your perusal.  Perhaps they will inspire you, dear Reader, to surprise the object of your affection with a little homemade bit of joy.  P. S. These were a big hit at the Valentine Exchange and I received some equally delightful and original Valentines in return.

Quote Courtesy of The Quote Garden.