christmas tea

For the past several years my friend, Barb, and I have had a tradition of attending a Christmas Tea that was put on by a local Swedish bakery/restaurant. Reservations were required, everyone was seated at the same time and then a lovely little feast would ensue. It began with a cup of soup, followed by two different scones served with jam and whipped cream. This was followed by four different finger sandwiches and then your choice of three or four wonderful desserts. A plate of cookies was on each table when you first sat down and we would divide these between the two of us to take home. The last year we attended we each received a tiny China teapot Christmas decoration. Ohlson's stopped having their tea last year so I recreated it at home. I invited Barb and two other friends - ladies that I used to work with who have remained good friends. Kay accepted my invitation. Karen had a conflict. She was taking her daughter to a Hannah Montana concert in Rochester the evening of my tea.
I didn't realize what an undertaking it would be. Don't get me wrong - I throughly enjoyed preparing for it but when I decide to do something like this I then have to strive for perfection. I morph into Martha. All my food has to be homemade and everything has to be special. I decorated the house more than I'd decorated in years. I spent three weeks making a different special cookie every night. I agonized over my choice of all my various lovely platters and serving dishes that I collect but never have an opportunity to use. I arranged my floral centerpiece and flowers in the powder room.



I have a vast collection of Lusterware so this was an opportunity to show off many of my pieces. Each person had a different Lusterware teapot at their place setting. I followed the bakery menu set-up. I started with a bowl of homemade soup. We proceeded on to two different homemade scones which I recall were delious and a big hit. One was a Maple Nut scone and I can't recall the other. Whipped cream and flavored butters were served in tall decorated Champagne glasses. I had five different finger sandwiches. One of them was served on phyllo dough holly leaves that I brushed with green egg white and decorated with pimento. How cute. Wish I would have gotten photos of the food. White Chocolate Eggnogg Mousse was served for dessert.



I gave each guest a Christmas tin with various small gifts inside and then they were able to fill the tin with cookies to take home with them. Writing about my tea makes me a bit nostalgic to do it again, but not for a few more years. This year Barb suggested doing the Niagara Wine Trail Christmas edition. Wine production is a growing industry in Niagara County. There are now twelve wineries on the trail. At each winery we will receive a Christmas decoration and can taste the wines if we so desire. I know we will desire but maybe not at all the wineries or we may never make it home. So Ho,Ho,Ho. Over the river and through the woods to the wineries we'll go on Sunday.