Lori's Birthday Teas - Part III

In 2011 the theme of the fifth tea party was The Sound of Music, and took us on an imaginary trip to Salzburg, Austria where the movie was filmed in 1965.  The invitation was a two-sided ticket.  

~ Front ~

~ Back ~

The centerpiece was a 1995 Maria Barbie doll, the main character in the movie.  I borrowed a rosary to lay by Maria's feet since she came from a convent.  Next to Maria was Austria's National flag, and a miniature beer stein.  

I made felt Edelweiss hats with individual names written on them as place cards, and the song, My Favorite Things, was the inspiration for the favors.  Swiss made Lindt Chocolate Truffle bars were wrapped in "brown paper packages tied up with strings."

~ Menu Card ~

"Let's start at the very beginning... a very good place to start..."

Tea - Hot Cranberry Autumn [black tea] and Iced Peach Apricot

Appetizer - Maria's Swiss Fondue in individual bread bowls.

 Scones - Liesl's Cranberry Scones and Jam

Soup - Captain Von Trapp's Potato Soup Garnished with Bacon Bits and Cheese

Main Entree - Friedrich's Marinated Pork Kabobs, Louisa's Spaetzle, and Marta's Sauerkraut

Dessert - "Crisp Apple Strudel" with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce 

[From the song, My Favorite Things]

Even though it wasn't an official menu item, I had to have a plate of jam and bread on the table from the song, Do-Re-Mi!

L-R:  Marissa, Ruth, Me, Lori, Betty and Tiffany

I tried to get a guitarist to come for a sing-a-long, but both my contacts had other commitments.  No problem, we still had the piano and two fabulous teachers to play it!   At the end of the afternoon it was "So Long... Farewell..."

*  *  *

2012's imaginary trip was to Prince Edward Island in the fictional village of Avonlea - the theme was Anne of Green Gables.   I had great fun with all the teas, but this 6th tea was probably my all-time favorite.

~ Invitation Cover ~

~ Inside ~

~ Menu Card ~

What fun making the place cards to resemble Anne's red braids and straw hat!

The favors were Trader Joe's Maple Leaf cookies [for Canada's National symbol, the Maple Leaf] and Werther's chocolate caramels since Anne told Marilla she dreamed that she had a lot of chocolate caramels, but always woke up just when she was going to eat them!  They were placed in green nylon drawstring bags!

I retired the keyboard dishes for this theme since pink roses were dominant in the tablescape.  Someday the keyboard dishes and tea set will be Lori's to have tea parties with her granddaughter's.

I ordered an Anne of Green Gables doll for the centerpiece and sat her on a slate board, since Anne broke her slate board over Gilbert's head at school!  The Anne doll has since been given to my granddaughter, Isabella.

Pink roses were significant since Anne thought roses were lovely, and pink was the most bewitching color in the world - even though she couldn't wear it with her red hair!

At 1:00 p.m. we sat down at the table to begin the tea with The Lord's Prayer, a rather unusual blessing, but that was the prayer Marilla gave Anne to memorize, and since it contains the line, "Give us this day our daily bread," it was fitting.

We had a toast to "Kindred Spirits" with "Bosom Friend Raspberry Cordial" - nobody got sick or tipsy like Diana Barry did!  ;-)

The tea was maple flavored black tea - both iced and hot.

The scones were savory and the soup was Corn Chowder.  Corn and Potatoes probably would have been grown on Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert's farm [main ingredients in the chowder], and potatoes are Prince Edward Island's primary cash crop.

More fun making the Anne Doll Salad!  Anne's hat was a cookie I decorated with a blue icing rim.  Underneath Anne's red leaf lettuce dress was a cold curried rice salad.

The salad was followed by Croque Monsieur [Ham and Cheese Croissant].  Anne might have eaten this at a fancy tea with Josephine Barry in Charlottetown.  ;-)

Dessert was Strawberry Tarts with "Sublime" [as Anne described it] Vanilla Ice Cream!

Tea Party Guests: L-R:  Ruth, Tiffany, Betty and Lori

I was going to conclude the birthday teas with this post, but because this is quite lengthy, I'll save the last tea - #7 - for tomorrow.