May 5, 2008

Tea For One


This week, Gracious Hospitality's Blog-a-Thon has suggested our posts demonstrate an afternoon tea setting. The scene I have photographed this week is in my living room.




The cup was given to my mother and father in law on their 50th wedding anniversary. The spoon is twisted silver and a natural unpolished gem is held in the handle by a twisted silver casing. I bought a set of 8, each with a different stone, at an antique shop years ago. I've never seen any like them anywhere else.

The little tea pot for one was a Mother's Day gift from my daughter the year she married, 2001.


The creamer and sugar are part of my Depression Glass collection.

This 6" linen napkin is one of of 8. I bought them in Barbados when my husband and I took a Southern Caribbean cruise for our 25th wedding anniversary. I love bringing home special linens from places I visit. If you ever go to Barbados, it's the place for linens!

A beautiful book to enjoy any afternoon when enjoying a tea break.

This sweet bite is a homemade miniature cream puff, filled with berry sorbet and topped with a little homemade fudge sauce. A fresh strawberry is a pretty garnish. The dessert is served on a pink depression glass plate. Recipes below...
The table my tea setting is on is new to our home. It has been a part of my husbands family for some time, however. It is a Victorian antique, dark mahogany or cherry wood with a rose colored marble top. I imagine it would have been perfect for use in a dining room as a server or beverage table.


The chair is also a Victorian antique. It is a rocker and is quite ornate. Both the chair and the table were left to my husband when his parents died recently.




Cream Puffs
½ cup butter
1 cup boiling water
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add shortening to water, bring to boil. Add flour and stir with mixer over heat until dough forms a ball. Cool. Add eggs; heat and mix thoroughly with a mixer over heat until stiff. Drop dough from a spoon, 8 round dollops; bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 350 degrees and bake an additional 30 minutes. Makes 8 large cream puffs.

Hot Fudge Sauce
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk (1 small can)
1 teaspoon vanilla


Combine all ingredients and stir constantly over low heat for 1 minute. Add butter and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, continue to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool to warm before serving over ice cream or cake.

20 comments:

A Hint of Home said...

Your place setting is beautiful. The cup and the teapot will always bring you sweet memories of loved ones.
Thanks for the recipe. Looks yummy!

Anonymous said...

How beautiful. Everything looks so pretty and relaxing. Great post. Thanks for the recipes.

Sweet Necessi-Teas said...

Kathy, What a beautiful and cozy setting for a tea for one. I love the chair and table--special because of the family history. Thanks for sharing!

Rosemary said...

Your special "tea for one" setting is very tranquil and full of sweet remembrances. Thanks for sharing!
Nancy

Mississippi Songbird said...

Thank you for posting this. I may do this, in Memory of my sweet Mother..
What a grat idea.. Have a great week..

ellen b. said...

Hi Kathy!
What a lovely post. The dishes, linens, and antique furniture are all so complimentary to each other. Thanks so much for the bonus recipes! Enjoy...

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

Very beautiful Kathy. The music with the post is so relaxing. You set a gorgeous table. But then, you always do! Can't wait till we can do tea together in the real, soon!

Alice said...

What a sweet tea table, just perfect for an afternoon tea break for one. I always try to use pieces of my depression glass for teas too.

Just A Girl said...

Hi Kathy,
Your tea for one looks so delicious and probably filled with fond memories! How wonderful to have pieces that have been passed down through the family and to know some history about them.

Needled Mom said...

Beautiful tea setting. What a keepsake it is to have such a treasured gift from your folks.

I'm hungry for that hot chocolate sauce. YUM!

Linda Jennings said...

Beautiful table setting! Tea really is a cup of serenity!

Denise said...

How inviting and comfortable your teatime is! I would love to join you for this wonderful tea! And an excellent choice of books for us to talk about as we sip. Just Perfect!

Have a wonderful week1

Marye said...

What a beautiful tea! It is as important to treat ourselves to tea, as to treat others, isn't it?
blessings,
marye
http://kettleandcup.com

Vee said...

It all looks so serene...wonderful to have a time of tea with an inspirational books to read. Ahhh, what a stress reducer...

Kathy said...

Dear Kathy, what a lovely way to spend a quiet hour. Your tea setting is so pretty. Thank you for sharing your story with us. And for the cream puff recipe. Yum! ~Kathy

Grace said...

A kindred sprit, I too have tea for one, your post as always is just lovely

Scooterblu's Whimsy~Rhonda said...

Good morning! Your tea setting is beautiful! But what I absolutely LOVE is your chair and table! What beautiful and unique pieces of furniture...and how neat that they are part of your heritage! :)

~Rhonda

Bonita said...

Such pretty things! I enjoyed looking at them and hearing the stories behind them.

Isn't tea for one a fun little treat?

La Tea Dah said...

May I come for tea? Please? Your tea table is beautiful! I love your attention to detail and all the pretty things. And the cream puff recipe --- scrumptious! It looks so good! Thanks for participating this week! I loved my visit here.

LaTeaDah

Sandy said...

Kathy,
You tea time setting is just lovely! I love that you took so much time to treat yourself and to do ti so beautifully. The cream puff recipe is a must try! You are so blessed to have such special pieces to surround yourself with and all the special memories that go with them. Thank you for sharing.