Blimey! English Tea Time Enjoyed in Ava

Ruby Satterfield, Robyn Tetrick, Jean Frye, Jamie Dry, Audrey Turner, Kait Morgen, Cindi Morgen, Kim Taber, and Alma Doty (not pictured), joined Kim Craig’s tea party, Saturday, July 27.

On Saturday, a number of area women gathered for an English tea,  hosted by Kim Craig at the unlikeliest location: the Douglas County Livestock center, known locally as ‘the Sale Barn.’

Donning fancy hats inspired by English aristocrats (think Queen Elizabeth’s notable toppers), guests enjoyed a variety of English, Irish and fruit teas and orange sherbet punch. The menu of tea-time classics, set on a pink table cloth, accented with crystal, included Black Forest ham topped with cream cheese and cherry tomatoes, ‘Red Velvet Poinsettias’, ‘Lemon Daisies’, cucumber sandwiches, and chicken and apple salad sandwiches. The miniature red velvet cupcakes were topped with cream cheese frosting and a handmade marshmallow poinsettia flower. The ‘Lemon Daisies’ were mini lemon cupcakes with lemon frosting and sugar-dusted marshmallow daisy blossoms with candy pearl centers.

The festivities included door prizes and a prize for best hat, which was awarded to Alma Doty whose hat sported blossoms, pearls and peacock feathers.

Pure fun inspired the event, modeled after the British afternoon tea tradition that Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford started in 1840 as an interim snack hour between lunch and an 8 p.m. supper. 

“I thought it would be a nice thing for the ladies,” said Craig who wore an extravagant pink hat to the tea. She said she is planning to host another tea party next year.