Wait! Don't leave! Hear me out! I know, I know, "What is she THINKING?" and all that. I have a good explanation if you'll just bear with me. You see, since the first NASCAR race of the season was Sunday (and isn't it pitiful that I even know NASCAR is supposed to be in all caps?), I was prompted to go pull out some old photos from the NASCAR Tea Party I created for some guy friends (most of them co-workers) several years ago. They had been making fun of my love of tea parties, as I recall, when some of them chortled away and suggested I have a NASCAR Tea. "No problem," I said. And it wasn't.
I will say that I can count on one finger the number of times I've shopped for tea party supplies at Auto Zone. The surly man on duty did not seem nearly as amused as I when I told him I needed red shopcloths (A/K/A, "the napkins") and silvery clamps (A/K/A, "the napkin rings") for a tea party. His problem, not mine, right?
The tea selection was easy and obvious (a famous blend I shortened to simply "Earl"), but the treats were, ahem, decidedly non-traditional. I used a recipe that had appeared in our newspaper and made Buffalo Chicken Cornbread Squares as the main savory. I can see by the photo I made some sort of finger sandwich on rye bread, but I'm sorry to report that memory fails me on what sort of filling I used.
A red shop bucket, embellished with a NASCAR flag, held chips for the dip. (And no, I've never served cheese dip before or since at one of my teas.) Brownie bites and sugar cookies were decorated with black and white NASCAR M&M's. Mini wrenches served as teaspoons, and black-handled flatware from the dollar store completed this tablescape's serving pieces. The "tablecloth" was actually a bit of fabric from my friend and NASCAR fan Bob, who got it for me on a tour of duty in Iraq. On race day I dropped everything off at the home of one of the guys and ran, and I heard that a good time was had by all.And, I'm pleased to report, never again did these guys challenge my ability to throw a tea party!
I love it! This is great!
ReplyDeleteHow Original!!!
ReplyDeleteHow creative and what fun it must have been shopping for the different items. When I get ideas like this, I can't get to sleep at night because my mind is whirling. I have to get up and write down my ideas or sure as shootin', I will have forgotten them by morning.
ReplyDeleteAngela, this is great! You did a fantastic job! I love that you combine the two - men and tea! I have to plan our yearly Cubscouts dinner for our (boys) and their families. It is always boring mac & cheese and chicken fingers, yawn. I am trying to kick it up. I am going crazy trying to tie it in with tea somehow. I always manage to turn EVERYTHING into a tea! (I think that it why they picked me to run it this year) The pressure is on. Any ideas? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteCool Tea Angela!!! Will there be a NASCAR room at *the* tea room ?!??! ;^)!!! tammyp
ReplyDeleteTammyP, nope, no NASCAR room at my tea room, ha! (But maybe we'll do something special for the boys on that one weekend a year. Or better yet, have a getaway for the girls!)
ReplyDeleteAnd Christa ... I don't know much about Cub Scouts, but when I googled just now I see their colors are navy blue and gold, and that the fleur-de-lis symbol is part of the logo. I could see a very masculine meal (a high tea sort of thing, perhaps) on cobalt blue dishes, and you could perhaps use gold ribbon (nothing fancy) and/or napkins to tied it together. Do scouts still study knots? Perhaps that could be worked into a napkin ring, or a treat, or on the placecard. Little bear cubs (something inexpensive, from Michaels or the dollar store) could be worked into the place settings as well. Those are just some random thoughts, but I love your idea of "upgrading" the scouts' dinner!
Thanks for sharing this link Angela! I enjoyed all the clever touches you used to create your manly tea party. Those guys threw down the chamois, and you revved your engines and triumphantly crossed the finish line! I particularly love the use of mini wrenches as teaspoons!Kudos!!
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