Some great ideas from Tea On The Porch in Senoia

It would be fun visiting with the lovely people in the Senoia Area Historical Society even if they were not hosting their annual afternoon tea, but it's certainly a fine treat when they do!

The menu was different from last year and included cucumber and pimiento cheese finger sandwiches, a mini quiche, fruit and cheese skewers, a chilled strawberry soup, and scones with cream and lemon curd. We were also offered iced raspberry tea and hot mint tea, and I had liberal servings of both, which were excellent!

Here's a close-up shot of some of the food. It was all delicious, and I'm hard-pressed to say which food was my favorite. I always love quiche, but the finger sandwiches were great, the blackberries were some of the plumpest, juiciest ones ever, the scone was just delicious and reminded me how much I dearly love lemon curd … so let's just say I loved it all!

But the touch I absolutely adored was this small shortbread cookie used to embellish the strawberry soup. It was delicious, pretty, and theme-appropriate! I've seen this similar idea using a teapot-shaped crouton on, say, pumpkin soup in the fall, but I don't believe I would have thought to use the idea with a chilled soup. (It's so nice to leave a tea and be able to steal their ideas!)

Dessert was as pretty as it was delicious. I talked too much (imagine that) and forgot to get a photo of the pretty pastel sherbet in the clear cup, but the other treats included old-fashioned mints, a mini key lime tart, and a beautiful petit four. It was all delicious, but I love key lime anything and definitely enjoyed this tart!

At last year's tea, I was seated at a table with the two male judges of the hat contest, and we were the only ones at the table. This year, I learned the tea was sold-out and that some of the attendees would be joing us at our table reserved for the three judges. It's always fun to meet someone new at tea, and this time, it was Angela Munson and her three daughters, Fern Munson, Virginia Dannelly and Sarah-Catherine Dannelly. Aren't they all just beautiful? Now I know what you're thinking: How did the one-year-old do at tea? I must tell you, she was one of the best-behaved tea party partners I've ever had! She was an absolute doll, clapping along with the rest of us at different points in the program and sampling a few treats along the way. Her mom and sisters were quite lovely as well, but little Fern totally had us all charmed. (She has a twin brother at home, by the way. I'll bet they're an adorable pair.)

As if all those fun afternoon tea treats weren't enough, I got home and realized that volunteer Gloria Downing's triple-award-winning shortbread was tucked into these sweet treat bags that all the guests received. Alas, I ate mine before I thought to photograph it and show you how pretty it was, but please believe me when I tell you those three awards were well-deserved! It was a fine and fitting finale to a terrific afternoon of tea!