Celebrating the Strawberry Moon

The Strawberry Full Moon in June prompted a strawberry themed afternoon tea. A menu laden with fresh sweet berries was on tap for the day. Starting with a pretty garland of red berries surrounding the tea list for the day, and lush berries printed on the menu. We offered a variety of flavored strawberry teas that included Chocolate Strawberry, our popular Blue Lady which has strawberry, kiwi, and coconut flavors, along with Eight Treasures which features pineapple and strawberry in a green tea base.

The first course was a yummy chilled Strawberry Soup garnished with thinly sliced strawberries, a dab of whipped cream, and a fresh mint leaf. Special thanks to friend Gail for the perfectly coordinated strawberry tea cozy. She has been gifting me with a tea cozy of the month, and June didn't disappoint. 

The sandwiches included a Strawberry Chicken Salad on Hawaiian Bread, a "Full Moon" Parmesan cheese toast, a Glazed Strawberry and Honey Bruschetta,  the petite tart shell held Strawberry Creamed Honey and Mascarpone, and our popular Sweet 'n Savory Strawberry Cheese on Pumpernickel.

A yummy Strawberry Drop Scone was served alongside the Traditional English Cream Scone with Sweet Cream and Strawberry Butter and a touch of fresh fruit.

The dessert trio included a Strawberry Jam cake topped with strawberry jam frosting, a Cardamom Sugar Cookie, and a ripe red berry filled with Almond Cream.

The 2025 Strawberry Moon was full around June 11th. According to several  Native American tribes that live in the northeastern Unite States, it marks the ripening of  'June bearing' strawberries that are ready to be harvested. 

Afternoon Tea at the Kate Pearl Tea Room, Sykesville, MD

A short journey south took us to the Kate Pearl Tea Room in Sykesville, MD where we met with a longtime family friend to enjoy afternoon tea. There seemed to be a buzz of activity in Sykesville on this Saturday afternoon, but we were quite content to spend our time in this quaint tea room.

This sweet place setting with ornate golden utensils and a rose folded napkin greeted us when we sat down. There was a list of four floral teas on the table, and the hostess brought two of the teas to our table.

Once settled, a colorful charcuterie board was offered. It held assorted fresh fruit; oranges, watermelon, blueberries and pineapple, along with sliced cheeses, crackers and pretzels. It was a sweet and savory way to begin our afternoon tea.

Our hostess brought each of us a plated white chocolate chip scone. A little dish of cream and jelly was offered to pass among each of us.

A petite colorful fresh salad, perfectly dressed was presented promptly followed by a small bowl of chilled fruit soup.

 A refreshing spritzer in a champagne glass was next up. The menu was from The Royal Tea and included all these different courses. It was always a fun surprise to see what was served next.

Tea time with family and friends is always the best time.

The tiered tray was laden with a wide assortment of sandwich and petite sweet treats.

The sandwich assortment included a miniature panini with ham and melted cheese, fresh fruit garnish, a pear-honey-and-goat cheese crostini, a flower sandwich topped cucumber and strawberry, and a roll with turkey and raspberry jam. 

The dessert medley included a raspberry lemon mousse, a lavender macaron, and double chocolate biscotti. The tea ended with a refreshing lemon sorbet topped with an edible pearl.

Please note: there are two Kate Pearl Tea Rooms, this one in Sykesville, and the original one in Westminster, MD. Our tea association held one of our meetings at The Kate Pearl Tea Room in 2019. We shared our experience in this blog post .

Farmhouse Cranberry Scone

Farmhouse Cranberry Scone

3 c. flour

1/3 c. sugar

2-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. butter (1-1/2 sticks), cut into small pieces

3/4 c. chopped dried cranberries (Craisins)

1 tsp. orange peel

1 c. milk

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Cut in butter with a pastry fork/blender until the butter forms small pea size pieces. Stir in craisins and orange peel. Make a well in the center of the mixture; add milk all at once. Stir until dough pulls away from the bowl. Form dough into a ball and turn onto a lightly floured board. Knead gently once or twice and divide dough into three equal portions. Form each dough portion into a ball, and roll out into a circle about 5" - 6" across. Cut the circle into 6 triangles. Separate and place each triangle onto a paper lined tray with 2" between each triangle. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for about 13 - 15 minutes. Yield: 18 scones. Serve warm with cream and jelly, and a proper pot of tea. Enjoy!

International Scone Day - May 30th

The garden was abuzz with activity Friday, May 30th as The Rosemary House and Sweet Remembrances celebrated International Scone Day with style. Guests pre-registered to attend a Cream Tea on the hour throughout the day. With many rainy days before, the gardens were lush and green. With guests seated in the garden, under the pavilion, or in the gazebo, we hustled tea and scones all about.

Mostly local tea and scone enthusiasts, we did welcome a group of women that traveled from Frederick, MD to enjoy this relaxing experience.

Just as the event ended, the raindrops began to fall. In the meantime, many enjoyed a Traditional English Cream Scone and a Farmhouse Cranberry Scone with Sweet Cream, Lemon Curd, Raspberry Preserves and fresh fruit along with a pot of tea.

Happy International Scone Day!

International Tea Day - Tea and Honey Pairing

We celebrated International Tea Day with a Tea and Honey Pairing under the pavilion. It was a rather drizzly day, but in between rain drops we poured tea and sampled a wide variety of infused honeys and several creamed honeys from the local family run apiary Honey in the Hollow in Newport, PA. In the front room of The Rosemary House, we sampled a Blueberry Creamed Honey and Strawberry Creamed Honey on vanilla wafers. The creamed honey is thicker and spreadable and is the perfect option to serve with scones, toast, or pound cake. 

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Under the pavilion, we were serving an assortment of hot teas with a variety of infused honey to mix and match with the teas. We recommended Earl Grey with a lemon infused honey. Many of the attendees also tried the Earl Grey with the lavender infused honey and enjoyed that combination.

We offered Prince of Wales, a black tea with black currant flavoring, as another option to sample with the lemon infused honey. We suggested the Lavender infused honey as an option to taste with a Hyson Green Tea. Participants were encouraged to sample the honey first on a small spoon, let the honey coat their tongue and taste buds, and then sip the tea to enjoy the combination of the flavors. It was a study in how the tea and honey complemented, contrasted, or enhanced each other.

The Lemon Herbal tea, a Rosemary House specialty blend, was suggested to pair with the blueberry creamed honey. While the other Rosemary House blend, our Rosemary's Chai was paired with cinnamon infused honey. Guests were invited to sample the range of teas and mix and match with the various infused honey. Although the day was damp, it was the perfect afternoon to enjoy a warm sample of tea coupled with the unique infused honey from Honey in the Hollow. We have these specialty honeys available in the shop including lemon infused, lavender infused, cinnamon infused, and thyme infused in addition to the creamed varieties. Looking for recipes for the infused honey, check out Honey in the Hollow recipe page.

PCGC 59th Annual Herb Tea - A Plant Powered Herb Tea

Members of the Penn-Cumberland Garden Club and their guests gathered to celebrate the 59th Annual Herb Tea earlier this week. There is always a theme for this special event, and this year featured a Plant Based menu and a program presented by Rissa Miller covering the many beneficial aspects of following a healthy vegan lifestyle both to the human body and the earth we inhabit.

Simple centerpieces of fresh herbs and plants with a wisp of gauzy cloth draped down the table set the scene. Biodegradable bamboo forks and plant based plates rounded out the ecofriendly feel to the table. Members provide their own teacups.

Appetizers and Sips were served to each table. A Five Minute Mint Pea Dip with Crudités offered a refreshing start to the tea party. In addition, a Mushroom Walnut Pate served with bagel chips provided a hearty appetizer with a crunch. Two chilled options included a refreshing Strawberry Basil Water and Blackberry Lavender Fizz Mocktail. Both were very fresh and flavorful. English Teapots with hot Tummy Tea was served at each table. Tummy Tea includes peppermint, fennel seed, elder flowers, and linden leaves and flowers. 

The Herb Tea is served buffet style,, with two lines going down each side of the table. The same flowing cloth and assorted herbs and flowers graced the main table with varying heights to offer balance and interest. 

First up were individually portioned cups with White Gazpacho garnished with green grapes, dill weed and chives.

Two large bowls of hearty salads included a colorful and flavorful Edamame, Corn & Farro Salad with touches of dried cranberries, pecan pieces, cilantro and spring onions. 

The other large salad bowl featured a Lemony Lentil and Chickpea Salad with Radishes and Herbs. A fresh lemon-Dijon-maple dressing created a flavorful base for this salad.

The Afternoon Tea Sandwich selection included "No Tuna" Pita Sandwich with a chick pea base sweetened with pickle relish and capers for extra flavor. The other sandwich was a Rosemary White Bean Hummus Baguette topped with a cherry tomato half for an extra touch of color.

Vegetable Spring Rolls were stuffed with lettuce, basil, mint, cilantro, and an assortment of veggies to include carrots, cucumber, purple cabbage, and avocado all cleverly wrapped in rice paper. The Peanut Sauce was a delicious accompaniment to this unique sandwich.

Lemon Ginger Scones were created using almond milk, dairy free butter, and lemon juice. The addition of ground ginger and chopped candied ginger along with fresh lemon peel elevated the flavor of these scones.

The desserts included Vegan Carrot Cake Bites, Raspberry Lemon Shortbread Crumble Tart and Chocolate Zucchini Mini Muffins. All very tasty, very pretty.

And, after going through the buffet, the plate was laden with a variety of whole food plant based foods, healthy, flavorful, beneficial to the earth, and protein rich. Kudos to the many club members that accepted the challenge of preparing these vegan recipes, and a special nod to the organizers of this year's 59th Annual Herb Tea - Susanna Reppert and Jenn Hooper. The clubs motto is "Every Member is a Working Member", and it is most evident in the execution of this well planned event.