Teatime Preparations

 I am making preparations three tables of guests for tea tomorrow.  

Details coming soon!  

Japanese Homestay Exchange

 

The Madison County students and parents participating in the

middle school Homestay program hosted a reception for

our Sister City Delegation on Thursday evening. 

 

This summer, ten Japanese students will come to Kentucky to

stay a week with families here.  Next year, our students will

go there to stay with the students they hosted this year.  

 

The five girls and five boys chosen to participate are so excited! 

It was a fun evening of good food, fun games and crafts and...

 

traditional dancing.  

 

Austin has been anxiously awaiting this opportunity for years!

Here he is with his buddy Eiki, the tour guide, who has

traveled with the delegations for several years.

 

Japanese Sister-City Visit

 GJ and I have been involved with the Madison County/ Berea, KY

Sister City Program for over 20 years. 

Each year we host an informal welcome dinner, a time for introductions of the

Madison County(KY) International Committee and the visiting Japanese Delegation,

on the first night of their visit.  This event is held at the

Delta Natural Gas Berea district office on a Tuesday evening in May.

On Wednesday, the Delegation was hosted by the City of Berea and Berea College.

 

 After a morning at Berea City Hall and touring city facilities,

a lovely lunch was hosted by the president and first lady of Berea College.

 

An afternoon visit to see Kentucky Crafts in Old Town Berea,

then to our home for Tea and Cookies.

I was so busy "hosting" I didn't take photos of the visit.

They thoroughly enjoyed the Japanese Sencha Green Tea,

the Harney Queen Catherine Black Tea

 and seeing an American home.

 

The fun evening event was hosted by the City of Berea,

and included Kentucky Fried Chicken, Derby Pie, and traditional southern foods.

 

 Above: The New Coon Creek Girls preformed.

Transportation for the delegation in Berea on

the Kentucky River Foothills Trolley was provided by Berea Tourism. 

A very special display of Rescue 5,

F.D.N.Y. 9/11 responding unit

brought tears to our eyes. 

I hope you can double-click the photos and read details.

You can see the unit overturned and covered in ash in the bottom photo.

 

More details of the week in my next post....



Japanese Sencha Green Tea

This is the annual week of the visit of Berea's  Japanese Sister City Delegation.

Each year we host the first night (Tuesday) dinner, a catered casual event. 

In addition, we are hosting the group at our home on Wednesday for tea.

 

In preparation, yesterday I drove west to Danville, KY to

our favorite bakery Burke Bakery and purchased several

dozen cookies.  (A photo will come later in the week.)

And, then went around the corner to Bruce and Shelley Richardson's

Elmwood Inn Fine Teas retail store to purchase their Japanese Sencha Green Tea sachets.

According to the information on Elmwood Inn's website,

Sencha is the most consumed tea in Japan.

It has a beautiful flat leaf, and as we all know, it is healthy.

This is one of the teas I will serve.  

 

Luncheons, Teas, and Holiday Celebrations

Hoffman Media's new book Southern Lady Luncheons, Teas, and Holiday Celebrations

Is full of beautiful photos, delicious recipes,

seasonal theme event planning, menus, and more! 

 When I was a little girl growing up in southern Kentucky,

my mother and aunts, ladies at church, 

and my friends mothers often hosted luncheons

and "coffees" for groups of ladies. 

I listened, observed, and learned from the best cooks and hostesses around!  

This book was a must for me, and will be tops this year on my gift-giving list. 

 

 

 Visit www.hoffmanmediastore.com to purchase a copy of this

or several other beautiful books about afternoon tea and entertaining.



Celiac Awareness Month

The month of May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month

 

 

Our older daughter, Melissa, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease

a little over 2 years ago. 

I have suffered from many of the same symptoms for years.

She insisted I request my doctor test me for Celiac. 

Apparently the lab work was negative.  I continued to eat

as always, and continued to have problems. 

*Consider this my coming out confession*

I went "Gluten-Free" on February 15th. 

Oh my goodness!  What a difference in the way I feel!

I have more energy, sleep better, no sinus headaches,

no acid reflux, and the list of health improvements goes on.  

I have experienced 3 slip-ups. 

The first time, I ate wheat by choice. (stubbornness)

The next time, I was misinformed at a restaurant. 

The third time was at a catered meal, and I was hungry. (poor excuse)

The results: severe, severe sinus headaches.

I made it all the way through Paris, Greece and Italy without eating

their fabulous breads and any gluten.

I can remain Gluten-Free for my good health, but

it has severely cramped my Afternoon Tea Habit (addiction).

I have, however, found enough gluten-free foods to make myself

and Melissa and nice Afternoon Tea. 

~~

I can do this.  I can remain off gluten.  I can....

Please don't tempt me with delicious warm scones.