Santa's Taking a Break

Many family Christmas Break activities happening here!

Time for a short blog break. 

Happy New Year!  

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our family! 

Secret Santa Gift Teas

 The folks in Glenn's office participated in a Secret Santa 

again this year.  Most of us know how this works.  

Participants "secretly" give two small gifts over two weeks, 

then usually have a get-together to present the final gift and reveal the Secret Santas. 

Apparently, word has made it around that Glenn only drinks decaf teas. 

His final gift this year was 3 teas/herbal infusions from Montea in Lexington.  

Cranberry Fruit, Coconut Almond Rooibos, and Snowlicious Rooibos. 

 I brewed a cup of the Snowlicious Rooibos.  

There is no description for Snowlicious on Montea's website, so I went

to Elmwood Inn Fine Teas website, the supplier for Montea. 

I found nothing similar to Snowlicious Rooibos.  

I am totally guessing here --

I think it's a combination of Lemon Rooibos 

and Hibiscus Flowers.  

Now, I may be incorrect because I am not a 

connoisseur of herbal infusions.  I'm going by the appearance of both on the websites.
 

Strictly my opinion: The brewed infusion gave me a small aroma of
what I would expect "Snowlicious" to be.
But, (also in my opinion) it looks pretty in my Kathe Wohlfahrt
Christmas mug I hand carried from Germany.

 



New Tea Room in the Village

 The 15th tea room in the village is a vintage 

Tea Room and News Stand.

I couldn't pass this one up because it reminds me of 

an English village we have visited many times. 

Gluten Free Christmas Afternoon Tea

Chef David at Boone Tavern Hotel provided a gluten free version of the same

foods everyone else enjoyed. Our sandwiches were made with gluten free bread.

The roast beef was on GF bread instead of the Stilton Potato Cake.  Our quiche and

tart were made with GF pastry shells.





The only difference was, we didn't have a Mini Raspberry Cheesecake

and he gave us double gluten free glazed Macadamia Sugar Cookies.

The dining room was festively decorated.

Guests celebrated friendships around the tea table.
Below: Austin and I with our friend Lynn. 

It was a lovely event with the guests asking for another afternoon tea soon.

Boone Tavern Hotel Christmas Afternoon Tea

Historic Boone Tavern Hotel hosted their third annual

Christmas Afternoon Tea on Saturday.

The hotel was decorated for the season, and Christmas music

was being played on the piano in the lobby as the 55 guests gathered.

Our family and our long-time friend and neighbor, Mary K

enjoyed a delightful menu developed by Chef David.

Southern Spoonbread is a Boone Tavern Tradition.
Below: Spoonbread Bite

The savories were served plated and included
Christmas Tree Sandwich
Tomato, Olive and Montrachet Tart
Roast Beef and Stilton Potato Cakes
Shrimp and Spinach Quiche
Cranberry Chicken Salad with Apricot Chutney
Note: I took this photo while the plates were being prepped,
it is without the edible flower garnish in the center.

After the savories, the three tier server was brought to the table
with the Scones and Sweets
Red Velvet Poinsettia Cup Cakes
Lemon Mousse Phyllo Cups
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Maple Walnut Scones with Cinnamon Glaze
Devonshire Cream, Butter and Jams
Macadamia Sugar Cookies
Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes

Melissa and Peyton

Glenn and me

Austin and Mary K.

The teas served were from Elmwood Inn Fine Teas:
Christmas in a Cup
Boone Tavern Blend
Organic English Breakfast Decaf
Strawberry Kiwi

It was a very fun and festive event. 

I was very pleased, and proud to be the Tea Consultant for the hotel.

 

(next post: gluten free afternoon tea)

My Christmas "Tea Village"

I've been collecting Christmas village tea shops/tea rooms for several years. 

I have 14 different tea shops of various brands.

Over the years we've moved it from the narrow Shaker table in the living room

to the two tier Danish table in the tea room, and this year, Glenn set up an 8-foot table

for the village.  His reasoning for setting up the table is so that we didn't have to 

move the many tea cups, teapots and more as we did during previous years. 

 Glenn and Austin added the musical train to the village a couple of years ago.
This year they added my miniature collectible Twinings and Whittard Tea delivery trucks. 

The village lights and train with music turn on via flipping two switches. 

Below is the Danish table 

and the Shaker table which the tea village "out grew." 

You can see why Glenn didn't want to move "stuff"
to put up the Christmas Village this year.

Special Note: 
Thank you to everyone for the "Get Well" wishes.
I am feeling much better.

2015 Family Travels via the Christmas Tree

 

Our 2015 Christmas Tree is up.  It has taken a week to complete

due to our schedules and my health since Thanksgiving.

 

I have seen some beautifully decorated trees by friends on Facebook this season,

including a tree of all new crocheted whimsical characters.

 

Our Christmas tree is decorated with "memories."  Ornaments from travels, handcrafted by family and friends, and gifts -- all collected during our 45 years of marriage.

 

My blog post today is a summary of our 2015 travels on the tree,
 beginning with our spring break travels to Germany, Austria and Switzerland

 

Top: Hand painted Edelweiss Flower ornament purchased in Austria.

Below: Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany



The next two are from the small country of Liechtenstein.

Below: Heidi from the Swiss Alps

In June we traveled with Glenn to San Antonio, TX for a meeting.
Below: The Alamo

This summer we took grandson, Peyton, on his first trip to
Philadelphia and New York City.
Bellow: The Liberty Bell

Fun memories of New York.

Below: ASnowman and a teapot shaped ornament from our fall break trip to Ireland.  

Our Christmas tree decorated in many memories.