A Patriot's Tea

My God!  How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!  ~Thomas Jefferson

With that most American of holidays--the 4th of July--arriving tomorrow, I found myself thinking about Independence Day and all the ways we celebrate it in this country, among them: barbeques, picnics, tailgate parties, fireworks displays and parades.  Thinking about all that also got me musing about our founding fathers--which then got me wondering about the revolution and Paul Revere and the Boston Tea Party--which, of course, brought tea parties to mind.  So what better way to celebrate this 237th birthday of our country, than with a Patriot's Tea!

Now, I should tell you that this idea came to me about 3:30 this afternoon, so I decided to see how quickly I could throw together a fun 21st century spin on Betsy Ross' classic design. Thus began a hunt through the house for appropriate party accessories. Confession time: I love this kind of thing. I love it when the party goodies I've been squirreling away turn out to be really useful for a variety of holiday themes.

So, today's mad dash through the house yielded Blue Danube dishes and a matching tea set (Home Goods almost always has these or a similar pattern); white trivets from Pier 1; patriotic-themed serving bowls & silver plastic chargers from Hobby Lobby; red salad plates, a red tray and a trio of red vases from Pier 1; red basket & mini American flag picks (similar designs available at most party or home decor stores) and solid red, white and blue linens (Kohls usually has an excellent seasonal linen selection).  For the discerning tea cup collector among you, the tea cups are Royal Albert & Collingswood. The lilies came right out of the garden. Forty minutes later, the result was a fresh, festive take on summer's favorite holiday.

Yep, that's right. It only took 40 minutes to imagine, assemble pieces and set the tablescape. (P.S. I think this might be a fun new feature on The Modern Girl's Tea Party Primer: A Party in 40: Quick Ideas for the Spontaneous Hostess.)  But pretty is only half the party. The girl is all dressed up, but now she must have something to eat. So, here are a few fresh and easy recipe suggestions that still work with the Patriot's Tea theme: 

 Patriot's Tea Menu

  Boston Tea Party Blend (Revolution Breakfast Tea) from The Metropolitan Tea Company

(Just for the fun & novelty. Aunt brought this back for me from a trip to Boston

--a wonderful and hearty tea. Would be just as good iced.)

Gluten-Free Blueberry Ginger Scones*

 The Modern Girl's Caprese Salad

White-Chocolate-Marscapone-Stuffed Strawberries*

* Original recipes came from the March/April 2012 issue of Tea Time Magazine.

You may also want to consider looking at ways to tweak your own favorite recipes to work with the Patriot's Tea theme. Another fun idea is to find some patriotic quotes that are especially meaningful to you and incorporate them into your tablescape and party conversations.
 
 And with that, Reader, I hope you're feeling a bit inspired and more than a little patriotic. Of course, the most important part of Independence Day (and Memorial Day, as a Patriot's Tea would be just as appropriate for that) is the anniversary of tremendous battles still being fought and sacrifices still being made that we might be free to express ourselves and choose the life we will pursue without fear of government sanction or reprisal. It's an anniversary we don't dare forget. I wish you and your family a marvelous 4th of July!

We have enjoyed so much freedom for so long that we are perhaps in danger of forgetting how much blood it cost to establish the Bill of Rights.  ~Felix Frankfurter  

We dare not forget that we are the heirs of that first revolution.  ~John F. Kennedy

The American Revolution was a beginning, not a consummation.  ~Woodrow Wilson

 

Patriotic Quotes courtesy of the Quote Garden.