UNIQUE IDEAS FOR TEA.
A CHOCOLATIERE.
A chocolatiere is a pretty affair. The decoration is an immense mound of
bride roses in the center of the dining room table. The refreshments are
baskets of chocolate ice cream filled with whipped cream. The cakes are
chocolate squares. The candies are all chocolate and cream, and hot
chocolate is served. Chocolatieres are very popular entertainments for
young girls and for matrons. They are given in the morning or afternoon.
As nearly every woman loves chocolate, they are pretty certain to please
the guests.
A KAFFEE KLATCH.
The kaffee klatsch is an afternoon affair where ladies meet and chat as
they sew and are served a luncheon of German dishes--cold meats, salads,
coffee-cake, pickles, coffee, etc. Each guest is given a bit of
needlework, button-holes to work, or a small doily to embroider and a
prize is given for the best work.
Have a number of tea towels, cheesecloth dusters, Canton flannel bags
for brooms, silverware towels, etc., cut and ready to hem. When the
ladies assemble, let them hem these as a gift for the bride (for whom
the kaffee klatsch is given) to take home with her. Ask each to tell
some of her first experiences in housekeeping, and at the close of the
afternoon take a vote on the funniest experience, the cleverest in
emergency and the best told. To do this successfully, you will have to
lead the conversation and not let the ladies know they are talking
purposely. Another way is to assign topics as for a conversation party,
giving such topics as: "My first attempt at making bread," "My first
housecleaning," "Unexpected guests," "My first pie," etc. Or, ask each
guest to write her first housekeeping experience (some funny incident)
and bring it. Have the papers read aloud, but not the names. Let the
guests guess whose the experiences are. Use this contest.
What stitch is:
Hard to live with? (Cross stitch.)
A part of a cough? (Hemstitch.)
A part of a window? (Blindstitch.)
Is found on a fowl? (Featherstitch.)
Is a fish and something everyone has? (Herring-bone.)
Is made of many links? (Chainstitch.)
Is not forward? (Backstitch.)
Is useless without a key? (Lockstitch.)
Repeats itself? (Over and over stitch.)
For a prize for the best answers give a little leather sewing case
fitted with needles and thread.
A "RUSHING" TEA FOR SORORITY.
Generally speaking, one will use their sorority colors in flowers and
ribbons and their insignia cut from paste-board and covered with tissue
paper of the desired color. A gigantic insignia would make a suitable
wall decoration. Hang pennants of the colors everywhere, and if it is a
musical sorority, work in the staff and notes in the decorations. These
can be painted on cheap white muslin or paper and tacked about the
walls. If one cares to learn a little musical yell, do so as a surprise.
If the "rushing" is for new members, one can easily plan a series of
funny tableaux picturing the new member in various incidents: Leaving
home, or Breaking Home Ties; Arriving at College; Crossing the Campus;
Meeting the President; Meeting Her Roommate; Unpacking, etc. Insist upon
the new members' answering each question to the tune of some college
song, or else coach the old members to answer all questions by new
members in this manner. Have a sorority of dolls dressed in the colors,
each doll holding a pennant, in the center of the table. Paint the staff
and notes on the muslin table-cloth and make little paper drums to hold
the salted nuts and bonbons. Serve grape juice, a salad of mixed fruits,
sweet wafers and chocolate.
SANDWICHES FOR TEAS.
The first requisite in the preparation of good sandwiches is to have
perfect bread in suitable condition. Either white, brown or entire wheat
bread may be used, but it should be of close, even texture, and at least
one day old.
For very small, dainty sandwiches to be served at afternoon teas or
breakfasts, the bread may be baked at home in baking-powder tins. These
should be only half-filled, and allowed to rise before baking. The
butter should be softened by creaming, not melting, and spread smoothly
on the bread before it is cut. Cut the slices as thin as possible, and
when a variety is offered it is well to keep each kind of a different
shape, as, for instance, circles of anchovy, triangles of chicken,
fingers of game and squares of fruit butters.
Flavored butters are much used in making sandwiches, and are simply and
easily prepared. Fresh, unsalted butter should be used. After creaming
the butter, add the flavoring material, and beat until smooth and
thoroughly blended. Caviare, anchovy, sardines, oysters, salmon,
lobster, cheese, cress, chives, Chili, Chutney, olives, parsley,
cucumbers, horseradish and paprika are all used for flavoring these
various butters.
For afternoon teas, fruit and flower butters make delicious sandwiches.
Of these the most popular are strawberry, pineapple, red raspberry and
peach. Lemon butter mixed with fresh grated cocoanut is also a
delectable sandwich filling, and cherry jelly with shavings of dried
beef another. Butters flavored with rose or violet petals are very
delicate and attractive, but, as may easily be imagined, find little
favor with the sterner sex, who prefer their refreshments of a more
substantial order.
Anchovy Sandwiches--Rub the yolks of hard-boiled eggs to a paste, season
to taste with anchovy essence, and add a few olives, stoned and chopped
very fine. Spread this mixture on very thin slices of buttered bread and
cut into dainty shapes.
Caviare Sandwiches--Spread thinly-buttered bread with fresh caviare
seasoned with lemon juice and on top of this lay a little minced
lobster. Finish with another piece of buttered bread.
Olive Sandwiches--Scald and cool twelve large olives, stone them, and
chop very fine. Add one spoonful of mayonnaise dressing, and one
teaspoonful of cracker dust; mix well, and spread on buttered bread.
Queen Sandwiches--Mince finely two parts of cooked chicken or game to
one part of cooked tongue, and one part minced cooked mushrooms or
truffles. Add seasoning and a little lemon juice, and place between thin
slices of buttered bread.
Lobster Sandwiches--Pound two tablespoonfuls of lobster meat fine; add
one tablespoonful of the coral, dried and mashed smooth, a teaspoonful
of lemon juice, a dash of nutmeg, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of
paprika, and two tablespoonfuls of soft butter. Mix all to a smooth
paste and spread between thin bread and butter.
Jelly Sandwiches--Mix a cupful of quince jelly with half a cupful of
finely chopped hickory or pecan nuts, and spread on buttered bread.
Date Sandwiches--Wash, dry and stone the dates, mash them to a pulp, and
add an equal amount of finely chopped English walnut or pecan meats.
Moisten slightly with lemon juice. Spread smoothly on thinly-sliced
brown bread.
Fig Sandwiches--Stem and chop very fine a sufficient number of figs. Add
enough water to make of the consistency of marmalade, and simmer to a
smooth paste. Flavor with a little lemon juice, and when cool spread on
thin slices of buttered bread, and sprinkle thickly with finely chopped
nuts.
Fruit Sandwiches--Cut equal quantities of fine fresh figs, raisins and
blanched almonds very small. Moisten with orange juice and spread on
white bread and butter.
Beef Sandwiches--To two parts of chopped lean, rare beef, add one part
of finely minced celery, salt, pepper, and a little made mustard. Place
on a lettuce leaf between thin slices of bread and butter.
Ginger and Orange Sandwiches--Soften Neufchatel cheese with a little
butter or rich cream. Spread on white bread, cut in very thin slices,
and cover with finely minced candied orange peel and preserved ginger.
Place over another slice of bread. Candied lemon peel and preserved
citron, finely minced, also make a delicious sandwich filling.
NOVELTIES IN TEA SERVING.
If you wish to vary the serving of your tea add three cloves to the
lemon and sugar. Or a thin slice of apple added with sugar is delicious.
In Sweden a piece of stick cinnamon is added by some to tea while it is
steeping.
SUMMER PORCH TEA PARTIES.
One of the prettiest decorations for a porch tea party is a hanger or
pocket for flowers made by cutting pockets in large round pieces of
bamboo, the rods being about three feet long. These pockets are filled
with scarlet lilies and hung in the corners and on the posts of the
porch. Hang Red Chinese lanterns in the open spaces and have red paper
fans in Chinese jars on tables and ledges. The porch boxes along the
railings can have their real contents almost concealed in ferns, and
scarlet lilies stuck in amid the ferns. Across one corner the gay
striped hammock, with its open meshes filled with wild cucumber and
clematis vines fastened against the house, makes a background for the
punch bowl. Orange ice and cream cake can be served on plates decorated
with gold and white, with a bunch of daisies tied with pale green gauze
ribbon on each plate.
SUMMER PORCH TEA PARTY. 2.
A porch tea party given in the summer is a most enjoyable affair. The
guests are seated on the porch which has immense jardinieres filled with
garden flowers, and draperies of large American flags. The punchbowl is
just inside the door in the hall. The guests bring their needlework and
as they sew, one of the number reads a group of original stories.
Following this have a little contest called The Menu. The prize for the
correct list is a solid silver fork with a rose design. The refreshments
are lemon sherbet, macaroons, sweet wafers, pecans and bonbons.
MENU.
_Soups_.
_The Capital of Portugal_.
_An imitation reptile_.
_Roasts_.
_A gentle English author_.
_Found in the Orient_.
_Boiled meats_.
_Woman's chief weapon_.
_A son of Noah_.
_Game_.
_A Universal crown_.
_A part of Caesar's message and a male relative_.
_Relishes_.
_A complete crush_.
_Elevated felines_.
_Lot's wife_.
_Vegetables_.
_Slang for stealing_.
_To pound_.
_Pudding_.
_What we don't want our creditors to do_.
_Fruits_.
_What a historian delights in_.
_Must be married at home_.
_Wines_.
_What a lover says to his sweetheart_.
_Imitation agony_.
_A sailor's harbor_.
Answers: Soups: Lisbon, mock turtle; Roasts: lamb, turkey; Boiled Meats:
tongue, ham; Game: hare, venison; Relishes: jam, catsup, salt;
Vegetables: cabbage, beef; Pudding: suet; Fruits: dates, canteloupe;
Wines: Madeira, champagne, Port.