A Dotty Dolly Tea Party

Hello, Welcome to Marcia’s Cottage by the Sea. ♡ I’m so happy to see you today my friend. ♡ Shall we have a little tea. ♡

Do you love tea parties? Perhaps, you still have your favorite childhood doll.

I do! I do! Well, if you are a regular reader of Marcia’s Cottage by the Sea, you know that when I lived in California I belonged to a special little tea group.  Our friendship spans over 20 years. We would each take turns hosting a theme tea throughout the year. Come and join me for a special afternoon tea. The hostess was kind enough to send me all the details.

My dear friend Becky recently  hosted this tea party in her lovely California home. She gives over the top tea partieshttps://marciascottagebythesea.com/a-fine-and-dandy-weekend/

The table was set with a beautiful hand crocheted tablecloth by Becky’s grandmother over 70 years ago.  Being very crafty Becky built the centerpiece using a British tea tin on bottom, Ivy and paper flowers on hand painted plate in middle, and on top a child’s tea set.

The first course was scones with real whipped cream.

Scones were from a sweet friend who now lives on the Oregon coast 900 miles away, and sadly wasn’t able to attend. (pout) Waaaaaaaa…..

The menu included egg salad sandwiches

brie cheese on crackers

homemade peach cobbler

Tomato bisque soup (complete with goldfish crackers, of course)

homemade mac/pea/carrot/celery salad.

Three kinds of sandwich wedges (peanut butter,blackberry jam~ pimento on artisan bread~ egg salad). Cinnamon bears were placed in a dainty cup by each plate. Drinks were cranberry/strawberry ~ Mint Julips (fresh mint sprig/frozen strawberries and grapes, cream soda) and an assortment of teas.

And, homemade pumpkin bread with toasted pecans as a sweet Welcome to Fall gift to take home. You can tell what a wonderful hostess Becky is. She has a way of making everyone feel right at home…even when they are 900 miles away.  Hope you enjoyed the tea party, and perhaps you will be inspired to host a Dotty Dolly tea party yourself. Your never too old to play.

never….

ever…..

Here’s a collection of Becky’s dolls…

Muffy 8″ dolls

A rag doll Becky made for DAR door prize

Revolutionary War era, a 1950’s porcelain doll bought in a London antique store

an American “Dream Baby” in white bonnet from 1924

and the last one is tiny, Becky painted her with a one hair brush.

Becky mentioned her regrets of not taking photos of the other gals dolls. She said that they got all caught up in the stories! (grin) However, she said that there was a  1889 doll from our friends grandmother, a soap bottle doll, (which also belonged to a grandmother)  and a knitted doll, which was given by a friend.

Here’s Becky’s recipe for Dolly Tea Peach Cobbler

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted in baking dish

Combine in a bowl:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cup milk

Combine in saucepan:

4 cups fresh peach slices (Becky said she really used canned peach slices!)

2 tablespoons tapioca

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Directions:

melt butter in 9×13 inch baking dish in oven.

Combine flour, one cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).

Bring one cup sugar, peach slices, tapioca and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool to your friend who moved to the Oregon coast

Caution: May drip over in oven. Put foil underneath.

“Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. “~Lord Chesterfield