Stock's Manor Afternoon Tea, Mechanicsburg, PA

Stock's Manor in the Mechanicsburg countryside is a lovely 1786 limestone mansion that offers an elegant location for your special events. They have recently started offering Afternoon Tea. We attended their buffet-style tea held in July.

This beautiful collection of teapots catches your eye as you enter into the location. There is a list of the available tea options, and if you look closely, you'll spot two familiar flavors selected from The Rosemary House including Party of the Jungle and Angel Falls Mist. We each selected our tea flavor and were escorted to our seats while the teas were being prepared.

Once we were shown to our table, we were encouraged to go to the buffet table where another menu board announced the various teatime treats, sweets and savories. It was a beautiful table laden with delicacies.

In the forefront, Cucumber Sandwiches on fresh white bread and farther down, Turkey Salad Sandwich with Strawberries.

Assorted Deviled Eggs were set atop this wine bottle pedestal. These were topped with a flavorful fresh basil pesto.

Caprese Skewers were very tasty with the tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil. 

Some of the other treats included a Smoked Salmon Flatbread, an Italian Sandwich, and Sundried Tomatoes and Olive Flatbread. 

The Goat Cheese in Endive cup with walnuts was particularly tasty.

And the Raspberry and Brie Phyllo Cups were fun!

There was a lovely, elevated tray with assorted cheeses, blackberry jam, and fruit placed in front. This was a very pretty offering.

We selected our savories, cheeses, and fruits and headed back to the dining area. By then, our teas had arrived along with a complimentary Mimosa. Having a buffet style Afternoon Tea provided the opportunity for each of us to select what we wanted which created a lovely variety of treats on the plates.

We returned to the buffet to select our Scones and Sweets. There were Blueberry Drop Scones and Plain Scones, both served with Lemon Curd. In addition, the Assorted Tea Cakes included a Chocolate dipped Madelaine, an Almond flavored Petit Four and a Lavender Glazed Cake.

We had an enjoyable Afternoon Tea. May they continue offering this specialty event throughout the year. We learned about this event by following their Facebook Page.

MATBA Summer Seminar at Oxford Hall Cafe, New Cumberland

Members of the Mid-Atlantic Tea Business Association recently gathered at the Oxford Hall Celtic Shop and Cafe in New Cumberland, PA for their summer seminar. This specialty shop offers afternoon tea by advance reservation, but you may stop in and visit the cafe during business hours and order from the menu. They have a large selection of loose-leaf tea and a fabulous food case filled with Irish goodies.

Since our members travel from various states, including PA, NJ, MD, and WV the host location typically has a welcoming reception where members can nibble on something, visit the gift shop, and catch up with fellow tea business entrepreneurs. Fresh fruit and a moist muffin were set up near the seating area.

Owner Cindy Washburn, and newly elected MATBA vice president, welcomed us before we enjoyed afternoon tea. Members selected their tea for the day, and it was served in 2 cup or 4 cup pots. MATBA secretary Monika Mraz of Doehrn Tea Co ordered a pot of Golden Monkey. A flavorful Tomato Basil Soup was the first course. 

Our new president, Melissa Fitch-Ciccotelli of Tea You There is shown seated on the left. Both Melissa and Monika have their businesses located in MD. A Chopped Salad with Honey Vinaigrette was the next course. This was very fresh and tasty. Owner Cindy has a roof top garden where she harvests fresh herbs and tomatoes during the growing season.

The three tiered tray was presented to each table, laden with a variety of sandwiches, scones, and desserts.

The sandwiches included their signature Tomato Pesto Tart, Chicken Salad on a petite roll or hummus 'tuna' salad for the vegetarian option, and Egg Salad with Watercress. The watercress is also grown in abundance on the roof top garden.

The Scone was served with Devon Cream, Lemon Curd and a petite jar of Strawberry Preserves. Our program for the day was presented by Cecille Steele from Harrowgate Fine Foods, the source for the lemon curd. Cecille shared their history of their growing business and presented a small jar of curd to each attendee as a favor. 

dessert tier rounded out the tea and included a Welsh Griddle Cake, Macaron, Shortbread, and Apple Strudel. It was a tasty array of assorted goodies. Special thanks to Cindy for an enjoyable event.

MATBA members will gather again in October at Tea by Two in Bel Air, MD.

 

Penn Cumberland Annual Herb Tea - A Celebration of Lavender

"A Celebration of Lavender and Our History" was the theme for the 2026 annual herb tea hosted by members of the Penn Cumberland Garden Club. From selecting the theme. to choosing a menu that complements the theme and to organizing the event, members and assigning recipes, it can be an overwhelming task, but the committee makes it look like it was an easy process. As members and guests arrived, they were invited to enjoy a refreshing cup of Lavender Lemonade.

Celebrating the 61st Annual Herb Tea, the menu was available at each table, and lavender was predominant throughout.

Cheerful lavender floral plates and napkins gaily wrapped with purple flowers and a silk white bow set the scene. The lavender lemonade was refreshing, and the pale lavender paper cup kept to the theme. Members bring their own teacups to this event, and Susanna and Nancy brought two of their mother's floral teacups in a nod to Bertha Reppert, a past president and longtime member of the club.

The sandwiches were plated and placed on a central table. They were then distributed to each table where the guests were seated. The tasty sandwiches included Mint Lavender Cucumber Sandwich, Lavender Chicken Salad Sandwiches, and Lavender Hummus Sandwiches.

There was a tiered tray placed on each table which included the scones and the desserts. Plain Scones and Blueberry Sour Cream Scones were served with Clotted Cream, Cream Cheese, and Apple Lavender Jelly. A Lavender Tea Bread with Cream Cheese Spread rounded out the scone course. The medley of desserts included cleverly decorated Mini Lemon Lavender Cupcakes and Lavender Earl Grey Cookes.

The hot teas that accompanied this lovely lavender themed tea included Blueberry Tea and Earl Grey Lavender Tea. Long standing member and club historian Terri Maclay shared anecdotes about past herb teas and their unique themes, each incorporating different herbs throughout the menu. Photos of past herb tea parties were available at each table to stroll down memory lane. To complete the day, Wendy, of Hope Hill Lavender Farm presented a program on the many types of lavender and the variety of uses for this versatile and fragrant herb.

Celebrating the Semiquincentennial of the USA

Happy 250th Birthday, America! We celebrated the semiquincentennial of the United States at a very special afternoon tea honoring the Women of Liberty; with red, white, and blue the theme, of course.

The first course included an All-Star Salad featuring mixed salad greens with strawberries, blueberries, and pepper jack cheese, dressed with poppyseed dressing and topped with a star shaped crouton. Tiny decorative red, white, and blue candy stars were also on the salad. Pieces of Russel Stover Star Bangled Taffy were sprinkled on the table, wrapped in paper adorned with stars, and candy in red, white, and blue, it fit the day perfectly.

The Patriotic Tea Sandwiches included a Puff Pastry Tower of Vegetables with a paper flag jauntily placed atop the sandwich. There was a Turkey, apple, and cranberry triangle shaped sandwich. The skewer with a wooden star at the top held red cherry tomato, a piece of creamy garlic herb cheese, and several blueberries. The little bundle was a warm chicken salad sandwich. The Glazed Strawberry Crostini was a bold flash of red on the plate, and in the center was a tart shell with rosemary red beets topped with Feta cheese.

The Scone Course, 'Let's Hear it for the Red, White, and Blue' featured our Traditional English Scone and a triangular Blueberry Scone served with Sweet Cream and Strawberry Preserves. A fresh strawberry garnished the plate. The berry was dipped in white chocolate two thirds of the way up leaving part of the red top of the strawberry uncovered and then the tip was dipped in flag blue sugar creating the red, white, and blue design.

The plate of All American Desserts included a Mount Vernon Cake topped with Cherries and a blue ribbon gaily adorned the top of the cake.  Mamie Eisenhower's Million-Dollar Fudge was on the plate along with a Petite warm Apple Pie, and Star Shortbread Cookies. 

Many dressed in their red, white, and blue garb adding to the celebratory feeling of the day. Following the afternoon tea, Angelica Brill presented a program on the Women of Liberty. She highlighted seven notable women of America's early years. Representing women from varying backgrounds, from wealthy plantation owners, frontier wives, Native Americans, African Americans and ordinary citizens who performed extraordinary deeds, she shared the influences of women that often go unnoticed as they stand behind the powerful men of the century. She included Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Mary Ludwig Hays (Molly Pitcher), Sybil Ludington, Hannah Till, Sacagawea, and Betsy Ross. Special thanks to Angelica for her presentation of these important women, to Susanna for coordinating the event, to Gail and Claudette for their hard work during the event, and to Nancy for her culinary talents.

Taste the Rainbow Afternoon Tea and Tea Tasting

We welcomed DonnaLee Yeatts, Certified Tea Specialist (World Tea Academy) to The Rosemary House and Sweet Remembrances for a very special Taste the Rainbow Afternoon Tea Event. DonnaLee began the program with a basic introduction to the difference between teas and tisanes (herbals). She continued with highlighting the benefits of these teas. As the Taste the Rainbow Afternoon Tea was being served, DonnaLee introduced the two distinct teas that were paired with each course. 

We served a Fresh Fruit Salad topped with Red Strawberries, Blueberries, Orange Mandarin oranges, Strawberry Boba Pearls, Feta Cheese, and a Poppyseed Dressing. The teas that paired with the first course included a delicate White Tea and a herbal Chamomile Tea. 

The colorful selection of sandwiches included a Tomato Rosemary Muffin with Roast Beef, a vibrant green Spinach Bread with French Style Cheese Florette topped with a red cherry tomato, a colorful Herbed Vegetable Bar (a medley of red, green, orange), a Rainbow Wrap of spinach, yellow pepper, and orange carrots topped with a tasty Castelvetrano Italian Olive, and a Chicken Salad with Cheddar cheese and apple pieces. The teas served with this course included a Dragonwell Green tea and a herbal Green Rooibos.

The scone course included our Traditional English Cream Scone and the ever-popular Cinnamon Chip Scone served alongside Sweet Cream and Raspberry Preserves. A rainbow skewer of fresh fruit garnished the plate. A Formosa Oolong and a Honey Bush tea paired with the scones.

The desserts included a Rosemary Cookie sprinkled with dusting sugar to capture the rainbow, a Miniature Fresh Fruit & Cream Tartlet, and a Rainbow Kaleidoscope Cupcake. The teas for this course featured Kenyan Milama and Butterfly Pea Flower.

The Butterfly Pea Flower tea is a caffeine-free herbal made from the dried flowers of a vine native to Southeast Asia. This unique tisane creates its own rainbow of colors as it starts out with a rich blue color, but with the addition of fresh lemon, it quickly transitions to a vibrant purple color. It is enjoying popularity as it is used as a natural food coloring in beverages and desserts. In addition, it is said to enhance brain health. 

Special thanks to DonnaLee Yeatts for her informative program, to Susanna Reppert for coordinating the event and to Nancy Reppert for presenting the Taste the Rainbow Afternoon Tea.