"Peter Rabbit & Mr. McGregor Have a Tea"

Members of the Penn Cumberland Garden Club coordinate and host an annual herb tea. This was the 58th Annual Bertha P. Reppert Herb Tea, an event inspired by Bertha Reppert in an effort to bring herbs to the forefront. It takes a committee of dedicated women, plus the many members of the club that volunteer to prepare the tea party menu. On the day of the event, it's all hands on deck. The theme this year was 'Peter Rabbit and Mr. McGregor Have a Tea'. It is true that 'herbs make the difference', and combined with fresh veggies and unique twists on favorite recipes, a delicious afternoon tea was enjoyed by all.

Kudos to the Chairman of the Tea, Terri Maclay. A long standing member of the club, and a very talented floral designer, Terri's touches could be found in the beautiful displays executed to elicit thoughts of farmer McGregor's garden.

• The Herb Tea Party Menu 

Orzo Salad 
Carrots & Raisin Pineapple & Mint Salad
Peas and Mint Crostini
Beet Rubens
Asparagus Roll ups
Celery-Protein Peanut Butter Bites
Radish Butter with Pita chips
Brown Bread Scones with currants
Zucchini Spice Cake
Rosemary Pound Cake Trifles
Easy Oreo Mint Truffles
Chamomile Shortbread Cookies
Thumbprint Cookies with Elderberry Jam

The Orzo Salad was individually cupped and served in a gardener's wooden carryall.

Brown Bread Scones with Currants were served with Marmalade. And Thumbprint Cookies featured Elderberry Jam centers.

Once everyone was through the buffet line, the Afternoon Tea plate looked something like this. Such a beautiful array of colors and quite a variety of veggies were represented. Each member receives a recipe booklet that includes all the recipes along with hints and tips about herbs. This particular booklet included 'Mr. McGregor's Garden Tips', and occasional quotes from the story book; "First he ate some lettuces and some French beans; and then he ate some radishes."

The guest speaker for this event was Erica Shaffer, the Wildly Crafted Woman. Erica presented a program about herbs found in the garden entitled "the Rabbit Whispers Herb Secrets to Mr. McGregor".  As Erica talked about each herb, it was passed around the room for members to see and sniff each fragrant plant.