Happy Mother's Day - Afternoon Tea - 2026

Our Mother's Day Afternoon Tea took place this past Sunday in the tearoom. With roses for love, and the menu on the table, everything was in place. As our guests arrived, they placed their tea orders from the extensive tea list. Individual pots of tea were provided for each guest. 

The salad was a base of spring greens and romaine lettuce, various veggie toppers including broccoli, cauliflower, green pepper, and tomato, topped with Parmesan cheese, crispy croutons, and a Curry Orange Marmalade Dressing (a mix available at The Rosemary House).

The sandwich selection featured an Herbed Veggie Bar topped with a turnip cut into a heart shape, the Tomato Parmesan Muffin had a slice of roast beef, a tomato slice, and horseradish mayonnaise, the open-faced round sandwich was a Cucumber & Radish with garlic chive butter, the layered Goldenrod Sandwich had a layer of pimiento cheese like filling, wheat bread, and a thin layer of a sweet apricot cream filling between the two layers of white bread. The little bundle was a warm Chicken Sandwich with a crispy breadcrumb topping, and in the center, there was a melted Pimiento Cheese in a miniature phyllo cup.

The scone course included our Traditional English Cream Scone alongside a Lavender Sage Scone. The toppings included sweet cream, lemon curd, and strawberry preserves. The fresh fruit with orange and pineapple also featured a strawberry half topped with a chocolate fudge filling.

The dessert medley featured White Cake with a delicate pink frosting Rose, the crispy Phyllo Shell held Passionfruit Cream, and the little cookie was a Peppermint Meltaway.

                                     Happy Mother's Day!

Cous Cous Salad with Turmeric - Herb of the Year 2026

In celebration of National Herb Week, and the Herb of the Year 2026, which is Turmeric, we served a Cous Cous Salad at our Garden Tour this past week. Many guests requested the recipe. 

Cous Cous Salad 

1 cup couscous
1 cup water
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Bring the water to a boil, add the cous cous, turmeric and olive oil. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Add chickpeas, and remaining ingredients. Toss gently. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Chill and serve.

Garden Tour by Susanna Reppert Brill