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.