Harvest Tea Party

October is one of my favorite months on the calendar. Summer gets ushered out, and the crisp autumn days with cool breezes enters in. October is also special because my mother’s birthday falls right in the middle of the month. She loves all things harvest, when I say LOVE, its truly love she has for all things Harvest. So, this year I threw her a Harvest Tea Party-Birthday style decorated with all the colors of the fall season accompanied by delicious food.

I LOVE hosting tea parties, check out this post for a spring tea party including small bite desserts.

Harvest Decorations

First up, is the Harvest Tea Party color scheme of orange, yellow, and red. I can’t think of a better combination of colors that brings the excitement of the change of seasons. Which make for a great foundation for decorations.

Some of the tools we used for decor:

Harvest Orange:

• Mini Pumpkins
• Table Cloth
• Flowers
• Gourds
• Place cards
• Miniature String Lights

Yellow and Red

• Sunflowers
• Mums
• Daisies
• Gourds

Tea Party Basics

Display and Dishes-China

When I think of tea parties, I think of tiered plates, cake stands, and china. I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to tea party themed celebrations. Maybe it’s just something fun about it all. China seems to be a thing of the past, but it goes perfectly in setting the special aviance to the party. Eating small bites on beautiful plates brings it all together somehow, doesn’t it? Just makes you feel so special and makes the food just pop even more.

Tea

Tea absolutely is a necessity for this Harvest Tea Party, in all kinds of flavors. I especially like to have individual tea bags in different flavors for a variety of selection for everyone. A total must have IS English Breakfast Tea! Reminds me of Downton Abbey and my first experience drinking this tea while living in Europe. I fell in love with Breakfast Tea, love at first sight I guess you could say.

Check out this interesting nutritional benefits of English Breakfast Tea.

Additionally, coffee was available, and both looked beautifully served in china teacups.

Food

Food by far, is what makes the party! Small bites ranging in different shapes, flavors, colors, temperature, and textures. My approach was to make some hot appetizers, cool and refreshing bites, room temperature goodies like mini muffins, donuts, and tea sandwiches. Collectively this makes for a super cool display and fun for the palate.

Serving Vessels

To really bring home the small bites theme, I used several different types of serving vessels for variety and presentations. Mini shot glasses, mini trifle glasses, and small ceramic square dishes. You can find them at most party stores.

Cake

Since this is a Birthday Tea Party, instead of sweet small bites, cake was the centerpiece of this party. Although typically not harvest in theme. However, the perfect cake for a tea party to me is a Victoria Sponge Cake. It just screams British all over it! I first made this when I was working at Sur La Table. It was an amazing cake and super simple to put together.

Traditional vanilla sponge cake, filled with a Chantilly cream, jam, and macerated strawberries. Dusted with powdered sugar and fresh strawberries and raspberries.

Harvest Tea Party Menu

The menu consisted of about 10 small bites, and it was hard narrowing my list down to these 11. I wanted the guest to get to sample a variety of things and see what their favorites might be 🙂 I have to admit I get a little carried away as ideas come flooding to my mind. In the end, I decided to make some of my solid go-to favorites and incorporate some new things in as well.

Harvest Tea Party Menu:

Hot Small Bites

• Greek Olive Cups (Green/Kalamata chopped olives with cheddar and mayonnaise mixture)
• English Muffin Deluxe (Toasted muffins with a melted mushroom, olive, cheese mixture)

Room Temperature Bites

• Mini Fig Muffins (Great for fall)
• Mini Pumpkin Donuts rolled in cinnamon sugar (bit hit and perfect for Harvest)
• Cucumber Chive Tea Sandwiches
• Strawberry Basil Tea Sandwiches
• Victoria Sponge Cake

Chilled/Frozen Bites

• Citrus Fruit Cups (segments of orange, grapefruit, strawberries, and blueberries)
• Chilled Cucumber Soup
• Blueberry Lime Granita (shaved ice made with blueberries, lime juice, and sugar)

Harvest Party Favor

No party would be complete without a departing gift from the kitchen. Sticking with the theme of Harvest, I baked Apple Cider Donuts, wrapped up with harvest ribbon for the perfect party favor!!!

All in all, it was a fantastic Harvest Birthday Tea Party, filled with wonderful women who made my mom’s birthday full of joy, love, and blessings.

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