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Tea Parties Are Sure To Brew Up Some Seasonal Fun

Photo by LYNN KESSEL

These spicy pumpkin bars are super simple to throw together, deliciously moist and make the whole house smell like pumpkin pie. Add some raisins or dried cranberries, if you like.

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 22, 2008

I've never thought of myself as the classic tea-sipping type, all gussied up in floral prints and a lasso of pearls. But I once threw an elaborate, Second-Hand Rose tea party when my youngest daughter, Lauren, turned 7.

Falling down a rabbit hole might have been easier.

Individually hand-stamped and hand-colored invitations were sent to a dozen of Lauren's friends. Awaiting the expected swarm of 6- and 7-year-olds was a fanciful collection of floppy, flower-plastered straw hats, gloves, long chiffon scarves and costume jewelry.

The collection of haute couture took a month of my ransacking thrift stores and garage sales. I also relinquished some gaudy dime-store jewelry I had inherited.

Once attired, the gaggle of girls gathered at the table laden with mismatched cups and saucers I found during my quest. Dainty homemade cupcakes decorated with royal-icing flowers, mounds of pillow mints and pink lemonade were served on top of a lavender-colored table linen. It was an explosion of pastels.

Lauren told me the whimsical event made her feel like a princess. And hearing that made me feel like a queen.

A couple of weeks ago, I met a woman who throws tea parties for a living. Joa Jane Harpster of FishHawk founded her company, Lah-Tea-Dah, eight years after her husband suggested she should stop hanging out with the "boys" and have more "girlfriends."

To overcome her tomboy habits, Harpster decided to host a tea party. It sounded like fun, and it was a "girlie thing," she said.

Her gal pals had so much fun, the gathering blossomed into a once-a-month affair and snowballed from there. Harpster took courses to educate herself about loose-leaf teas and learned how to make scones. Meanwhile, she accumulated several storage lockers full of tea accoutrements.

Her dream was to open a tearoom, but she didn't have the money to do that; so she came up with the idea of throwing mobile tea parties for any occasion and people of all ages.

With Oct. 31 on the horizon, I asked Harpster to come up with a few ideas for a Halloween-themed tea party.

She suggested a vintage theme featuring sophistication and a playful touch of fun.

Harpster said she creates a macabre but opulent mood by dressing the table with a gold-linen tablecloth, place cards depicting Victorian old-style pumpkins made from clipart, antique candelabras and three-tiered serving dishes. She finds these vintage pieces on eBay or at secondhand stores.

Brew up some child-friendly teas, she said. When sweetened, some herbal teas taste similar to fruit juice. Small guests are encouraged to give them a try, but she offers an alternate beverage, just in case.

Harpster serves sandwiches cut with a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, cranberry-orange scones or this week's recipe for season-inspired pumpkin bars.

SPICY PUMPKIN BARS

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup margarine

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

With a mixer, cream the sugar and margarine. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, salt and spices. (You can substitute pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.) Mix until blended. Fold in nuts. Spread in a greased, jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 17-20 minutes.

Spice Frosting

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons margarine

4 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash of pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

Add the brown sugar, margarine, milk, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice into a saucepan. Cook and stir until the mixture bubbles. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Slowly beat in powdered sugar. Pour icing over cooled bars and cut bars after icing has set.

Lynn Kessel can be reached at lkessel@mac.com or P.O. Box 913, Ruskin FL 33575-0913. For more of her recipes, visit southshore .tbo.com and enter the search words: Lynn Kessel. Readers are encouraged to send in their favorite recipes, comments and suggest

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