A tempest in a teapot ...

photo of Susan B. Anthony is from Designed to a T.
Some Internet friends just reminded me that March is Women's History Month, with posts about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, and it made me think about the Woman's Suffrage Tea that I gave back in 2007. Did you know that the battle for women's rights -- especially voting rights -- in the United States began at a tea party in New York in 1848? That meeting led to the first women's rights convention at Seneca Falls, NY, on July 19, 1848.

I wanted to honor Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, and the other ladies who saw the need and led the struggle to do something about it, by hosting my own tea party in their memory. If you wanted to do the same thing, here are some notes I made from my tea, for your inspiration:

Decor and colors for the table and the food: Red, white and blue; Suffragist colors -- green, purple and white. Small American flags on the table, plain white cups, saucers and plates. Favor: a homemade “Votes for Women” badge?

Menu:
Cottage Cheese and Green Onion in Green Pepper cups
Peas, Onions and Prosciutto Turnovers
Basil-Lavender Egg Salad Sandwiches
Cold Chicken Sandwiches with Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

Cream Scones
Strawberry Preserves
Clotted Cream
Blueberry Toast Rounds with Blueberry Cream Cheese
Grape Jelly
Lime Curd

Toasted Pound Cake with Rose Cream
Lavender Shortbread
Lime Bars or Lime cookies
Japanese Green Tea Cookies
Blackberry Custard tarts
Green Tea ice cream
Lime Sherbet

Also, PBS put out a documentary about the lives of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and their involvement with the Women's Rights movement; it has been released on DVD, and it's really interesting. You could watch it as you drink your tea!