Hot Chocolate and Chocolate Dessert Bar

Our dear friends came to visit for the weekend—the perfect opportunity to spoil them a little.  We texted them while they were en route:  “Arrive hungry…we have LOTS of goodies for dinner and dessert!”

For dessert we had a HOT CHOCOLATE BAR set up.

I used our sons’ baby cups for the mini marshmallows and tiny chocolate chips.

Vintage napkins I turn to often, because they are so sweet.  They were a gift from my dear MIL from their years when they lived in Mexico, where my FIL was sent by General Tire. 

My iSi cream whipper was at the ready, of course, (you can read about this wonderful kitchen tool HERE), and the vintage silver cocktail shaker my mother gave me was perfect for the hot chocolate…LOVE this piece.

    Gifts from my SIL, I use these spoons often too, because I think they’re so pretty.

These sweet little sugar tongs now repurposed to serve the mini marshmallows.

And yes, we also had fruit on hand, in case we wanted to add something healthy to our dessert. :)

A not-so-mini chocolate-chocolate Bundt cake, garnished with peanut butter fudge curls and bite-size pieces for walking by and grabbing one or two, plus dark-chocolate on butter cookies, and of course, kisses.

My husband’s favorite aunt used to make peanut butter fudge for us, but now that she’s gone he’s happy to have found an excellent substitute at Krema.  Krema is local, but they ship everywhere.  You won’t go wrong with them, I promise.

And other walk-by treats.

But this was the BEST part…our family gathered together to spend time with our friends.

Our friends are so sweet.  They love everything we do to make their visit special, and they enjoy EVERY.SINGLE.DETAIL.  That makes it so much fun! 

What do you do when you have guests?  I’d love to hear your idea of pampering guests for our future visitors. 

I’ll be posting the recipe for my Espresso Hot Chocolate soon. ~~

Cake stand – Crate and Barrel, several years ago, a gift from my cousin

Mugs – House Beautiful, Marshall Field’s, years ago

Spoons – 1847 Rogers Bros., Columbia

Sugar tongs – Vintage Forbes Silver Co.

Cake plate – gift from my MIL many years ago; Dome – Bombay Company

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From my nest to yours~  Chickadee Home Nest

Tea for Cookie

I am blessed to have a long-time friend who moved away many years ago, and we have maintained our lovely friendship the old-fashioned way--through letters.  Her letters are so special, that when one arrives my husband sets it on top of all the mail, so I'll see it first.  Sometimes I don't read it right away...I save it for when I have time to enjoy our visit.  Often we don't respond to each other's letters right away--for me, part of my enjoyment is thinking about what I will write next.

In August she was in town, and we were able to visit!  The logical choice--come to our home for tea.  A restaurant would've been far too impersonal for this sweet friendship and rare visit.

Our Tea Party ~

We enjoyed our tea in the great room, where we could sit comfortably.  Dessert plates are Depression glass, Heritage pattern, by Federal (a gift from my mother), and the precious Depression glass tea cups, from my mother-in-law, are Cherry Blossom, by Jeannette Glass.  Pitcher is Waterford Lismore.

The iced tea goblets are Godinger/Shannon, Sutton Place pattern.

The silver flatware is Oneida King James.

OUR MENU

Mini croissant cucumber, cream cheese and chives tea sandwiches

Blueberries in silver Revere bowl

Chocolate chip mini muffins

G'Day Melaleuca Herbal Tea

The creamer (Fostoria, "American" pattern) (and the matching sugar bowl) as well as

the beautiful sugar spoon (1847 Rogers Bros., "Columbia") were a hostess gift

from my sister-in-law when I hosted her daughter-in-law-to-be's bridal shower.

I bought the sweet little violet plate (Victoria Carlsbad, Austria) at this year's

Decorator's Show House gift shop.

I bought this precious miniature cake plate as a gift...

but found I couldn't part with it.

The linens are vintage, collected over many years.

Flowers from our garden.

So tell me...do you still write letters?  If you do, whom do you write?  Do you save the letters you receive?  What stationery do you use?

Thanks for stopping by.  I love your comments, so please stop by and let me know you visisted me.


I will be linking to:

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 Courtneys, Feathered Nest Friday at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

 Honey's Potpourri Friday at http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/

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 Kim's Wow Us Wednesdays at http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/  

 The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sunday at http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

 Trisha at Sweetology: http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/

http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/2011/10/tea-party-tuesday-fast-and-fancy-ways.html

Be sure to visit their fabulous parties!