What is more delightful than an afternoon tea, complete with beautiful, vintage China, an alluring tablescape and appointed with spring flowers? And so it was on Sunday, May 4 at the beautiful host home of Maria Menconi. Twelve ladies were festooned with “tea apparel,” including fascinators and brimmed hats. It was a scene right out of the Royal Family’s Sandringham Estate.
Upon arrival, Champagne was poured, and the attendees had an opportunity to meet and greet each other. Assorted tea sandwiches—coronation chicken, mozzarella, spinach and roasted red pepper, saffron shrimp and roast beef, lettuce with horseradish were served, while the history of Afternoon Tea and High Tea was given. Two English teas, Jasmine Floral and London Fog, were presented for tasting.
An array of plated scones, strawberry and cream, rose and raspberry, lemon and raspberry and sourdough blueberry with lemon glaze, were placed on the tables. These were soon followed by tasty sweets like puff pastry hearts, mini key lime cheesecakes, assorted macarons and vanilla bundt cake with berries and cream.
A befitting afternoon in which to languish, in the English style!
Our event hosts were Maria Menconi, Allan Lyon, Gayle Hosek-Spies and Gary Spies.
Tea Trivia
- “High tea” is called that because it was traditionally served at a high table, unlike afternoon tea, which was often enjoyed on low tables or sofas.
- The most popular tea in England is black tea, often consumed as English Breakfast or Earl Grey. It is typically enjoyed with milk.
- Traditionally, the British do not drink iced tea. However, iced tea is becoming more popular, largely because of the ready-made iced tea options in supermarkets.
The Welcome Spring with an Afternoon Tea was a fixed price item that was offered at the Oracle Schools Foundation Gala, the Foundation’s most important fund-raiser, on Saturday, March 15. The Gala consists of fixed price items, a silent auction and a live auction. This year, the theme was Ten Years of Champions Helping Children.
The Oracle Schools Foundation was created by SaddleBrooke residents who recognized that the students at the Mountain Vista School in Oracle needed a free kindergarten prep program for three and four-year-old children. This program is not funded by the state of Arizona, although research strongly suggests that early education predicts later success in school and in life.
Mountain Vista is a Title 1 School in that it serves and educates many students from low-income families. The majority of students qualify for free or reduced breakfast and lunch.
Note: There are still some items available that were offered at the 2025 Gala. For further details, visit oracleschoolsfoundation.com.
Plans are currently underway for the 2026 Oracle Schools Foundation Gala and details will be forthcoming!
The Mount Rushmore of Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players
