FANCY A CUP?

BRING ONE of England’s treasured culinary experiences to your table. The Deer Path Inn’s traditional Afternoon Tea is now available to enjoy from the comfort of home with a take-away package from its celebrated English room. The package includes a selection of tea sandwiches, petit fours and tartelettes, and a choice of loose-leaf tea. Featuring an exquisite selection of scones, tarts, and savory bites, the Afternoon Tea menu is designed to complement teas carefully selected with the help of Malcolm Ferris-Lay, Master of Tea, whose family has been connected with the tea trade since 1842. Savory options abound, including smoked salmon tartine with chive cream cheese and pickled shallots to shrimp salad gougère with tarragon and lemon dressing—and the variety of sweet bites included will please the most discerning tea-takers. Creating the British tradition of Afternoon Tea at home is also an option with The Official Downtown Abbey Afternoon Tea Cookbook. This elegant book delights with vibrant imagery accompanying savory and sweet recipes, including the famous Battenberg Cake and Bakewell Tart. Notes on etiquette, tea service, and character quotes from the celebrated PBS program will thrill fans of the series and entertaining aficionados alike. Set the scene with perfectly pressed linens and your grandmother’s tea set—or beautiful antique china sourced from the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest’s on-line sale (see above).

To order the Deer Path Inn’s Afternoon Tea, visit thedeerpathinn.com. The Official Downtown Abbey Cookbook is available at the Lake Forest Book Store, 662 N. Western Avenue, 847-234-4420.

A 70-YEAR COMMUNITY TRADITION REIMAGINED

IN A NORMAL YEAR, the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest’s Rummage Sale relies on thousands of shoppers converging on the church for a one-day event for its success, grossing $200,000 annually. Visitors from far and wide gather under giant tents and inside rooms where nearly every inch of space is covered with tens of thousands of items. Every piece is dutifully sorted, priced, and displayed in sale departments by hundreds of volunteers. Traditionally, 95 percent of items sell for under twenty dollars, and the vast majority sell for even less than five dollars. The big question Rummage Sale organizers faced in the era of COVID-19 was, “How can we pivot and do this online?” The team did not immediately know what to do, but knew it needed to quickly find a solution. The church’s mission partners—including Mother’s Trust, Veteran’s RR, PADS (Providing Advocacy, Dignity and Shelter), Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center, Beacon Place, Wings, and Waukegan and North Chicago Bible Society Prison Outreach —could not wait. 100 percent of proceeds go right back out the door, and these partners were relying on help more than ever. The organizers decided to highlight individual sale departments, which have a devoted following—and items that sell at a higher price point. They learned early on that most people do not want to shop on-line and drive across town to pick up a two-dollar flowerpot, even with curbside pick-up as an option. Now, the more valuable toys, clothing, jewelry, sporting goods, china, and beautiful antiques from its famous Treasures department can be browsed, bid on, and bought online. A sale begins every two weeks and February will focus on china. A new feature for 2021 will be the addition of a preview time where shoppers can see the individual items and descriptions prior to the start of the sale.

For more information or to instantly purchase rummage items, visit FPCLFRummage.givesmart.com.