A Russian Tea to Celebrate the pending Arrival of our Grandson

We are eagerly awaiting the newest addition to our family.  My Marina is due to have her baby boy on March 13, which is also her birthday.

Amy and I had family and friends over on Sunday to celebrate this momentous occasion with a Russian Tea.  We had never been to a Russian Tea, so we began researching and combining what we learned with our American version of a Baby Shower.  

We made a diaper cake and had a diaper raffle. My friend Karen made cookies to be distributed as guests left the shower. We played games and passed out prizes. The little cake in the top left corner of the collage is actually a candle made by my friend, Ban.  You can see more of her creations at Kandlelab.  They made perfect prizes for four lucky guests.  Each one was decorated differently and utterly gorgeous.  Of course, the Little Man got lots of gifts, but so did the Big Sister, so she was very happy.

A Russian Tea starts with a very strong brew at room temperature.  The guests add tea into their cups, and then add hot water to their desired strength.  A traditional treat, Sushki, is draped upon the urn to be broken off and dipped into the tea, like biscotti.  Each guest was gifted the tea cup and spoon that they used.

Russian Teas are all about extravagance and abundance.  We served Blini with Caviar, Olivier Salad (made by Marina), Napoleon, Meringues (provided by Marina's friend, Elena), Caviar Dip, Russian Tea Cakes, Priyaniki (made by Amy), finger sandwiches, and mini quiches.  

Not only did I have fun researching and learning more about my Marina's culture, but the happiness glowing on her face was priceless.  Frank and I are leaving on Friday for a 5-day trip to Tucson to get out of this crazy weather.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the little guy waits to make his entrance until we get back.