Who else here is excited about the return of Downton Abbey?
We'd like to encourage you to throw a Downton Abbey viewing party on Sunday, January 6th. The show airs at 9pm in our time zone.
The timing of the show unfortunately makes it impossible to host a Downton-themed High Tea or an Edwardian brunch. So we just have to make a festive evening cocktail party, dinner party or dessert party out of it. If you're not up to hosting an entire dinner party, just invite guests to join you for after dinner drinks, snacks and desserts.
Start by offering your guests beverages: Cocktails or wine if you're hosting that sort of a fête; or else hot tea and coffee in plentiful amounts. (Be sure to offer both caffeinated and decaf varieties for your guests who need help staying up to watch the show or your guests who can't sleep if they have caffeine after 5pm!)
If you're serving wine to your guests, may we suggest offering them our wine pairing chocolates? We carry Brix Wine Chocolate in Extra Dark, Medium Dark, Smooth Dark, and Milk Chocolate. $13.95 per brick.
Set out "Toasts for Cheese" as part of a fruit and cheese board, $10.25 per box.
- Dates, Hazelnuts & Pumpkin Seeds - For lush creamy cheeses such as Brillat-Savarin, Brie, and Vacherin cheeses.
- Apricots, Pistachios & Sunflower Seeds - Best for delicate goats’ milk cheeses.
- Cherries, Almonds & Linseeds - Perfect with rich blue cheeses, including Stilton and Gorgonzola.
Serve grapes, strawberries, and of course sliced local apples.
Our Stonewall Kitchen jams make an excellent accompaniment for cheeses. We recommend "Raspberry Peach Champagne Jam," $8.50 per jar. Though it's not a traditional British flavor pairing, we find it quite festive during momentous occasions such as this: the much anticipated Season 3 of Downton Abbey!
You'd never find Wild Maine Blueberry Chutney served at Downton Abbey. But we wouldn't be able to resist pairing it with a nice sharp cheddar cheese.
Sea Salt crackers also pair well with your fruits, cheeses, chutneys and jams.
We don't care if scones are traditionally a brunch or afternoon food. We think Triple Chocolate Scones make a fabulous dessert to munch on while enjoying the show. $10 per box.
For a more traditional flavor, serve Orange Cranberry scones, $7.95 per box.
Lemon Curd, $9 per jar, goes great with the orange cranberry scones (but not so much with the chocolate ones!)
As the evening's episode comes to a too-soon close, pass around a tray with a selection of our delectable Sweet Shop USA truffles ($2.80 each).
Shop at the Gilded Lily for these and our other foods for parties and entertaining!
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