On Military Spouse Appreciation Day, an East Room celebration of mothers' homefront service; all the details & the locally sourced menu...First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden welcomed close to 200 guests to the East Room on Friday afternoon for a special Mother's Day Tea. The 3:00 PM event coincided with the national Military Spouse Appreciation day, and the guests were military connected mothers, grandmothers, spouses, caretakers, and a handful of cute kids. Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden saluted their guests' courage and service; the tea is the second social event for military moms they have co-hosted since launching the Joining Forces campaign on April 12the. The first was a baby shower for expectant military moms, with Martha Stewart. (Above: Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden speak at the tea)
The East Room was decked out with a soft color scheme that reflected the color of high military honors: Mauve tablecloths, with centerpieces of mauve, purple, and pink roses. The tea edibles were tiny bites, inspired by a High English tea but done with a hyper local White House spin: Virginia Cured Ham on buttermilk biscuits, Chesapeake Crab on profiteroles, and other baked goodies made with ingredients sourced from the First Lady's Kitchen Garden and honey from the nearby White House Beehive, served on the George W. Bush formal china. Organic teas were poured (Above: A waiter with some of the tiny bites; full menu, below).Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden each took turns speaking. The First Lady was clad in a pale gray linen dress, with a wide silver belt and a big blue brooch, her hair loose and straight, as she stood at a podium in the front of the room. The guests, who represented all branches of the US military, were clad in festive Sunday wear: Big flowery hats, pastel suits.
"I know that ther
e are people in the room today who feel a little sad because this Mother’s Day is a little less than what you’d hope," Mrs. Obama said. "And all we can do is hug you and tell you that we are thinking and praying and working for you all, and we are proud of you."As she has since launching the Joining Forces campaign, the First Lady thanked the homefront heroes, and praised them for also serving their country, even though they do not wear uniforms.
"I know that every day you deal with things that most of us can only imagine. But I also know that along with incredible challenges come incredible strength," Mrs. Obama said. "And every single one of you deserves our support -- not just with words, but with deeds."
"Now, words are good. They help. Deeds are better," Mrs. Obama added. That's the point of her new national campaign.
Dr. Biden echoed Mrs. Obama's words, and she also spoke about last Sunday night, when President Obama, in a televised global address, announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed during a raid in Pakistan. A huge crowd gathered in front of the White House to celebrate, and there was also a crowd at the Bidens' residence, the Naval Observatory.
"I could hear them at the gates that opened to our driveway, and there were people there singing, “God Bless America,” Biden said.
"We and the entire nation are so proud of all of you," Biden told the group.
Before she left the podium, Mrs. Obama encouraged everyone to take part in the sweet treats that were on offer.
"Remember, it is Mother’s Day. So today is a non-“Let’s Move!” day," Mrs. Obama said, to laughter. "Eat all the cookies you want."
2011 Military Mother's Day Tea *Cucumber-Watercress Sandwiches
*Shaved Virginia Cured Ham
Buttermilk biscuits
*Ginger-Spiced Scones
Peach marmalade
*Chesapeake Crab Salad
On profiteroles
*Mozzarella and Heirloom Tomatoes
on Bruschetta
*Blueberry Scones
with White House jams
*Fruit Tartlettes
*White House Honey Financiers
Organic teas were Darjeeling, Earl Grey, and Bolivian Green. Kids were served orange juice.
Above: One of the child guests at the tea, and a view of the full tabletop...The full transcript of Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden's remarks IS HERE. A video of their remarks:
*Photos & additional reporting by Helena Bottemiller for ObamaFoodorama.com. White House video.
