There once was a very magical retail store in Atlanta named Rich’s. I grew up looking forward to the twice-a-year visits to the store for school clothes and Easter dresses…but the best part of the visit was lunch at the store’s famous Tea Room.
White gloves and Sunday dresses were a requirement. Sometimes there were fashion shows, with willowy models gliding through the tables where appreciative customers could see what the latest styles were. The food was quintessential Southern: chicken salads, cheese straws, rich pound cakes and pecan pies. To this young girl, it was heaven.
Photo from last Friday’s Bridesmaids Luncheon
Rich’s department store and the Tea Room are no more, but this past weekend I decided to bring this Southern heritage home by recreating the wonderful frozen individual salads that were served at the Rich’s Tea Room for my beloved niece’s bridesmaid’s luncheon.
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 (8 ¾ ounce) can sliced peaches, well drained
- ½ cup maraschino cherry halves, well drained
- 1 (30 ounce) can of fruit cocktail, well drained
- 1 (6 ½ ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows
- ½ cup whipping cream, whipped
- A few drops of red food coloring (to tint the salad pink!)
Put cream cheese in mixer. Add confectioners’ sugar and blend in mayonnaise. Add vanilla extract. Fold in fruit and marshmallows. Whip cream and gently fold into fruit mixture. Add food coloring, if desired. Ladle into large paper muffin liners. Freeze immediately. Defrost 15 minutes before serving. Do not allow to get soft. Remove muffin liners before serving.
More Spring and Easter recipes in our top ten favorites.
The frozen fruit salads are a dream!!! I opened my freezer Monday night to get something for our dinner and behold! there were 2 leftover frozen fruit salads on the top shelf!! What a gift and surprise for our supper!!! They are incredible—especially for a dreary Monday night!
Your luncheon looks lovely! What a blessed niece you have! I’ll have to try the frozen fruit salad. (Hey, Tricia, you would like the picnic settings for Bekah’s wedding — check out my FB album — 200+ people and she had “real” dishes and napkins. We scoured yard sales for weeks to find those dishes!)
And Nana, I do remember those downtown department stores where they waited on you as if you were the purpose for working that day, and you could buy a wonderful lunch in the tea room. I couldn’t buy much, but I would get my Nancy Drew books at Troutman’s in downtown Greensburg, PA, then walk to Isaly’s for an ice cream. My mother wore stockings and a dress everywhere, even just at home, and she had the gloves. 🙂
Tricia, your beautiful southern style bring so much charm to my heart and home! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe! I can not wait to try it!
Rebecca – you are such encouragement to me! Enjoy the frozen fruit salad. I promise it is wonderful!
I am looking for the Coconut Cake Recipe from Rich’s Tearoom. Does that cake have cream in the icing recipe? The list of ingredients does not say cream, but the instructions call for cream. P;ease, someone, let me know that answer to this question. Thank you very much.
Helaine: This is from Nana at Hodgepodge; I have never made the Coconut Cake from Rich’s, so I have no idea. Have you tried to “google” Rich’s recipes? I am sorry, I don’t have the recipe myself…
Nana @Hodgepodge
I just happened to have been on a site with that exact recipe just before this one. Go to http://www.hungrybrowser.com/phaedrus/m0521M07.htm#1 and it has the frosting, the cake and the coconut cake recipes. Enjoy.
I am looking for the Rich’s Brownie Recipe. My 85 year old Dad and I were talking about trips to Rich’s and at the same time we both said, “and remember those brownies!”
That sure would be lovely to have! What wonderful memories.