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Afternoon Teas
January is National Hot Tea Month. Many of us will start 2011 with a stash of new teas to experience, as well as all our old favorites. Thus far my new tea tasting in 2011 has included a new brand of chai (Indian Spiced Tea) and a fragrant pomegranate oolong. I like to try new tea brands and varieties of tea types. I’m also well stocked with my everyday favorites including PG Tips and Yorkshire Gold. Santa always brings me lots of tea.
Since cold and flu season is in full swing by January, it is the perfect time to drink more hot tea. What could be more comforting than a cup of hot, spiced tea with honey to sooth a scratchy, dry throat? Isn’t it great that much research has shown that drinking tea can help the immune system to combat nasty bacteria and viruses.
For many people, January 1st marks the start of a new fitness and health program. Tea can assist with weight loss, for those of us who want to shed a couple of pounds that we gained over the holidays. Green tea especially contains catechins that work together with other chemicals in the body to increase weight loss. If you don’t care for green tea, don’t worry because all tea has health benefits. There is a lot of interesting information available online if you would like to read the current medical research on tea.
Since my personal consumption of hot tea is already quite high, my goal for National Hot Tea Month is not to include more tea, but to pursue other ways to celebrate this marvelous beverage. I’ve been reading a new tea book “The World In Your Teacup” by Lisa Boalt Richardson. My gorgeous Teapot and Tea Calender 2011 is hung with care and my January tea agenda includes a visit to my favorite English style tea room for afternoon tea with friends.
So how do you plan to celebrate hot tea? The possibilities are endless. You can try a new variety of tea, read a tea book or blog, visit a tea room, cook something with tea, take a class on tea, etc. Most importantly, just take some time this month to sit and enjoy a nice hot cup of tea.
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© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Growing up in an average Canadian household during the fifties and sixties, my family celebrated a traditional or perhaps even an old-fashioned Christmas. My Mom baked wonderful made from scratch fruit, nut and rum soaked fruitcake and cute gingerbread boy cookies. We had our family carolling parties and the kids hung stockings for Santa to fill. About a week before Christmas we would buy a freshly cut Spruce from a local city Christmas tree lot.
Many years later I would follow some of these traditions with my own kids. Our tree was not fresh, but artificial, at the urging of one of my “firefighter” brothers. It would quickly accumulate many of their homemade ornaments and quite a variety of favorite cartoon character ornaments, etc.
I’m not sure when I first started collecting my tea theme ornaments, but it soon became obvious that these needed a special place of their own. A tabletop tree was the perfect solution to display these miniatures. At first I collected mostly cups and saucers and teapots. Then it became fun to search for others with a tea theme.
Today my growing collection includes spoons, tea trolleys, tiered tea trays and more. I like to add something new each year. In 2010 there will be at least three more, including a Wedgwood Jasper Ware teapot and Royal Albert teapot and teacup. Many of the best names in china produce miniatures including Spode, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Portmeirion, Hummel, Royal Albert and more.
It’s not only fun to collect these diminutive pieces, but they can also be much more budget friendly than their full size counterparts. Lately I’ve been enjoying my “tea tree” so much that it may soon become a year round fixture in my dining room. Once my small tree has been filled to capacity, I’ll start working on a chandelier display using pretty ribbons to attach the ornaments and after that, who knows.
Don’t forget to stop by the parTEA Lady’s blog, Tea and Talk!
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© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
I’ve always enjoyed shopping, even window shopping. So, I find it fun to search for that perfect gift for my family and friends and even more fun if they happen to be fellow tea lovers. What could be easier than finding a decorative tin of fine loose tea, or an interesting book on tea history or entertaining with tea. How about an exquisite china cup and saucer or teapot for a collector or pretty table linens to grace their next afternoon tea-table.
Perhaps someone on your list truly appreciates a gift that has been handmade with love. I’ve received handmade teacup candles, teacup pincushions and even a silk flower arrangement in a teapot. If you’re a baker, a gift of scones or tea cookies make terrific gourmet gifts and can be combined with a pretty tea towel or some dessert tea for a thoughtful gift. Many of my friends look for tiny tea theme Christmas ornaments for my table top tea tree. Or perhaps a piece of jewelry like the pretty crystal teapot earrings that my hubby gave to me one Valentine’s Day. The annual Teapot and Tea Calendar is always a welcome and useful gift and one that I look forward to receiving each year.
So often you hear someone say that they like to relax with a cup of tea and a good book. Now, there’s a simple gift buying option. If they like mysteries, the Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura Childs would be perfect. The baker or cook might be pleased with one of the many books on afternoon tea. Some of my favorites are Tea Party by Tracy Stern, Tea With A Twist by Lisa Boalt Richardson and Afternoon Tea Parties by Susannah Blake. There are so many titles available by today’s leading authorities on tea, it might be difficult to choose just one. You could start with James Norwood Pratt, Jane Pettigrew, Michael Harney or Bruce Richardson, plus many others who have authored tea books.
Even children can benefit when it comes to choosing a tea theme gift. I’ve already tucked away a play tea set for my little granddaughter for Christmas. Nana will have lots of fun passing along her love of tea to another generation. So, I hope you have lots of tea lovers on your gift list and happy shopping.
Don’t forget to stop by the parTEA lady’s blog, Tea and Talk!
[Editor's note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Have you ever seen a brick of tea? It is tea leaves that have been packed into molds and pressed into a square or rectangle (or maybe a disk). In ancient times the tea bricks could be used as a form of currency. You can still buy tea in this form, usually Pu-erh tea.
Bricks of tea were more practical for transporting by caravan on the ancient tea routes. They took up less space than loose tea and after being cured, dried and aged, the bricks were less susceptible to damage.
In Tibet the people still use brick tea to prepare a beverage called butter tea, which is an essential part of their daily life. It includes yak butter, brick tea and salt. They drink several bowls of this tea before starting their work day. I can only imagine what this tastes like and I’m not about to try adding butter and salt to my PG Tips anytime soon.
If you would like to try brick tea, you can buy Pu-erh (poo-urr) from many online sources. It comes from the Yunnan Province in China. It is the only tea which is intentionally aged. In some cases a rare Pu-erh can be up to thirty years old. You can expect to pay a premium price for these special teas.
The aging process is supposed to produce a rich and smooth taste. I think of it as an acquired taste, but perhaps the quality of the tea I sampled was not up to par. It definitely has a bold, earthy taste. A little too earthy for my palate.
Tea bricks can be quite ornate and beautiful. Many have intricate landscape scenes or geometric designs. They make interesting gifts for your tea enthusiast friends, who may enjoy putting them on display. Or you might like a simpler brick form that is meant to be brewed and consumed. Any way you look at it, tea bricks hold a fascinating place in the world of tea.
Don’t forget to check the parTEA lady’s blog, Tea and Talk!
[Editor's note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Another novelty is the tea-party, an extraordinary meal in that, being offered to persons that have already dined well, it supposes neither appetite nor thirst, and has no object but distraction, no basis but delicate enjoyment. – Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
What a simple pleasure to find an invitation to tea tucked in amongst the usual assortment of bills, flyers and magazines in the mail. It might be a purchased card, computer printed invite or a lovely hand written note, but whatever the form, it is always welcome.
Now, what about those times when an invitation to tea is slow in coming? There is no need to wait for the next bridal, Red Hat or book club tea event. You can check the websites of your favorite tea rooms. Many times they will list their special event teas and you can call them to reserve a place. I’ve attended book signing teas, Valentine and Christmas teas, theme teas (a Titanic Tea, for example) and most recently a “Tea Cup Exchange” tea at Holly Cottage Tearoom in Newnan, GA. I was the happy recipient at this event of a Johnson Brothers cup and saucer in the Old British Castles pattern.
If you are really fortunate, you may come across a tea tasting event. This happened to me while on vacation in Vero Beach, Florida. I was visiting Tea & Chi Tearoom and the owner kindly invited me to return the next day for a special presentation and tasting event featuring oolong tea. It turned out to be a very fun and informative invitation to tea.
Of course, you could be the one to send the invitations, a sure-fire way to attend a tea party whenever you like. Your preference could be a casual tea with a couple of close friends or a more formal affair, like an annual holiday open house tea for your neighbors. So if you’re ready for an invitation to tea, you don’t have far to look.
Don’t forget to check out Tea and Talk, the parTEA lady’s blog!
[Editor's note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Tea bags have been around since the early 1900s. Back then they were hand sewn from silk muslin. Thomas Sullivan, a New York coffee and tea merchant, is credited with being the first person to market his tea in bags.
Bangkok Green
It wasn’t long before machines were invented to manufacture the tea bags. Many other innovations followed and tea bags were made in different shapes and materials. For example, there was the four-sided flo-thru bag, the round perforated bag and more recently, the popular pyramidal bag. Most are made from paper fibre these days.
Tea bags are often looked upon by many tea aficionados as being inferior to loose tea. This is probably because many contain fannings, which is the smallest leaf size next to dust. However, they do have the advantage of brewing quickly and producing a strong brew. I must admit that several of my favorite brands of English tea bags contain fannings and I enjoy using them to brew a robust morning cuppa with milk.
T-sacs
There are a lot of companies today producing quality tea bags containing the highest grades of loose tea. Harney & Sons carries some of my favorite loose tea in bags, such as Bangkok Green and others. Some use silken, pyramid-shaped bags that leave lots of room for the tea to expand as the leaves unfurl. They also allow you see the tea leaves inside.
The convenience and portability of tea in bags is evident in the sale of products like the “t-sac” which makes it possible to make your own tea bags with your favorite loose teas. This provides an easy way for us to enjoy a much larger variety of tea than what is available in prepackaged bags. The “t-sac” is also handy when your usual loose tea choices are not available in bags.
Whatever your opinion of tea bags, they certainly have come a long way.
Don’t forget to check out the parTEA Lady’s blog, Tea and Talk!
[Editor's note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
If you happen to live in the South, like I do, you know sweet tea. It’s a tall refreshing glass of extremely sweet ice cold tea. Jokingly described as the house wine of the South, every G.R.I.T. (Girls Raised In The South) knows how to make a good glass of sweet tea.
But what about hot tea? Lots of people also like their hot tea sweetened and that opens up a lot of possibilities. You might add a teaspoon of white sugar or honey to your cup. Perhaps you prefer brown sugar. Sugar cubes are nice when you want to show off those antique silver sugar tongs. I like to use amber rock sugar crystals in pretty bowls for holiday teas. You could even try a light pure maple syrup as a natural sweetener for your breakfast tea.
Agave and stevia are popular options for those who shun processed white sugar. Agave syrup is made from the juice of the agave cactus, while stevia is an herbal sweetener that has been used for centuries in Latin America. It is many times sweeter than sugar, and has the added benefit of being calorie free. Both are becoming increasingly easier to find at your local supermarket. Another unusual option would be jam. In Russia strong black tea is sometimes sweetened with fruit jam, instead of sugar or honey.
Here in the United States people tend to develop a sweet tooth at a very early age, hence the popularity of sweet tea in the South. I prefer the moderate approach and drink my tea unsweetened most of the time. A nice dollop of honey is an occasional treat, like a dessert after a meal. Whatever your preference is (sweet or unsweet) there are plenty of choices, not only for sweeteners, but also for an immense variety of tea.
Make sure to stop the parTEA lady’s blog, Tea and Talk!
[Editor's note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Did you know that in ancient times white in dreams was symbolic of happiness in the home? In today’s culture we often consider white as a symbol of purity. For the homemaker, white is an indispensable tool for creating beautiful tablescapes and I don’t think you can go wrong with a white teapot in your china collection.
White offers an infinite opportunity for tabletop creativity. It is adaptable to so many styles and is compatible with any other color. My favorite white teapots come in a variety of styles from traditional to contemporary. For those of us who like to collect cups and saucers in a rainbow of colors, a white teapot is perfect. It looks lovely with Grandmother’s Old Country Roses bone china and is equally pleasing with a modern pattern like Spode’s black and white polka dot “Baking Days.”
If you already own some Blue Willow pieces, a white teapot is a simple and affordable addition to your tableware. This blue and white classic is a popular choice for the tea-table and is used in one of my favorite tea rooms in Savannah, GA.
A white teapot can be used in so many tablescape themes. Red, pink and white for Valentine’s Day, or red, white and blue for the 4th of July. White with silver or gold is perfect for an elegant Christmas table. I’ve attended several teas with a snowflake or snowman theme during the holidays and have loaned my Debbie Mumm snowman teapots many times. White teapots are handy for a bridal shower tea or even a casual children’s tea party. You can dress up the teapot itself with a monogram decal or a pretty silk bow that matches your linens or floral arrangement.
So, if you happen to be shopping for a new teapot, the most versatile choice is basic white. Take a look at some white porcelain sets, such as Diana or Helios to get the most tablescape options with your purchase.
Don’t forget to visit the parTEA lady’s blog, Tea and Talk!
[Editor's note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
What better way is there (next to warm buttery scones) to complement a nice cup of tea than the addition of a cookie? Better yet, a plateful of cookies. There are so many varieties to choose from.
Tea and Cookies by Rick Rodgers is a wonderful new book for all of us tea and cookie lovers. There is a lot of good information on the history, types, storage and preparation of tea, followed by recipes for many hot and cold tea beverages. For instance, the homemade Orange Spice Tea would be a lovely addition to a fall tea party, or perhaps served around a nice cosy fire at Christmas.
There are recipes for Classic Chai, “Not” Sun Tea and Fruity Bubble Tea. I’d love to try making Bubble Tea at home. There are great tips for making a simple syrup to sweeten iced tea and for making frozen tea cubes. Have you ever wanted to offer guests a refreshing Half-And-Half (Arnold Palmer) – the recipe is in here.
Mr. Rodger’s cookie primer should be very helpful for improving my cookie baking skills. There is lots of information on basic ingredients and cookie baking equipment. After reading this, I’m ready to invest in some of the highly recommended quality half-sheet (18 x 13) aluminum baking sheets and a heavy-duty stand mixer. This has been on my wish list for quite some time, although I do achieve decent results with my trusty hand-held mixer. Cookie baking techniques are also covered in this section of the book.
Now, for the best part, the scrumptious cookie recipes. It will be difficult to choose when you see all the gorgeous photos of these treats. The Chai Snickerdoodles will be one of my first picks, closely followed by the Blueberry Cheesecake Bars. Then there are some elegant cookies for afternoon tea parties, such as Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Earl Grey Ganache or Macarons de Citron. Your favorite tea room treat just may be in here too. Mine’s there - Currant Cream Scones.
Rick Rodgers has written over thirty five cookbooks and Tea and Cookies definitely gets my vote as a terrific addition to any tea enthusiasts library.
Make sure to stop by the parTEA Lady’s blog, Tea and Talk!
[Editor's note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Garden View Lounge
One of my favorite places to enjoy afternoon tea is the Garden View Tea Room at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. If you happen to be in Orlando, I highly recommend this British style tea. Don’t think that you can’t visit this tea room if you are not a Disney resort guest. Just call for a reservation and security will check your ID on arrival and direct you to a car park. This is a very large, opulent Victorian style resort, with six striking buildings and beautiful grounds.
Design using Mrs. Potts teapot from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast"
The Garden View Lounge (or tea room) is a small room off the grand lobby. As you enter the lobby, you’ll admire the lofty space with its twin open grill work elevators, grand piano, comfortable furnishings and lavish floral displays. Straight ahead you can see the tea room. Check out the marble floor in front with the Mrs. Potts and Chip inlaid medallions. My husband and I were seated at a small round corner table next to the window, with lovely views of the gardens and the Seven Seas Lagoon. The table was set with Old Country Roses bone china teacups, matching sugar bowl and silver strainers.
Tea Sandwiches
There is an extensive menu with five afternoon tea offerings (Grand, Prince Edward, Buckingham Palace, Sally Lunn and Mrs. Potts), as well as a la carte items such as a British Cheese Plate or Gentleman’s Tea Platter. My Grand Tea included a glass of Domaine Ste Michelle, several tea sandwiches, scones, jam tart, freshly baked tea pastries or English trifle and a pot of tea. Although the pastries are great, especially the cream filled puff pastry swans, I can’t resist the trifle with its airy cake, custard, raspberry filling and whipped cream.
Since I’m a black tea lover I ordered a pot of Darjeeling. My husband had Eros – a medium bodied Ceylon tea with sweet Mandarin orange and vanilla, a delicious blend. There were quite a few interesting teas listed, including Mad Hatter (passion fruit, pomegranate and vanilla), Silver Leaf (white tea from the Yangtze River region), Osmanthus Oolong (scented with rare Osmanthus flowers) and many more.
Waiting for that initial (golden) pour of tea
So, if you are going to be in the Orlando area, be sure to add the Garden View Tea Room to your travel itinerary.
Don’t miss the parTea Lady’s blog, Tea and Talk!
[Editor's note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]
Tea Room
© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
