Table of contents for July/August 2019 in TeaTime

Afternoon tea is the perfect way to beat the late summer doldrums. With the wonderful produce available during this season, teatime menus can be full of fresh, ripe flavors. If the afternoon heat isn’t too oppressive, set a table outdoors and use the blooms in the garden or a pretty picket fence as an inviting backdrop, such as ours on page 40. But if the temperatures or humidity dictate an indoors tea party, blue-and-white teawares—always my favorites—make for a cooling and inviting setting. (See “Teatime with Blue & White” on page 21.) When selecting the china for each of photo shoots, we try to be vigilant about using teacups instead of coffee cups. We prepared “A Cup Primer” on page 39 as an aid in differentiating between them as well…

July 16 Princess and Heroes Tea Party 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sweet Remembrances Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania This lovely adult and kid-friendly tea party will be a hit with children as they are entertained by two beloved characters, Elsa and Spidey. Hosted in the Sweet Remembrances Tea Room and the outdoor herb gardens, this summertime gathering is a great way to introduce the little ones to the beloved tradition of teatime. This event costs $30 person, and tickets can be purchased by calling 717-697-5785. For more information, visit sweetremembrancestearoom.com. 20 Hunger Games Tea 6:00 p.m. Erika’s Tea Room & Gifts Clermont, Florida To celebrate the anniversary of the districts from the popular Hunger Games novels and movies, we are seeking “tributes” to attend a fun evening full of trivia and activities.…

Are you hosting a tea party centered around a novel or historic event? Maybe you’ve been assigned the task of planning a teatime for the benefit of a historic home. Thanks to the popularity of television shows and movies centered around British monarchs and stately manors, I receive frequent questions inquiring about historically accurate teas that were popular from the reign of George III until the death of Edward VII, or the time of Pride and Prejudice through Downton Abbey. I have compiled the most-asked questions I receive. My answers might come in handy when you are called upon to plan a teatime infused with history. What teas should be served at a Colonial tea party? Throughout the 1700s and the Revolutionary War, the only source for tea—both in Europe…

Dairy-Free Pineapple, Macadamia & Coconut Scones Makes 13 to 15 6 tablespoons virgin unrefined coconut oil 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend* ¼ cup golden coconut sugar, sifted 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped sweetened dried pineapple, divided 1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts, toasted and cooled 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold organic coconut milk, divided 2 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. • Place coconut oil in a shallow bowl. Refrigerate until oil begins to solidify, 5 to 10 minutes. Using a fork, score coconut oil deeply to create a fine grid pattern. Refrigerate until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt.…

>Visa—Travelers to China need a visa, available from the Chinese Embassy closest to you. It’s valid for 10 years, but apply well before your departure date. >Best Time to Travel—Plan your visit in the spring or fall, because the summer can be quite hot and humid. Tea is picked only in late March until early May in the Hangzhou area. >Tour Guides—Day trips into the tea fields, including transportation and local English-speaking guides, can be arranged from either Shanghai or Hangzhou at a very reasonable cost. Check the website viator.com.…

Handy Dandy Transform your brewing process for loose-leaf teas with this powder blue 24-ounce Primula Addison Tea Maker. ($29.95, crateandbarrel.com or 800-967-6696) Polka Dot Bliss Steep tea in style and keep it hot with this charming 1.5-quart Simple Elegance teapot and matching warmer handmade in Poland. ($79 for teapot/$39 for teapot warmer, janelleimports.com or 860-749-7906) Pretty Porcelain Welcome afternoon-tea guests to the table with hand-painted Ginger Jar Place Card Holders. ($24.95 for set of 4, williams-sonoma.com or 877-812-6235) Wreathed Style Present an array of sweets on a monogrammable Arbor Blue cake pedestal embellished with a garland of leaves and branches. ($80 plus $5 for monogram, caskata.com or 508-242-5573) Seaside Charm Incorporate beautiful coastal blues into your tablescape with Victorian-inspired Annalouise napkins. ($29 for set of 4, aprilcornell.com or 888-332-7745)…

Tr rue fans of the minimalistic and classic Brown Betty teapot probably recognize the name James Sadler and Sons Ltd. Founded in 1882 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire in England, the pottery manufacturer specialized in red clay earthenware for many years. Over time, the company evolved its products, creating whimsical and ornate pieces, such as the Sadler 1562 teapot. From the unique apple shape of its body to the classic floral design to the gold scrollwork and trim, this is an eye-catching piece to feature at your summertime tea party. Tickled Pink Touches h of pink add dainty, feminine ambiance to the tea table. Match the beautiful rose depicted on Sadler 1562 with pink Colclough 6751 teacups and saucers and the blooming themes on Aynsley Hathaway dinner plates and Ralph Hamersley salad…

With cups and saucers crafted in many different sizes and shapes, it can be diffi cult for an untrained eye to discern which truly is a teacup. Most porcelain manufacturers, nowadays, sell a one-cup-fits-all piece for hot beverages, but early china producers featured their designs on not only teacups, but also coffee cups and demitasse cups. So what exactly is the difference between these wonderful pieces of drinkware? Demitasse Cup—French for “half cup,” a demitasse, traditionally used for espresso, is much smaller than a coffee cup. These petite pieces hold around 2 to 3 fluid ounces. Incorporate these petite cups in the scones course for individual portions of clotted cream or jam, or in the sweets course for sorbet or mousse. Teacup—The classic teacup is slightly shorter with a wider…

T here’s plenty of science to back the claims that tea’s natural antioxidants promote health and well-being. But I don’t need to be persuaded. My own preference for tea is genetically encoded thanks to both of my grandmothers. My dad’s mother, Ruby Scott, grew up in Scotland’s Orkney Islands and then sailed to this country on an ocean liner with my grandfather in the early 1920s. A lifelong tea drinker, Ruby introduced me to the British custom of taking tea when I was a little girl. To a five-year-old whose parents drank pots of strong coffee, my Scottish grandmother’s tea rituals were both entertaining and exotic. Following an old-country method of divination, Ruby would interpret the various shapes of leaves left in a tea drinker’s cup and then predict weather…

Japanese Sencha GRACE TEA COMPANY gracetea.com • 978-635-9500 TEACUP: Spode Colonel Blue “Less than 2 minutes in 160° water brings out the rich umami taste and subtle spinach-like sweetness one expects from this iconic Japanese green tea.” —Lorna Reeves, editor Pomegranate Green MARK T. WENDELL marktwendell.com • 978-635-9200 TEACUP: Mottahedeh Blue Lace “Pieces of pomegranate and rose petals mixed among the leaves of this blend produce a delicate, flavorful infusion perfect for a balmy summer afternoon” —Courtni Bodiford, stylist Volcano Green TEA HAWAII teahawaii.com • 808-967-7637 TEACUP: Royal Doulton Challinor “When steeped in 140° water for 3 minutes, this handmade Hawaiian tea yields gentle flavors that remind me of ripe pineapples and ocean breezes.” —Leighann Bryant, art director Madame Butterfly LOT 35 us.fairmontstore.com…

Peachy Vanilla Bean Scones Makes 24 2¼ cups cake flour 1¼ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup granulated sugar 2½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cubed 1½ cups diced frozen peach slices ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon cold heavy whipping cream, divided ½ cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste • Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. • In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut in cold butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add peaches, tossing until combined. Add ¾ cup cold cream, sour cream, and vanilla bean paste, stirring with a fork…

Grand mansions with large columns and open porches are iconic images when some think of the South. While many of the plantation-style homes have disappeared over the years, the last antebellum home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is not only a historical landmark, but it also houses a charming restaurant and tearoom. The Historic Dent House is now home to Polly Claire’s, a venue that brings a very British tradition to a very Southern state. “In the South, a tearoom could be anything, like a meat-and-three,” owner and chef Rashelle Stafford comments. “So we wanted to do a traditional British tea with an American flair.” Despite no previous experience in the food industry, Rashelle’s lifelong infatuation with tea parties influenced her transition from homeschooling her children full-time to opening her own business…

COVER Laura Ashley Blueprint Collectables China Rose teapot ($76); Sweet Allysum, China Rose, Floris, and Candy Stripe teacup and saucer sets ($25.90 each) from The London Tea Merchant, 314-323-6463, thelondonmerchant.com. Madeira cutwork white linen napkins set of 2 ($12.99) from TeaTime, 800-361-8059, teatimemagazine.com. White cake stand, silver tray, and vase from private collection. TITLE PAGE Page 2: Royal Winton Cheadle teapot ($349.95) from Replacements, Ltd., 800-737-5223, replacements.com. MASTHEAD Page 5: Coalport Geneva dinner plate, Minton Ardmore Ivory and Turquoise salad plate, and Aynsley Viscount teacup and saucer set all available for rent from Tea and Old Roses, 205-413-7753, teaandoldroses.com. Turquoise stripe napkin with trim ($4.95) from Pier 1, 817-252-6300, pier1.com. Silverplate tussie mussie and tablecloth from private collection. THE COZY CORNER Page 10: Grace’s Teaware Victorian Bird teapot ($12.99) from…