Table of contents for May - June 2015 in TeaTime

As springtime turns to summer, our thoughts turn to celebrations associated with the months of May and June. And what better way to mark these occasions than with afternoon tea? Our cheery May Day Tea (page 31), complete with maypole-inspired cupcakes, will delight the young and the young at heart. To honor the moms in your life, we offer a lovely menu for Mother’s Day (page 39), which will, undoubtedly, be one of the best gifts they’ve ever received. One of our readers gave a birthday tea party for her mother several years ago and wrote to us about how meaningful the occasion was. You can read her touching account of it in The Tea Diaries (page 59). June is National Iced Tea Month, and to commemorate, we highlight in…

Pour a Glass Juliska’s stunning Isabella pitcher and iced-tea glasses will look lovely on your tea table. ($175 for large pitcher, $65 per large tumbler; juliska.com or 888-414-8448) A Tropical Infusion Notes of hibiscus and lemongrass in this caffeinefree Royal Poinciana tea from Tracy Stern Tea & Co. are sure to make you feel like you’ve been transported to a tropical island. ($20; tracysterntea.com or 800-832-0627) Bright Accents Introduce summertime color to your tea table with pretty paper cocktail napkins in bright blues and greens. ($5 for a pack of 20; casparionline.com or 434-817-7880) Stir in Style These iced-tea spoons from Tea for Two are delicate, contemporary, and perfect for stirring sweetener or lemon into your tea. ($18.95 for a set of 6; teafortwo.com or 888-601-9990) Iced Tea Made Easy…

Tea enthusiasts are sure to find a few must-visit spots for afternoon tea in the quaint towns and winding hills of North Carolina’s Piedmont region. Head east from Winston-Salem for a cuppa in Kernersville; stop in at Greensboro’s O.Henry Hotel for a dose of nostalgia; and linger at the Olde English Tea Room in Wake Forest, where time slows down over a pot of hot tea. O.HENRY HOTEL 624 Green Valley Road Greensboro, NC 27408 800-965-8259 • ohenryhotel.com Step into the lobby of the O.Henry Hotel, and you’ll find a modern establishment teeming with Old- World charm. Wood paneling, tall ceilings, and beautiful furnishings welcome guests and set the scene for a serene getaway or a regal afternoon-tea service, both honed to perfection. The hotel opened its doors in 1998,…

eteaket— Based in Edinburgh, Erika Moore’s tea company was established in 2008 when she decided to give British tea a makeover and free it from the paper tea bag. She now retails and wholesales 40 different specialty teas and blends, and her shop on Frederick Street attracts an enthusiastic cross section of customers who love her innovative tea cocktails, light lunches, and fabulous afternoon teas. The business is also an ardent supporter of local events, and Erica was on the committee of the tea festival. eteaket also raises money for charitable causes such as Cancer Research and The Edinburgh Sick Kids Foundation and recently sent funds to provide 2,000 meals for poor children in India. Wee Tea Company— Another Edinburgh-based tea company that played a major part at the Tea…

COVER Floral arrangements by Flowerbuds, 205-970- 3223, flowerbudsinc.com. Royal Crown Derby Derby Posies cup and saucer ($31.99) from Replacements, Ltd., 800-REPLACE, replacements.com. Olympia 3-tier glass cake plate stand server ($30) from Amazon, amazon.com. Linen hemstitch place mat ($48 for a set of 4) from Pottery Barn, 888-779-5176, potterybarn.com. TITLE PAGE Page 2: Floral arrangements by Flowerbuds, 205-970-3223, flowerbudsinc.com. Royal Winton Sweet Pea Albans teapot ($999.95); Westmoreland Beaded Edge cup and saucer ($7.99) and dinner plate ($21.99); Anchor Hocking Cameo Yellow luncheon plate ($13.99) and flat tumbler ($119.95) from Replacements, Ltd., 800-REPLACE, replacements.com. MASTHEAD Page 5: John Aynsley Pembroke-Gold Trim china ($109.95 for a 5-piece place setting); Oneida Golden Royal Chippendale flatware ($79.95 for a 5-piece place setting) from Replacements, Ltd., 800-REPLACE, replacements.com. OUR FAVORITES: ICED TEAS Page 15: 1—Mikasa Cheers…

On Our March/April Issue Our March/April issue arrived in subscribers’ mailboxes in mid-February, when most of the country was dealing with record snowfalls. Just in time to give us a little boost and get us through the rest of winter. The chintz teapot (featured in “Easter Time,” page 40) is beautiful! You can never have too many teapots, right? RUTH HECKBERT MOQUIN Bring on spring! I’m ready! Love the bright colors on a gray day. AMY KOPIA HORAN via Facebook Tea-Party Inspiration You inspired me! I read your article about giving a Knitters’ Tea [TeaTime, January/ February 2015, page 39], and I knew I had to do it. So I did! It was so lovely. My knitting friends enjoyed the three courses and the teas, the special favors of pretty…

June is National Iced Tea Month. A GENTLE REMINDER Not all iced teas are prepared in the same way. Please consult the packaging or the tea purveyor for proper water temperature, steeping time, and the amount of leaf to use. It is normal for most teas to cloud when refrigerated. 1. Sassyfras Strawberry PIPER & LEAF “This flavorful blend of Japanese Sencha green tea, strawberries, and sassafras root is the perfect midsummer sip.” —Kellie Grammer, Editorial Assistant 2. Tropicana Iced Tea Blend MARK T. WENDELL TEA COMPANY Fragrant passion fruit and a hint of rose and other botanicals scent a brisk Ceylon black tea to yield a delightful iced beverage.” —Lorna Reeves, Editor 3. Monk’s Blend Organic Tea CAPITAL TEAS Ceylon black tea blended with light and fruity grenadine gives…

Apricot–Sour Cream Scones Yield: 20 scones Preparation: 20 minutes Bake: 18 minutes 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup cold salted butter, cut into pieces ½ cup chopped dried apricots 1/3 cup sour cream 7 tablespoons cold heavy whipping cream, divided ½ teaspoon vanilla extract • Preheat oven to 350°. • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. • In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, whisking well. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add apricots, stirring to combine. Set aside. • In a liquid-measuring cup, combine sour cream, 6 tablespoons cream, and vanilla extract, stirring to blend. Add to flour mixture, stirring until mixture comes…

May 9 & 10 Mother’s Day Tea 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The Sarasota Succulent Society Sarasota, Florida Celebrate Mom at afternoon tea at the Depression era–style home of Walter Sparkman, and explore the beautiful gardens of the Sarasota Succulent Society. Tea will be served on the front porch and inside in the home’s main room. The cost is $20 per person, and reservations are required. For more information, go to sarasotasucculentsociety.org. For reservations, e-mail Joanne at hdgrdnr@ aol.com. (Please write TEA in the subject line.) Or phone 941-773-0186. 10 Mother’s Day Tea 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Castle Farms Charlevoix, Michigan Treat Mom to an afternoon of tea, sweet and savory treats, and pampering at this historic French Renaissance–style castle near the coast of Lake Michigan. Built in 1918 by…

Every bride dreams of adding unforgettable touches to her wedding celebration that will create memories for years to come. And what could be more memorable for both the bride and her guests than a tea blended especially for the joyous occasion? There certainly was talk of a wedding tea blend as soon as my son, Ben, and his fiancée, Megan, announced their engagement a few years ago. When the father of the groom is a tea blender, everyone expects the beverage to be an important part of the festivities. “Is Ben’s dad crafting a special blend for the event?” the bride’s friends all asked. “What teas will he use, and what will he name it?” Never mind the duties my wife and I faced as we planned a wedding and…

Peachy Blue Cheese Scones Yield: 14 scones | Preparation: 20 minutes Bake: 23 minutes 2 cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup cold salted butter, cut into pieces 1 cup diced fresh peaches ½ cup blue cheese crumbles ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold heavy whipping cream ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract Garnish: turbinado sugar 1 recipe Beehive Honey-Butter Pats (recipe follows) • Preheat oven to 350°. • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. • In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, whisking well. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add peaches and blue cheese, stirring to combine. Set aside. • In a liquid-measuring cup, combine cream…

Gluten-free Cherry–Cream Cheese Scones Yield: 21 scones | Preparation: 25 minutes Bake: 18 to 20 minutes 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour* 1/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into pieces 3 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes ½ cup dried cherries 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream, divided ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon almond extract 1 large egg • Preheat oven to 350°. • Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. • In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, whisking well. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cream cheese and dried cherries, stirring to combine. (Cream cheese should remain in cubes.) Set aside. •…