Table of contents for March - April 2011 in TeaTime

Sampling teas is, without a doubt, one of the best parts of my job. It’s fun to try a tea or a blend I’ve never had before and to learn how to brew it correctly. Another highlight of my job is visiting tearooms. I’m especially intrigued by the places that have high concentrations of them, like Florida’s Tampa Bay region. It seems odd to me that such a warm—some might even say hot—area would be so blessed with an abundance of tearooms. I asked Ellen Garrett of Camellia Rose Tea Room in Plant City about this, and she attributed the profusion to the fact that people in her area have finally discovered the passion they have for afternoon tea. “It’s rare to go to a place today where you can…

Bring a little green into your home for a fun and festive tea party in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Choose a shamrockadorned teapot, teacups, and plates to serve guests a hot cup of tea alongside treats like Herb and Potato Tartlets and Peppermint- Filled Shortbread Shamrocks. Soda Bread, a traditional Irish dish, is perfect paired with our creamy Blue Cheese Spread. And our Lemon-Thyme Curd Cake is delicious. Showcase the colors of Ireland’s flag—green, orange, and white—in accompanying linens and plates, and add festive touches of clover leaves for garnish. soda bread with blue cheese spread Yield: 1 loaf Preparation: 20 minutes Bake: 60 to 70 minutes 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups whole-wheat flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon coarse salt ¼ cup…

Bundles of joy are always reasons to celebrate. Hosting a baby shower for a close friend is an honor and will become a cherished memory for both of you. Make it special for the mother-to-be by personalizing the shower to her tastes. Create gorgeous invitations in her nursery colors, give monogrammed gifts, or serve her favorite foods. Draw inspiration from our repertoire of recipes, including beautiful Mango Sorbet in Phyllo Cups and delightful Honey Scones. A baby shower tea is an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon with your friends, enthusiastically anticipating the patter of little feet. honey scones Yield: approximately 18 scones Preparation: 10 minutes Bake: 15 minutes Cool: 5 minutes 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, diced ¼…

march 9 St. Patrick’s Day Tea 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Kelton House Museum & Garden Columbus, Ohio Celebrate this Irish holiday at The Kelton House Museum & Garden’s St. Patrick’s Day Tea. The menu includes a mix of savories, scones, and sweets, along with piping hot Earl Grey tea. This reservation-only event accommodates 48 guests, with tables of eight, and also features a short program based on the Kelton House collection, self-guided tours of the museum, and a visit to the museum shop. $17 per person. Call 614-464-2022, extension 103, or e-mail keltonhouse@cs.com. Visit the Web site, keltonhouse.com, to learn more. 19 & 20 Sixth Annual Celtic Tea 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day Tea Cozy Cottage Mariemont, Ohio This Celtic-themed high tea includes a four-course meal…

Springtime means blossoming flowers, blue skies, and birds chirping as they build their nests. Capture the essence of this beautiful season with an afternoon tea showcasing our finefeathered friends. Serve teatime treats on delicate china graced wiThelegant renderings of birds on branches, set an outside table amid the trees with birdsong as background music, or create a fanciful children’s party complete with colorful birdhouses as take-home gifts. Take time to revel in the warmer temperatures and the delightful offerings of spring. classically elegant An ornate birdcage filled with flowers sets the tone for this enchanting table. Ask your florist to re-create this look, or make it yourself using flowers and branches from your yard to fill a birdcage of your choice. For chic style, place intricately designed fine china on…

Large, green fields line either side of the country road that runs near the small town of Seagrove, North Carolina. Dubbed “Pottery Highway,” this winding route takes visitors past farms and hills, houses and artists’ galleries, few restaurants or grocery stores, but plenty of history. Bountiful natural-clay deposits were the catalyst for Seagrove’s now time-honored pottery tradition, according to the Seagrove Area Potters Association. Native Americans were the first to make use of this natural resource; now the area is home to approximately 100 potters, each with a distinct aesthetic. Some families in this tight-knit community have been in Seagrove for generations, passing on the delicate art of pottery to their children and their children’s children. Others have moved here intentionally, seeking an inspirational and welcoming enclave where their work…

Tea lovers have a voracious appetite for gathering more and more information about their favorite beverage. They love all the little stories and anecdotes about tea culture and commerce. But where does one turn to find the correct spelling of a certain Chinese tea, the location of a favorite tea garden, the definition of a tea grade like Orange Pekoe, or the origin of a term such as Second Flush? When it comes to describing your tea, would you rather sip a brassy tea or a tea that’s long in the mouth? Are you aware that high-grown Nilgiri teas are forgiving while Darjeeling teas are not? Did you know that the world’s largest collection of porcelain Veilleuse-Th éières is located in Trenton, Tennessee? And how did it come to pass…

White Wedding Hand-carved and hand-finished, this attractive Antique White Tray can display everything from a tea set to plates and more. ($24.95; pier1.com or 800-245-4595) Sassy Skewers Excellent for fruit, cheese, or appetizers, Pick & Dip Entertaining Kit by Talisman Designs provides a twist on the everyday skewer. ($19.99; amazon.com) Bridal Blooms Set a pink and green table with beautifully flowered plates, napkins, and place cards by Caspari. (Ivory Chloë luncheon napkins, $6 for 20; Ivory Chloë salad/ dessert plates, $4.50 for 8; Chloë place cards, $4.50 for 8; casparionline.com or 434-817-7880). Cool Cutlery Reflections heavyweight plastic flatware belies the untrained eye. Ideal for gatherings, this silverware lookalike is disposable but still refined. ($20 for 160 pieces; amazon.com) Pretty Polka Dots Unique yet functional, a polka-dotted stackable tea tower by…

Serving tea at the proper temperature— and maintaining that temperature—has long been a matter of timing. Efforts to do so often prove clumsy or inadequate. Relying on the stove top results in interruption, taking you away from guests temporarily. Tea cozies mask the teapot from the rest of the service and can retain heat for only a short period of time. The tea warmer (also known as a warming stand) can be a problem solver, and it can do its job without interfering with a table’s décor. Highly practical, the simplistic tea warmer fuses art and warmth. Most warming stands accommodate a miniature tea light, a small circular candle encased in a metal bowl, which safely collects the melting wax. Depending on the design, the tea light is incorporated either…

Sunny spring afternoons are ideal for taking time to savor a cup of tea and a bite of a savory zucchini scone. Combined with Parmesan cheese and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper, the resulting treat is both light and flavorful. Those with sensitivity to gluten, a protein often found in wheat, rye, or barley, will be delighted that this recipe is also entirely glutenfree. As more and more people learn of their gluten intolerance, which prevents them from enjoying such toothsome teatime staples as scones, cakes, cookies, or bread, the demand for gluten-free recipes and products is on the rise. Replicate this delicious scone at home for those who normally cannot partake of typical tea fare, or discover a new favorite of your own this spring. gluten-free zucchini parmesan…

As I pour the tea into my cup on our birthday, I feel as though my heart is pouring out its pain. Then as I begin to stir the sugar, my mind is stirred with thoughts of sweeter times and birthdays filled with tea parties we have shared. This year I will drink my tea without her. I was born on my mother’s 26th birthday. Since I can remember, we have always spent that wonderful March day together. It was so special to have that common bond. My mom was more than just a mother to me; she truly was my best friend. Once I became an adult, college and careers kept us separated by miles, but we never let distance keep us apart. Our telephone conversations probably would have…