Table of contents for November - December 2013 in TeaTime

Tea parties abound during this time of year as family and friends gather to celebrate the holidays. This issue is replete with wonderful ideas for beautiful tablescapes for Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve as well as with delectable recipes (some gluten free) for afternoon tea. A quintessential component of any teatime is, of course, the teapot. Imagine my delight when I learned of an auction of English fine china that had been amassed over five generations of one family. The family was none other than the Copelands of Spode china fame. Although, unfortunately, none of the teawares from that auction found their way to my china cabinet, I have certainly enjoyed seeing these exquisite items from this collection and reading about how they came up for sale. I am…

GIFTS $40 & Under Nibble with Tea Your special someone will adore this slim box of five handcrafted chocolates, with delicious flavors like Caramel Macchiato and Passion Panna Cotta. ($13.25, normanlove confections.com or 866-515-2121) Sweet and Spicy Share your love of tea with Adagio’s Stocking Stuffers gift box of six tins, packed with samples of full-leaf black teas for the holidays. Your choice of loose tea or tea bags. ($14, adagio.com) Hang It on the Tree Delicate miniatures of Royal Albert’s New Country Roses teapot and teacups in Cheeky Pink are beautiful ornaments to enjoy year after year. ($39.99 for a set of three, royaldoulton.com or 877-900-9973) Give It a Stir These Holiday Teapot Handle Tea Spoons make even an everyday cup of tea a fun experience. Choose Holly or…

This Jewish holiday, which commemorates a miracle—a lantern that burned in the Temple in Jerusalem for eight days when there was enough oil for only one—is a wonderful opportunity to thank God for all of life’s miracles. We light candles in testament that faith makes miracles possible.-Rabbi Nachum Braverman Onion–Poppy Seed Scones Yield: 13 scones Preparation: 20 minutes Bake: 9 minutes 2 teaspoons unsalted butter 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 cup sliced sweet onion 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into pieces 3 teaspoons poppy seeds, divided 3/4 cup whole buttermilk 1 large egg, beaten 1 teaspoon water Garnish: grape halves • Preheat oven to 425°. • Line a rimmed…

TEA sommelier Celebrate the season by serving a flavored black tea, such as this festive offering from Tealuxe, along with this delightful teatime treat. Order online at tealuxe.com or by telephone at 888-TEALUXE. Gingerbread Black Tea Macadamia-Lemon Scones Yield: 20 scones Preparation: 20 minutes Bake: 15 minutes 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour* 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/8 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into pieces 1/3 cup chopped salted, roasted macadamia nuts 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole buttermilk 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 2 tablespoons whole milk Clotted cream (optional) Lemon curd (optional) Garnish: lemon curls • Preheat oven to 350°. • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. • In a…

COVER Photography by William Dickey, food styling by Janet Lambert, and photo styling by Lucy W. Herndon. Gorham Lady Anne cake stand ($29.99) and Lenox Holiday Nouveau Platinum White footed cup and saucer ($69.95) from Replacements, Ltd., 800-REPLACE, replacements.com. Silver-plated teapot ($58.95) from Tea for Two, 888-601-9990, teafortwo.com. TITLE PAGE Page 2: Berry and Thread Whitewash dinner plate ($39), scallop saucer ($19), teacup ($24), teapot ($100), and round charger ($68), and beaded napkin ring ($19), plaid napkins (discontinued), and plaid table runner (discontinued) from Juliska, 888-414- 8448, juliska.com. MASTHEAD Page 5: Spode Christmas Rose china ($269.95 for a 5-piece place setting) from Replacements, Ltd., 800-REPLACE, replacements.com. Celebrations gold metallic chargers ($14.99 for a set of 4) from Mikasa, 866-645-2721, mikasa.com. Linen hemstitch napkins ($48 for a set of 4) from Pottery…

Picnicking with TeaTime My husband and I recently went on a picnic. We packed tea, of course, and the Arugula, Lemon, and Gruyère Quiche from your July/August 2013 issue [page 25]. The quiche was absolutely delicious! My dear friend bought me a subscription to your wonderful magazine, and I enjoy reading each issue cover to cover. BONNIE COELLO Lynchburg, Virginia Kudos for Gluten-free Recipes So excited to see a focus on gluten-free recipes in TeaTime. I have two kids with celiac disease, so I’m always on the lookout for great recipes. Thanks. MELISSA RAMIREZ Via e-mail Thank you from the bottom of my heart for having a gluten-free section in your recipe box online. I am so excited to be able to eat tasty treats with tea and be gluten…

1 Silky Spice Herbal Tisane SIMPSON & VAIL A mélange of hibiscus, orange blossoms, coconut, sarsaparilla, and spices makes for a delightful caffeine-free infusion.” —Lorna Reeves, Editor 2 Raspberry Pecan Rooibos ZHI TEA The tartness of the raspberries is a perfect complement to the earthiness of the pecans in this rooibos.” —Betty Terry, Associate Editor 3 After Dinner PUKKA Fennel, chicory, and cardamom add complexity to this infusion— truly an ideal after-dinner beverage.” —Janet Lambert, Test Kitchen Professional 4 Açai Mango Tango CAPITAL TEAS This light, fruity tisane is wonderful both hot and iced, making it ideal for any occasion.” —Alexa Bode, Editorial Assistant 5 Organic Passion Plum HARNEY & SONS The sweet fruit flavors with a spicy kick of cinnamon dance beautifully together on your tongue.” —Cailyn Haynes, Art…

Amid the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, set aside a quiet evening to share a cozy teatime with the ones you love. Snuggle up on the couch with a soft throw, watch the fairy lights twinkle on the tree, and let delicious teatime treats and a well-brewed cup of tea warm you as surely as the spirit of the season warms your heart. HELPFUL Hint When rolling out scones, cut shapes close together (almost touching), and reroll the dough no more than once—too many times will make your scones tough. Cinnamon-Date Scones Yield: 14 scones Preparation: 20 minutes Bake: 14 minutes 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1⁄3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon* 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into pieces…

November 8 & 9 St. Nicholas Tea and Sleigh Boutique 11:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m. Village Improvement Association Clubhouse Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Enjoy a holiday tradition at the eighth annual St. Nicholas Tea and Sleigh Boutique, a fund-raising event for the charities of the Village Improvement Association. Shop till you drop, then enjoy a Victorian high tea. The cost is $25 per person ($15 for children ages 13 and under), and reservations are required. Call 302-227-1631 for reservations, or visit for more information. 23 A Child’s Christmas in Wales 11:00 a.m. Miss Spenser’s Special Teas New Virginia, Iowa Get in the Christmas spirit by attending this vivid retelling of Christmas memories based on the work by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Twelve-year-old Grayson Hardin debuts in the presentation. A fourcourse tea…

As more and more tea drinkers search for a satisfying alternative to lackluster decaffeinated teas, caffeine-free beverages are becoming increasingly popular. Called herbals, infusions, or the French term tisanes, these natural blends are not true “teas” because they contain no tea leaves. They do, however, have a history as old as the tea leaf itself. Soon after the tea dust settled across Boston Harbor on the night of December 16, 1773, colonial women organized a campaign to ban English tea from every household. Homemakers searched their gardens and orchards for suitable herbs and fruits to fill their beloved teapots. They called these home brews Liberty Teas, which they steeped in newly named Liberty Teapots. During the 1700s, the mint family was popular, along with bergamot, catnip, and pennyroyal. Leaves of…

Just a jaunt from St. Louis, Missouri, lies the charming town of Lebanon, Illinois. At this festive time of year, the historic downtown area glitters and glows in its Christmas finery, and tucked along one bricklined street is an amazing emporium that bears the endearing moniker Fezziwig’s Marketplace. Owners Tim Moore and Ellen Leaf-Moore met through work some years ago in Atlanta. When they decided to marry, Ellen moved to Tim’s adopted hometown of Lebanon and managed Pottery Barn’s Plaza Frontenac store in nearby St. Louis. With her retail and management expertise and Tim’s background in marketing, advertising, and sales, it’s no wonder the two harbored the dream of opening their own business one day. That day arrived in June 2007. Tim called his wife and asked, “Are you ready…

T he bus for the handicapped dropped them off at the bottom of our concrete driveway. As I watched from the window, the driver unloaded two walkers, a motorized wheelchair, and four whitehaired ladies, dressed to the max. My mother was one of them. My friends Miriam and Sharon helped the ladies to the door. As they entered my house, which was still decorated with Victorian villages from Christmas, they oohed and aahed. Joan, the porcelain-faced woman from Kentucky, pulled her motorized chair directly in front of my favorite Christmas village—electric dancers in a glass ballroom. She gazed at the ice skaters making endless figure-eight patterns on the flat, silver-colored pond. She picked up one of the townspeople and smiled. Then there was Rose, the New Yorker. She talked about…