TeaTime May/June 2021

come for tea Those of us who truly love tea as a beverage would find it difficult to even imagine a day going by in which we would not partake of the wonderful elixir. And when a happy occasion such as a wedding, a baby shower, or Mother’s Day comes along, afternoon tea seems like the perfect means by which to celebrate. As you peruse this early summertime issue, you’ll find beautiful table settings, tasty recipes, and expert tea pairings to inspire you to host a teatime for a bride-to-be (page 25) or to honor the motherlike figures in your life (page 49). You’ll also find clever ways of revealing through tea fare the gender of a soon-to-be-born child in our charming afternoon tea that begins on page 35. If you’ve always…

An Irish TeaTime “Thank you for the Irish issue. I love Ireland and was thrilled to see an entire issue focused on that beautiful island. The Irish people are so kind, and they love their tea!” DORIE RAYBUCK via website “How exciting it was when the first-ever Irish issue arrived in my mailbox. I was elated to see Ashford Castle featured. It has been on my bucket list for years. Last year, I was able to visit Ireland and stay at Ashford Castle. It is a magical place! Your article brought back fond memories of having afternoon tea and the castle. Thank you!” FRANCES LAMPARTER via email “I was so excited to see the Irish issue of TeaTime. ‘The Tea Experience on The Emerald Isle’ was a lesson in history. The photos in the magazine are breathtaking.…

May 1 Derby Hat Day Tea Party 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. Jane’s Tea House Haddon Heights, New Jersey Don your finest and frilliest hat to honor the 147th Kentucky Derby. While the race is usually commemorated by toasting with mint juleps, a toast with freshly brewed tea is a wonderful alternative. This themed tea party will include a pot of hot tea, assorted tea sandwiches, a scone, and a collection of delicious desserts. To reserve your spot for this event or to learn more, call 856-508-0080 or visit janesteahouse.com. 8 Children’s Mother’s Day Tea 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. Ocean House Watch Hill, Rhode Island The young and young at heart are invited to partake in a whimsical tea party complete with tea cakes, snacks, and assorted sweets. Moms, grandmas, aunts, and all women of honor will enjoy the interactive…

Floral Flair Pretty teapot favor boxes will delight guests when filled with favorite teas, assorted candies, and dainty treasures. ($22.80 for set of 24, kateaspen.com or 833-415-1219) Serene Scents English Fog soap, made with ground Earl Grey tea leaves, is fragrant with notes of bergamot, clove, and ylang-ylang flowers. ($8, shopwillowandbirch.com or 607-538-3014) Novel Idea Keep track of your page-turning progress with this charming and customizable Tea Party Bookmark. ($20.50 for set of 10, etsy.com/shop/OnTheWingsPaperie) Stylish Accoutrement With its gently curved handle, this beautiful stainless-steel tea scoop is useful not only for measuring loose-leaf tea, but also for holding steeped tea bags. ($7.95, harney.com or 888-427-6398) Golden Teatime Steep teas effortlessly with this beautiful, leaf-adorned infuser, perfectly designed to brew a single cup. ($9, davidstea.com or 855-702-3006) Best Wishes Send kind greetings to loved ones with these artful notecards by Laura…

Dragonfruit Rooibos SIMPSON & VAIL svtea.com TEACUP: Hammersley Ham37 “Pieces of apple and mango blended with hibiscus and orange blossoms give this ruby-hued caffeine-free infusion a fruit-forward taste with a sweet finish.” —Courtni Bodiford, stylist Organic Berry Blend MARK T. WENDELL TEA COMPANY marktwendell.com TEACUP: Roslyn Sweet Romance “The long finish of this smooth black tea is loaded with the marvelous taste of raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.” —Lorna Reeves, editor Blueberry Black Tea OLIVER PLUFF & COMPANY oliverpluff.com TEACUP: Hammersley Howard Sprays “This refreshing black tea blend, flavored by the eponymous fruit, is a delightful beverage to enjoy iced during hot summer days.” —Katherine Ellis, editorial assistant Organic Texas Gold Rush TRUE LEAF TEA trueleaftea.com TEACUP: Lynmore Romance “Sprinkled with safflower, cornflower, and marigold, the leaves of this mild black tea produce a perfect balance of fruity and floral notes.” —Britt Crawford, associate editor Long Island…

As an increasing number of tea drinkers keep a comforting cup of tea within reach throughout the day, a common question has arisen: How do I keep my tea hot? I admit that I don’t have that problem, because my tea disappears so quickly that it doesn’t have time to cool before I fill the cup again. But many consumers might be considering the purchase of an electric cup or mug warmer. There are numerous choices on the market, with some high-end cordless models priced as high as $125. I decided to conduct an experiment to judge the optimum temperature for enjoying the tea in my cup. I steeped three teas—Keemun black, Sencha green, and blueberry fruit infusion—for 5 minutes, poured the hot tea into an 8-ounce mug, and took a…