TeaTime January - February 2017

Over the years, I have experienced tea in many ways and in a variety of places—from casual tea shops to elegant venues. I have also taken classes at World Tea Expo, as well as through the Specialty Tea Institute. But until late 2016, I had never traveled to one of the top tea-producing countries to see, touch, and smell the leaves as they go from bush to cup. Senior photographer John O’Hagan and I journeyed to India and Sri Lanka with representatives of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and its tea purveyor, The Metropolitan Tea Company, as they set about to revamp the luxury hotel brand’s tea offerings. (More to come on their plans in a future issue.) Our first stop was Sri Lanka, an island nation that produces 17 percent…

Perfect Bakeware Hi, TeaTime! I enjoy reading your magazine. Recently, I enjoyed cooking your Coconut Cake with White Chocolate Ganache from Volume 13, Issue 4, July/August 2016, pages 37–38. I have a question about the Neapolitan Cheesecakes recipe on page 37. What type of pan should I use? I bought a metal mini cake pan with 8 cups, but I just noticed that the Kitchen Tip at the end of the recipe says “push cheesecakes out of the pan”—this sounds like a silicone pan, not a metal pan. What type of pan is used, and can you send information about where I could buy this pan? Thank you. GAIL GRAHAM Via Facebook Gail, for the Neapolitan Cheesecakes recipe, our recipe developer, Janet Lambert, used a Chicago Metallic Mini Cheesecake Pan. Each well of this…

January 7 Sound of Music Tea Evening 6:00 p.m. Erika’s Tea Room & Gifts Clermont, Florida The “hills” of Clermont, Florida, will come alive this January as Erika’s Tea Room & Gifts presents a tea evening celebrating The Sound of Music. Enjoy a few of your “favorite things,” such a delicious five-course dinner with five teas, a sing-along, and movie trivia. Test your knowledge of this classic movie, and win prizes. Tickets for the event are $30, and reservations can be made by calling 908-670-2305 or online at erikastearoom.com. 11-14 Winter Wonderland Tea 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. The Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge Charlotte, North Carolina Relax by a crackling fire, and enjoy a cup of hot tea at The Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge’s Winter Wonderland Tea. With the smell of cloves and cinnamon in the air and the taste of delicious…

Spice It Up Thinking of changing your tea-drinking routine this year? The Prana Chai Masala Gift Box, with 250 grams of honeyed leaves, stove-top pot, mesh strainer, and latte mug, equips you to prepare a cup of this sweet and spicy tea. ($42; us.pranachai.com) A Romantic Cup Instead of roses or chocolates, why not give your sweetheart the gift of tea? This Tea of Hearts Rose Pu-erh tin is filled with heart-shaped cakes of rich pu-erhperfect for a Valentine’s Day cup. ($34.95; capitalteas.com or 888-484-8327) For the Love of Tea Give the tea drinker in your life a special gift with this Teas from the Heart Collection by Tea Forté, a sampler set of five romantic flavors. ($30 for a large heart with 12 infusers; $18 for a small heart with 5 infusers; teaforte.com or…

Organic China White Fujian Silver Needle GRACE TEA COMPANY gracetea.com • 978-635-9500 TEACUP: Royal Worcester Embassy White and Gold “Beautiful, downy leaf buds yield a delicious infusion laced with subtle hints of honeydew melon.” —Lorna Reeves, editor Sicilian Vespers White Tea GLOBAL TEA MART globalteamart.com • 844-208-2337 TEACUP: Haviland Wellesley “The light grape flavor of this white tea is so well balanced, making it a favorite of those of us who love fruity teas.” —Sarah Howard, editorial assistant Strawberry Guava Tropical White Tea SIMPSON & VAIL svtea.com • 800-282-8327 TEACUP: Wedgwood Whitehall White Rim “This pinkish tea, almost bursting with tropical fruit flavors, is so refreshing and is delicious served hot or over ice.” —Lucy Herndon, stylist Whispering Angel LADY BEDFORD’S TEA PARLOUR ladybedfords.com • 910-255-0100 TEACUP: Royal Doulton Richelieu “Bits of white chocolate give this white tea a most unexpected rich aroma and decadent taste.” —Janice Ritter, dealer…

Of the world’s three great temperance beverages—cocoa, tea, and coffee—cocoa was the first to be introduced by the Spanish to Europe in 1528. A century later, the Dutch brought tea to Europe. Finally, coffee made its European debut in 1615, thanks to Venetian traders. From the onset, only wealthy families could afford cocoa, tea, and coffee. These exotic beverages were shared exclusively with guests who might appreciate the uniqueness of the newly discovered drinks. As the 17th century ended, coffee shops appeared in cities such as London, New York, and Boston, and all three beverages were offered to their customers. I frequently design tea and chocolate classes for my customers who want to delve into the similarities of these two historic products. Rather than finding a good chocolate to nibble while drinking…