TeaTime Winter 2006

Sometimes I think we plan all year for the 30 or so days between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. After all, these holidays are highlights in the lives of our families and friends. And if you are looking for a way to celebrate the season with those dear to you, look no further. We have planned three special teas with you, and the holidays, in mind. Because we feel that sharing time and talent is a very special gift, we planned a tea we call “High Tea Revival,” with the idea that the meal could be your gift to someone special—be it spouse, best friend, daughter—someone for whom no amount of effort would be too great. We worked with the British Food Trust to select hearty foods that would be perfect for…

Q What are the duties of a guest at an afternoon tea? A Good guests sing for their supper, or tea as it may be. The ideal guest’s virtues are evident in many subtle ways. First, remove those gloves as soon as you step inside. One does not shake hands, hold a teacup, or eat while wearing gloves. Gloves have been around for more than 10,000 years, and they evolved from the desire to protect the hands from cold weather and from heavy manual labor. Yet there is nothing to indicate they were ever worn while eating or drinking. Indeed, until the seventeenth century, food was picked up with the fingers and conveyed to the mouth. Even long gloves worn with opulent ball gowns were designed to be unbuttoned and folded back to…

Seasonan Serenity It often seems that the happiest time of year is also one of the most taxing. The last-minute frenzy of shopping, the shuffle of parties, and the to-do lists that never seem done can begin to overwhelm, robbing the season of the very joy it is intended to inspire. Why not infuse the holidays with serenity instead, and celebrate the season over a cup of tea? Pausing for such reflection is the very essence of tea time, and in Christmas there is much to consider. As author Norman Vincent Peale once put it, “Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” And through this hazy view what comes sharply into focus are the things, and more importantly, the people that matter.…

Pretty Presentation Also known as the “Tuscan trifle,” tiramisu—a combination of ladyfingers, espresso, eggs, sugar, cream, liqueur, and rich mascarpone cheese—is a top pick among dessert devotees. Though difficult to improve upon the Italian treat, when presented in a teacup, tiramisu is as charming as it is delicious. Gather Ye Roses This season as you prepare Christmas cards and notes of thanks to dear friends and new acquaintances, inspire yourself anew with a beautiful faux topiary of roses in your prettiest teacup—an enchanting accessory for your writing desk. Holiday Glow A cluster of glowing candles invites the same sort of quiet, dreamy reflection as a luminous Christmas tree in a darkened room. What a wonderful way to mark the most festive season of the year! Just Desserts What a delicious indulgence to have your cake and eat…

But it’s not such cachet that captures Carol’s imagination. Rather, it is the feelings and memories those treasured and beautiful heirlooms evoke that make them worthy of her table. The hand-crafted tablecloth was purchased during a happy sojourn to Hong Kong, while the monogrammed napkins at each place setting were hand-crafted by nuns living in a French monastery. Carol loves the delicate linens because they are beautiful, yes, but also because they remind her of exploring the Left Bank of Paris with her daughter during an especially memorable trip. The teacups and other dinnerware are poignant remembrances of her late motherin- law (who hand-painted china) while the cobalt blue chargers are souvenirs of a long-ago family vacation to Virginia. The centerpiece, which varies by the season and occasion, is invariably an array…