TeaTime January - February 2009

Some of my favorite letters are those that communicate how party ideas and recipes found in TeaTime magazine have been used by readers hosting special teas to celebrate a life event: a birthday, an engagement, a bridal tea, or Mother’s Day. Other letters tell of a more intimate sharing of steaming cups of tea between dear friends. I speak for the TeaTime staff when I express the pleasure these missives bring. We think other readers would like to read about some of these tea parties, so we are introducing a new feature titled The Tea Diaries. This journal-style article will allow readers to share their tea experiences. We invite you to tell us about your favorite party at home or a special event you have celebrated in a tearoom. Watercolor artwork…

As we brave the frostiness of February, the most satisfying place to find warmth is in expressions of our love. From a sweetly crafted note to your sweetheart to a thoughtful gift of freshly baked scones, there’s nothing cozier than sharing affection. 1. The garlands on these letterpressed cards from Austin Press are based on an antique French embroidery pattern. Soft, smooth, 100 percent cotton paper feels and looks luxurious, and the crisply pressed initial and design are beautifully nostalgic. 2. An impressive-looking confection needn’t take all afternoon to perfect. A silicone pan from Zanda Panda produces a cake that looks like the view inside a kaleidoscope—and each slice is shaped like a heart. 3. Everyday office products are so much more fun to use when they’re made with trendy prints. File folders…

Q At a recent bridal tea, I enjoyed a nice cup of Darjeeling with a slice of lemon. When I returned to the pourer for an additional cup of tea, I wasn’t sure whether to reuse the first slice of lemon or ask for a fresh slice. When I have a second cup of tea, what is the etiquette for using lemon slices? A Many people enjoy the delicate taste and aroma that a thin slice of lemon adds to teas such as a black Darjeeling or a green Japanese sencha. If you desire an additional cup of tea, the server should remove the slice of lemon from your cup and then pour your tea or give you a fresh cup. You or the server may add a fresh lemon slice. The…

January 11 MOTHER AND DAUGHTER TEA 2:00 p.m. Telluride Historical Museum Telluride, Colorado Celebrate the most cherished of all connections with a tea event just for mothers and daughters. Savor a formal tea with sweets, savories, and scones, and relish in sharing a quintessential tradition with the women you love. For more information, call 970-728-3344, or visit www.telluridemuseum.org. 25 BUNKO TEA 3:00–5:00 p.m. Mrs. Tea’s Garden Tearoom Lutz, Florida Enjoy an afternoon of tea, food, friendly competition, and lots of laughs with Mrs. Tea’s Bunko Tea. The event begins with a buffet-style Afternoon Tea—and then the game begins. In Bunko, a very simple dice game, players change partners each round, allowing guests to socialize and meet everyone in attendance. For more information, call 813-948-6200. 10 AN AMERICAN GIRL TEA PARTY 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. White Gloves Tea Room Fort Smith, Arkansas Young ladies ages 4 through…

There was a time when milk glass was considered the poor man’s porcelain. In fact, the ever-durable opaque glassware was once marketed specifically as a less-expensive alternative to delicate porcelain, but thanks to a legion of loving collectors and dedicated manufacturers, its secondhand status is no more. Dean Six, author and director of the West Virginia Museum of American Glass, says the rise in supply and demand of milk glass can be traced to the mid-nineteenth century. At that time, French glassmakers and American manufacturers such as Atterbury Glass Company and Fenton began producing it in volume. Decorative but functional figurals were among the first milk-glass items to become “wildly popular” with the Victorians, according to Dean. Especially appealing were covered candy dishes made in novelty shapes such as hens, foxes, and…

Striking in appearance and rich in flavor, red velvet cake is a sentimental dessert. Its beginnings aren’t perfectly clear, though many believe the recipe was developed in the American South. The original produced a confection with only a slight red tint—a result of the chemical reaction of mixing buttermilk with cocoa powder. When darker, richer cocoa powder was introduced years later, the color was less pronounced, so cooks started adding red food coloring to keep the cake as vibrant as possible. In fact, during the food rations of World War II, beets were used to give the cake its ruby hue. Moist and decadent, with just a whisper of cocoa, red velvet cake is traditionally paired with thick cream cheese frosting. Instead, our delicious new take is drizzled with delicate white-teainfused…