TeaTime July - August 2006

The very mention of the word “summer” has me thinking of a slow-paced, relaxed month or two, with time for entertaining friends, making vacation plans, and enjoying being outdoors. Summer is the perfect time to move the tea experience out onto the patio, the porch, or the veranda. Treat yourself and those who join you to up-close views of the greening trees and seasonal flowers, while the music of songbirds provides the entertainment. Summer is also the perfect time to scout antique shops, tag sales, and flea markets for orphaned teacups and various teawares to start a collection or add to the assortment in your china cabinet. And after you read the informative article on Shelley chintz china in this issue, I predict you’ll have a new mission when you go…

Q How can I encourage guests to RSVP? A Today, so many people do not know that RSVP means respondez sil vous plâit—or—”please respond.” Instead of using RSVP, I encourage you to use “Please respond by (Day), (Month), (Date).“ If your guests have not responded by the date you specify, call them the following day. Q What can I do if guests respond that they can’t attend my dinner, but show up at the last minute without calling? A Be as gracious as possible and always have extra place settings, food, and beverages on hand to accommodate such circumstance. You may want to rethink your guest list in the future. Q Is it appropriate for a guest to alert the dinner party host or hostess of a particular eating restriction, such as a vegetarian…

While it’s easy to overlook the diminutive tea sandwich, it would be unwise to underestimate its importance to the menu. From its humble beginnings as slices of butter-embellished bread served to teatime’s first fans more than a century ago, the tea sandwich has evolved into numerous, truly masterful combinations. Our contribution makes the most of summer’s profusion of flavors, combining rich apricot Stilton cheese with thin slices of Anjou pear and a gloss of hand-mixed pear butter. As an interesting twist, we coated the bread’s edges with the buttery spread, providing an eye-catching and flavor-enhancing “adhesive” for ground pistachio nuts. What’s more, this tea sandwich is easy to prepare, leaving you extra time to enjoy summer’s all-too-brief seasonal stay. Though sweets may tempt, teatime simply wouldn’t be the ritualwe know and…

Echoes of the Past Antique teawares are a wonderful connection to elegant days gone by and they blend beautifully with today’s accessories. These charming selections are enchanting reminders of the gifted artisans and the exquisite tea treasures that came before us. 1. A sterling silver sugar shell is a simple but necessary teaware. This gracefully curved example features a beaded and floral design and monogramming. Martha Lauren Antiques, 205-871-2283. 2. Cheerful chintz immediately lifts our spirits. This delightful floral sugar and creamer and matching place setting will brighten any teatime table. Beverly Ruff Antiques, 205-262-9434. 3. These lovely and functional antique silver tea scoops depict old-fashioned scenes with swirled and curled embellishments. Tricia’s Treasures, 205-871-9779. 4. For a one-of-a-kind collectible, this antique pierced silver bread warmer is as pretty as it is useful. Tricia’s Treasures, 205-871-9779. 5. For a truly…

The origins of the tea strainer can be traced to the sixteenth century when tea was first introduced to Europe from China. Europeans replicated the Chinese method of dropping tea leaves into a pot and then pouring off the resulting brew, taking care to avoid the transfer of spent leaves to the cup. To improve the efficiency, perforated strainer spoons that appeared in the seventeenth century not only skimmed debris from the tea, but also featured a pointed end for clearing teapot spouts as well. By the late-eighteenth century, it occurred to tea enthusiasts that this very useful teaware could be fashioned in lustrous sterling to perfectly complement their silver tea services. Imitating in miniature the design of larger wine and punch strainers, tea strainers were fashioned with one or two…

Setting Sail It has been said that every cup of tea “represents an imaginary voyage.” And truth be told, the “voyage” is not so imaginary. From its birth on the bush to its fulfillment in the cup, tea provides a bridge between the exotic and the familiar, and each leaf passes through many hands and across many lands before reaching your table. Consider the nimble fingers that plucked the tea and prepared it for your pleasure. Consider the distant shores from whence it came and daydream, if you dare, of following suit, of simply setting sail with no destination in mind other than “beyond the horizon.” And though life may anchor us to mundane tasks, to everyday obligations, and to the responsibilities that keep us tethered, there is always our favorite…