TeaTime November - December 2015

What’s the best present you’ve ever received from another tea lover? Perhaps it was a tin of a very expensive rare tea, or maybe a pretty cup and saucer, or a gorgeous teapot. While I have certainly received such thoughtful gifts and treasure them all, it is the gift of someone’s time that I often value most highly. Time to sit and share conversation while sipping a favorite tea is truly precious to me—nothing fancy, just purposeful moments together. It also means a lot when someone spends a great deal of time creating a present. Imagine someone secretly devoting five years to making a special tea gift for a loved one. Such is the inspiring story of Steven Boshae, who transformed the milking parlor of an old dairy barn into…

The Perfect Gift for Tea Lovers A subscription to TeaTime magazine was one of the best birthday gifts I ever received. I remember buying back issues the year I received my subscription. I now enjoy gifting TeaTime to my friends. Thank you for bringing elegance and beauty into our lives. Your history of tea stories, the photos, and all the recipes are simply enchanting. JOANN IANNIELLO via teatimemagazine.com I love TeaTime magazine! When it arrives, everything stops, and I devour it from cover to cover. I love the outstanding articles and the spectacular photography, and I have given gift subscriptions to two of my friends, who also love it. My favorite column is The Complete Table, where you do regular, formal, and casual place settings with the same china. So…

November 7 & 8 Coffee & Tea Festival Philly 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Greater Philadelphia Expo Center Oaks, Pennsylvania Drink, eat, and learn at Coffee & Tea Festival Philly. Come taste some of the finest coffees and teas from around the country, and learn about new and award-winning products. TeaTime editor Lorna Reeves will be among the guest speakers. One-day tickets cost $20, and two-day passes are $30. TeaTime readers can get 50 percent off tickets with promo code TEATIME. For more information, go to coffeeandteafestival.com/philly/. 21, 28 & 29 A Little Women Christmas 11 a.m. (21 & 28) and 1 p.m. (29) Miss Spenser’s of Longview Farms English Tearoom–Bed & Breakfast New Virginia, Iowa Enjoy a festive holiday tea party with Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy, and Marmee, the…

A Perfect Cup of Tea Measure a teaspoon of loose-leaf tea with this handcrafted wooden tea scoop from Talisman Designs, and then use it as a clip to hold the tea in a T-sac. ($7.99, amazon.com) Trim the Tree Antique spoon ornaments engraved with holiday sentiments will lend your Christmas tree a tea-ish air. ($15 each, mud-pie.com or 678-397-0170) A Warming Glow Let a trio of Christmas-scented candles add sparkle and fragrance to your holiday table. (Large mercury glass candle, $28.70; medium mercury glass candle, $19; small red glass votive, $11.80; hillhousenaturals.com or 800-993-2767) Spread Some Joy Ring in the season with an elegant bowl and festive spreader for lemon curd or any other teatime spreadable. (4-inch Peony Bowl in Mojito, $25; Poinsettia Spreader, $20, juliaknightcollection.com or 800-388-1878) Some Like…

1. Winter Raspberry Champagne AN AFTERNOON TO REMEMBER FINE TEA AND GIFTS CUP & SAUCER: Royal Doulton Tartan A raspberry white tea combined with a mango black tea, this blend has a nice pop of raspberry to finish. ” —Lucy Herndon, Stylist 2. Cinnamon Plum Organic CAPITAL TEAS CUP & SAUCER: Royal Gallery Garland This fruity infusion, which benefits from a long steep, has just a touch of cinnamon, making it a delightful caffeine-free beverage.” —Leighann Bryant, Art Director 3. No. 25 Morning Light STEVEN SMITH TEAMAKER CUP & SAUCER: Christopher Radko Holiday Celebrations Celebrate the season with a savory blend of Assam and Ceylon teas and a dash of Douglas Fir—surprisingly tasty!” —Lorna Reeves, Editor 4. Caramel Crème Brûlée TEALUXE CUP & SAUCER: Sasaki Tartan Plaid Red The smooth…

December 16 marks the anniversary of one of the most iconic events in American history. On that night in 1773, 150 men tossed 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor, and a revolution began to brew. Here is a bit of trivia about the Boston Tea Party you might have missed in American History class. 1 All the tea aboard the three East India ships in Boston Harbor came from China rather than India. The British East India Company transported great amounts of Chinese teas from the port of Canton to their London warehouses. From there, the tea was shipped to the American colonies. India and Ceylon had no tea gardens during the 18th century. 2 Twenty percent of the tea tossed overboard was green tea. Hyson and singlo were…