Innehållsförteckning för July - August 2006 från TeaTime

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…

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…

Driving one day from her home in Washington, DC to visit family in western Virginia, author Kelly Moran decided to stray from her normal route of highways and main roads and instead took the more scenic winding byways to her destination. Her usual two-hour tour took a bit longer as Kelly, her husband, and her son wound their way through charming little towns until they came to Hamilton, just outside of Leesburg. There she found an absolute plethora of antique shops. In a moment reminiscent of young Natalie Wood in the original Miracle on 34th Street, Kelly cried out “Stop the car! Stop the car!” The reason for Kelly’s enthusiastic outburst was a tiny yellow antique shop tucked among the others. She felt inexplicably drawn in. With her husband and…

HAZELNUT SCONES Makes 16 scones 2½ cups all-purpose flour ⅓ cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup butter, softened ¼ cup finely grated bittersweet chocolate ¾ cup toasted chopped hazelnuts ¾ cup heavy whipping cream 1 large egg 1 egg white, lightly beaten Clear sanding sugar 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease baking sheet. 2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 3. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in chocolate and hazelnuts. 4. In small bowl, combine cream and egg. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. 5. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 8-inch circle on baking sheet. Cut each circle into 8 wedges, keeping circle intact. Brush with lightly beaten egg…

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,…

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…

“Sweet flowers alone can say what passion fears revealing.”—Thomas Hood And so it has been for as long as human history has been recorded. Flowers have always bewitched the senses and served as potent symbols of the human experience, from sorrow to passion. Famed eighteenth-century society matron Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was among the first Europeans to speak the “hidden language” of flowers. While stationed in Constantinople in 1718 with her husband, a British ambassador, Lady Montagu introduced her English contemporaries to the Turkish concept of using flowers to convey meaning and sentiment. Historians say this form of communication, known as a Persian “selam,” served as a kind of code among women in the Ottoman court, who used floral bouquets to artfully and publicly express feelings of love and affection…

It seems only natural to combine the genteel game of bridge with the gentle art of afternoon tea. The game, like the ritual, is time-tested, requires skill and finesse, and invites camaraderie. Though the name of the creator remains a mystery, as does the inception of the card suits in the deck, it is generally accepted that bridge is based an early card game known as “whist.” Somehow, over time, the game came to be known as “bridge,” and has grown especially popular with women, who have fallen in love with the pace and mastery of the game, as well as the companionship it offers. From our grandmother’s generation to our mother’s, to our own, we have celebrated this pastime by forming bridge clubs for fun and fellowship. What better…

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…

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…

Words of Love What would a romantic tea for two be without words of love? These classic poems are our favorite picks for just such an occasion. Camomile Tea, Katherine Mansfield Sonnet 116, Shakespeare I Love Thee, Eliza Acton Sonnets From the Portuguese XIV, Elizabeth Barrett Browning Life in a Love, Robert Browning First Love, John Clare i carry your heart with me, e.e. cummings To My Dear and Loving Husband, Anne Bradstreet A Book of Verse, Omar Khayyam Did You Never Know, Sara Teasdale The Chefs Chef and Culinard faculty member Mike Buttles (right) is assisted by student Christopher Jones (left) in the production of our tea menu. Christopher, a senior at Culinard, is a member of Culinard’s special functions team, which orchestrates catering charitable events in the community. It is…

Necessary Things Page 10: Silver sugar shell, available at Martha Lauren Antique Linens and Lace. Chintz china, available at Beverly Ruff Antiques. Silver tea scoops, antique bread warmer, vintage tea tins, available at Tricia’s Treasures. Cut glass teacups and saucers, available at Hasbahce. Tea Wares: Silver Strainers Page 12: Sterling silver 1920s Tiffany and Co. strainer and antique “Fleur de Lis” strainer, available at AMW Incorporated. Silver tea strainers, available at Argent, A Silver Company. Enchanting Details Page 13: “Nantucket Basket” by Wedgwood, available at Macy’s. Shelley Chintz Pages 14-17: Shelley Chintz Unlocking the Secrets of the Pattern Books, available through Thaxted Cottage Publishers. A Passion for Flowers Pages 18-21: Floral arrangements courtesy Vince Gray, Homewood Florist. A Feast for the Eyes Pages 23-25: Domed pedestals, available at Pottery Barn. China,…