Innehållsförteckning för November - December 2008 från TeaTime

As the year draws to a close, I’ve been thinking this is an especially wonderful season because we have two occasions for celebrating family and friends. I have a reminder on my November calendar to start preparing early for Thanksgiving and Christmas so that when the holidays arrive, I will be ready with food, decorations, and gifts. With proper planning, I’ll have a lovely meal ready for Thanksgiving; I will mail the Christmas cards for timely delivery; and by December 23, I’ll be ready to await the return of my loved ones from across the country for a joyous Yuletide reunion. TeaTime’s Boxing Day Tea plans and menu, found on page 42, will provide the focus for a gathering on December 26. After enjoying a personal celebration of the holidays,…

Q I have inherited my grandmother’s beautiful three-tier tea tray. I have such fond memories of teas at her home when I was a child and would like to share this experience with my own grandchildren when they visit during the holidays. Is there a proper way to place food on a three-tier tray? A This is a kind and loving way to share treasured memories, as well as create a family tradition with a new generation. There is indeed protocol for using a three-tier tray. The lower level holds the first foods to be eaten, the finger sandwiches and savories. The middle level holds the scones and breads. The top level holds desserts and sweets, the foods eaten last. Q What sort of tea service should I use when…

Q: Your new book revives and preserves many beloved recipes from landmark eateries and noted chefs. How did you decide what to include and what to omit? A: My most important criteria in the selection process was that each dessert actually be worth “finding” and bringing back. Many recipes are lost for good reason. Each dish had to taste fabulous (or be tweaked to taste fabulous) for today's eater. In addition, the publisher wanted narrative. No recipe could be included that did not have a real story to go with it. This eliminated a huge number of delicious dishes and made my job a bit easier. There was also the space constraint—no more than seventy-five recipes, and those had to be more or less equally balanced among the various types…

RECIPES FROM CHÂTEAU VAUX-LE-VICOMTE COVER IMAGE, THOMAS DHELLEMMES, DECADENT DESSERTS The doyenne of the French château that inspired Versailles shares an insider’s view of the estate’s history, her personal anecdotes of life there, and a wealth of timehonored recipes. Shrouded in intrigue and romance since construction was completed more than four centuries ago, the Château Vaux-le- Vicomte remains one of France’s most revered historic treasures. Built in 1661 by Nicholas Fouquet superintendent of finances to King Louis XIV, the palatial estate located southeast of Paris set the standard for opulence in its day. Its architect, painter, and landscape artist— who would all later collaborate on the creation of Versailles—constructed a masterpiece that is still stunning in style and scale. The château fell with the family’s fortunes and went through a…

The holiday season is a time for giving, and what a joy it is to exchange gifts with loved ones. But we can perhaps find even greater pleasure in sharing with those who are less fortunate. For many members of the Commonwealth of Nations (Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom among them), a day in the week following Christmas is dedicated to just that. Boxing Day, which has its roots in medieval times, is a public holiday devoted to the tradition of giving gifts to community members in need. Boxing Day is also a time for celebration and is usually observed as a continuation of Christmas Day. We’ve created a day-after-Christmas tea to honor this soul-satisfying holiday. Carry on the Boxing Day spirit by encouraging guests to bring a gift…

Cover Wallace sterling-silver snowflake ornament; Lenox “Federal Platinum” China and Teapot, available at Replacements, Ltd. Tea and Etiquette Page 10: For more information, visit www.teaandetiquette.org. Lindsay’s List Page 12: Red Sprays cotton piqué robe, $158, available at Bed Head Pajamas. Lavender-scented European jacquard sachets, $26.80 each, available at Corona Décor. Holiday invitations, calling cards, and notepads, available at Whitney English. Havelka Blended Botanicals Potpourri, from $46, available at Havelka. AB Designs 4x4 Juliet frame, 4x6 Kelly frame, 5x7 Danielle frame, from $45, available at AB Designs. Page 13: Tea-Over-Ice brewing pitcher, $39, available at Tea Forte. Silk amaryllis bulb arrangement, $191.80, designed by Immortalis Botanicals, available at Upside Living. Le Jacquard Français Sucre Salé Tea Towel in Vermilion, $22 each, available at Stephen Frank. Palace Orchard flatware, $60 (5-piece place…

for the home Giving gifts to loved ones embodies the true spirit of the holiday season, and finding something special often requires much thought. Let our list of favorites be your guide to choosing just the right token to show your love this Christmas. for the table for the hostess…

All too oft en, we hear something plain described as “vanilla,” but there’s a reason that its pure, aromatic flavor is considered the most popular in the world. The spice, carefully cultivated and harvested for thousands of years in tropical climes, packs a rich, warm flavor that enhances almost any ingredient. Though vanilla is usually associated with desserts, the complex essence that comes from the spindly beans and fragrant extract is bold enough to stand on its own in many different applications, including savory foods. Grown on a vine that produces beautiful, milky white orchids, the vanilla bean is the second-most expensive spice in the world behind saffron. Split and scraped or steeped in a warm liquid, the beans themselves offer the truest flavor, while the miniscule seeds lend the…

The literary world was introduced to one of its great lights on December 16, 1775. Though, in an irony Jane Austen no doubt would have appreciated, that fact would remain unacknowledged universally for at least a century after her death. Of her personal life we know little, save what historians have gleaned from personal letters and first-person accounts from loved ones. Of Miss Austen’s unparalleled wit and clever sensibility, however, we know a great deal. The authoress, who famously vowed to “let other pens dwell on guilt and misery,” began writing plays for her family’s amusement as a child and had progressed to novels by age 14. Tea played an important role in Jane Austen’s daily life, and it is frequently and affectionately mentioned in her manuscripts. And so we…

It’s hard not to feel the holiday spirit as Bing Crosby croons that he’s dreaming of a white Christmas. Even if you don’t live where snowflakes fall, cool, tranquil white at Christmastime is something we can all enjoy. A tea table set with ivory china is calming and serene, and offers a beautiful respite from the jolly bright reds and greens. We often get caught up in the hurry of shopping, entertaining, and party going, but it’s blissful to steal away for a moment and reflect on the values of the season. Gather a few of your closest friends for an afternoon to share memories, catch up, and just enjoy the company of one another. In a setting of snowy white and glistening silver, take time to slow your pace,…