Innehållsförteckning för September - October 2012 från TeaTime

Two years have already passed, but I remember it almost as if it were yesterday. It was my first exposure to Yixing (pronounced EE-shing) ware. After a week of crisscrossing New York state for articles for upcoming issues, photographer Sarah Swihart and I headed to New York City, where we remained quite busy with more photo shoots. Toward the end of our time there, Sarah accompanied me to see a teapot collection freelance writer-photographer Andy Yale had told me might make a nice story for TeaTime. The museum-quality compendium, he explained, numbered in the hundreds of teapots, some approximately 400 years old and dating to the Ming Dynasty. Sarah and I spent several hours with Kingston Lam that day as he eagerly shared his knowledge and passion for his teapots—some…

A Joint Effort Proceeds from the sale of this full-bodied Kenyan black tea, which is grown by small-scale farmers and packaged by women in Kisii, go to support school fees for the orphans of Western Kenya. ($9 for 16 tea bags; ajiritea.org or 610-982-5075) Spirited Blends Tea blends such as Moroccan Sunset and Peace, Love & Happy-Tea and Hey Mambo—an “Arteasan” spice rub of green tea, rosemary, and infused salt— are just a few of the products Indie Tea has to offer. Each month 5% of the proceeds are donated to a different charity, with September’s proceeds going to The Salvation Army and October’s to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. ($13.99 for teas, $12.99 for spice rub; indietea.com or 702-279-2310) Tea for Tots The Republic of Tea donates $1…

Gather fellow parishioners on October 9, National Clergy Appreciation Day, to honor and express gratitude to your ministers for the comfort and guidance they provide. This celebratory tea draws inspiration from the colors and flavors of autumn with beautiful fall florals and linens and elegant china, along with delightful tea fare. TEA sommelier Whether your group is large or small and whether you celebrate the occasion outdoors or inside, these delicious teas from Simpson & Vail will be the hit of the party. Order at svtea.com. SCONES COURSE: Poabs Organic Black Tea SAVORIES COURSE: Vietnam Organic Green Tea SWEETS COURSE: Chocolate-Caramel Black Dessert Tea HELPFUL Hint When making scones for a crowd, prepare a few batches at a time, but do not bake. Freeze the raw scones on parchment-lined baking…

Sailboats dot the marina, palm trees wave in the breeze, and the sun seems to always be shining in San Diego. With its multiple attractions, from SeaWorld to the San Diego Zoo, this destination draws many tourists, but the ample and varied tea scene it offers is a whole other reason to visit. Whether you enjoy a two-hour luxury tea service or a leisurely chat at a charming neighborhood tea shop, San Diego has something for everyone. SHAKESPEARE’S CORNER SHOPPE & AFTERNOON TEA 3719 India Street San Diego, CA 92103 619-683-BRIT • sandiegoafternoontea.com “I’ve always loved tea . . . never drunk a drop of coffee in my life. My husband’s English as well, so we keep the tea tradition alive at home,” says British-born Selina Stockley, owner of Shakespeare’s…

At the age of 46, I was newly married, teaching gifted children, working on a graduate degree. I was energetic and enthusiastic about all three. My husband and I had just returned from a wonderful three-week trip to Europe, where we visited Germany, Italy, France, and Switzerland. Nobody was more surprised than I when, shortly after, I became seriously ill. I was diagnosed with a nonmalignant brain tumor, which was removed at Duke Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. My convalescence was slow. I had no energy and was plagued with blurred vision and strange sensations in my head. After I taught another year, my doctor advised me to give it up and concentrate on getting well. We tried a number of medications, which yielded only minimal improvement. One day the…

More Tablescapes, Please I love my TeaTime magazines but would appreciate a book on tablescapes. Is there any plan to publish a book of this sort? Entertaining is extra wonderful when the table is as lovely as the tea and food offered, but many of us don’t have the talent of setting a table to suit the occasion. I would love to see a book featuring some of your lovely table settings collected into one volume. S. JOOD Our newest book, Tea Celebrations, is filled with stunning tablescapes and delightful menus for holidays and special occasions such as Mother’s Day, Christmas, and even birthdays. For more information, please refer to the ad on the facing page. The Ideal Temperature Not only do I read every page of this glorious magazine…

As summer fades into autumn, what better way to celebrate the season than with a picturesque tea party? When the weather changes outdoors, we are drawn to the tea table, where rich ambiance, good company, and cups of hot tea abound.…

Cucumber-Dill Canapés Yield: 20 canapés Preparation: 30 minutes 5 slices white sandwich bread* 20 very thin slices English cucumber ½ cup salted butter, softened 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh dill Garnish: fresh dill sprigs • Using a 1¾-inch square cutter, cut 4 squares from each bread slice. Set aside. Discard crusts. • Place cucumber on paper towels to absorb liquid. Set aside. • In a small bowl, combine butter and dill, stirring well. Transfer butter to a piping bag fitted with a very small open-star tip (Wilton #15). • Pipe a decorative border around top edges of each square. Place a cucumber slice on top of each square. Pipe a star shape in the center of each cucumber. • Garnish each with a fresh dill sprig, if desired. *For testing…

september 6 Tea at Historic Dodona Manor 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Dodona Manor Leesburg, Virginia Join The George C. Marshall International Center at Dodona Manor for tea and stories of the Marshall family. Traditional English Tea, featuring a variety of finger sandwiches, scones, and petits fours, will be served on the stone court. Marshall granddaughter Ellene Winn is the featured speaker and will share remembrances of her grandparents. Reservations with advance payment are required. The cost is $25 per person. For more information, call 703-777-1301, e-mail events@georgecmarshall.org, or visit georgecmarshall.org to obtain a reservation form. 14 & 15 Back to School Tea 1:00 p.m. Majestic Mansion Bed and Breakfast Athens, Tennessee Celebrate autumn and the back-to-school season with tea at Majestic Mansion Bed and Breakfast. This Victorianstyle event will…

I remember my first afternoon tea in London. It was at Harrods in 1979. We queued nearly 30 minutes while waiting for the velvet rope to drop, allowing access to a three-tiered buffet of sweets that would make a regiment of Horse Guards swoon. The dessert trolleys held row after row of delicious pastries, cakes, and tarts. I filled my plate more than once and consumed so many luscious sweets that a sugar rush finally bested me, and a headache set in for the evening. My body longed for anything savory to offset my bad behavior. I learned a valuable lesson that day—a well-designed afternoon-tea meal is a blend of both sweets and savories. That tenet served my wife and me well when we opened a tearoom 10 years later.…

Autumn has arrived, and with it come cooler days, crisp falling leaves, and scenery bursting with robust hues of red, yellow, and orange. Bring the beauty and serenity of the outdoors to the tea table with a stunning centerpiece inspired by fall’s color palette and a tea menu that highlights the best of autumn’s bounty. Strike a balance between formal and casual with Wedgwood Nantucket Basket china, which offers both nostalgic charm and refined elegance. Seasonal fruit makes creative, colorful place markers when printed name tags are tied to the stems with twine. Simple linens contrast beautifully with the dark tones of the wooden table, and woven chargers complete a truly memorable setting. TEA sommelier These outstanding loose-leaf teas from Capital Teas have been carefully selected to complement the flavors…

Fig and Blue Cheese Scones Yield: 24 to 26 scones Preparation: 15 minutes Bake: 15 minutes 3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour* 4½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup cold butter 1 cup chopped dried figs ½ cup blue cheese crumbles 1¾ cups cold heavy whipping cream 1 large egg 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar • Preheat oven to 400°. • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. • In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt, whisking to combine. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture is crumbly. Add figs and blue cheese, stirring to combine. Set aside. • In a small bowl, combine cream and egg, whisking well. Add to flour mixture, stirring until a dough forms. (If mixture seems…

Just as some stories are worth telling over and over, some books are worth re-reading after a while. I was reminded of this as I searched in vain for a quotation that I thought I remembered. I rambled through the chapter where the quote should have been and then went right on rambling, purpose forgotten, search abandoned, mind absorbed in a well-told tale. Who has never known the surprise of surfacing after such pleasurable immersion and realizing how long the shadows have grown and how the hours have flown? It’s like running into an old friend unexpectedly and dropping all else to enjoy one another’s company anew. Cambridge University professor Alan Macfarlane, whose book I encountered in this way, writes not like a professor but like a seasoned adventurer, which,…

COVER Photography by Sarah Swihart, food styling by Janet Lambert, and photo styling by Lucy W. Herndon. Wedgwood Persia salad plate ($35.99) and teapot ($114.95) from Replacements, 800-REPLACE, replacements.com. Glass cake stand from a private collection. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 3: Wedgwood Nantucket basket teapot ($160) and 5-piece place setting ($84.99), 877-900-9973, wedgwoodusa.com. MASTHEAD Page 6: Lenox Floral Majesty 5-piece place setting ($175), 800-223-4311, lenox.com. DEAR TEATIME Page 10: Photo from Mother’s Day Tea, Tea Celebrations (Hoffman Media, 2012); see order form on page 11. Floral arrangement by Flowerbuds, 205-970-3221, flowerbudsinc.com. Herend charger in Lime ($285), Herend Royal Garden dinner plate ($315), salad plate ($130), bread and butter plate ($80), teacup ($100), saucer ($50), covered sugar bowl ($225), creamer ($165), and teapot ($610), 800-643-7363, herendusa.com. NECESSARY THINGS Page 14: Ajiri…