Innehållsförteckning för Tea Pleasures 2016 från Victoria

Welcome to our sourcebook for entertaining with tea. Within these pages, you will find useful tips, an array of recipes for parties, and a selection of interesting places that feature lovely tearooms. We believe serenity can be found in enjoying a solitary cup of tea in the quiet comfort of your favorite chair, but we also know the pleasure sharing this flavorful beverage brings. No matter the number or the setting, you are sure to find it restorative. And accompanied with tempting, bite-size savories, sweets, and scones, tea achieves perfection. Serving tea can be as simple or as complex as you wish. For simplicity, a teapot for brewing and a thin porcelain cup for serving are really all one needs. Tea experts insist that the brewing of the beverage be…

GETTING STARTED The first step in planning a tea party is the simplest: putting pen to paper. If you have not yet developed the practice of keeping a journal, now is the time to start. Part diary and part daybook, the ledger will be a valuable tool in planning not only today’s tea party but tomorrow’s as well. In its pages, you can record party themes, personal narratives about potential guests to help in coordinating final guest lists, and a host of other pertinent details. Compile a series of lists to cover the event’s theme and décor concepts, kitchen responsibilities, and sample menus. Once all the possibilities before you are written, consider them carefully until your party begins to take shape. You will have a clear picture of what is…

Blueberry Tea Bread Makes 3 small loaves 1 cup confectioners’ sugar ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 3 large eggs 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon coarse salt ¼ cup whole milk ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 cup fresh blueberries Lemon-Cream Spread (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 3 (5¾x 3¼-inch) mini loaf pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. 2. In a large bowl, combine sugar and butter. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well. 4. In a small bowl, combine milk and…

“SUMMER AFTERNOON— SUMMER AFTERNOON; TO ME THOSE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE TWO MOST BEAUTIFUL WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.” —Henry James Beet-and-Olive Canapés Makes 24 ¾ cup semolina flour ¾ cup whole-wheat flour 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest 1 teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt ½ cup warm water (105° to 120°) 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 medium red beet, finely grated and squeezed dry 12 ounces pitted mixed olives, finely chopped 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment, combine semolina flour, whole-wheat flour, parsley, lemon zest, pepper, and salt. Add water and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Beat at medium speed until dough comes together, about 6 minutes. (Dough should be just a…

Taking tea at The Carolina Inn, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is a bit like visiting your favorite aunt. Not the matronly variety, mind you, but rather the mysteriously glamorous tante who dotes on you—the kind who leaves a lasting impression. And although your aunt may not be there to welcome you, the attentive staff will cater to your every whim. The Inn, listed as a historic hotel with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is the epitome of elegance in a city graced with other century-old plantation-style homes. Tea hostesses attend guests with care and courtesy, while Executive Chef James Clark and his kitchen associates preside over food preparation. The staff takes pride in presenting a memorable Afternoon Tea, from the freshly baked scones to what may well be…

Aptly named, the Royal Tea served at Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans is no mere serving of beverage and biscuits. It is, by design, a bit of a sanctuary for the soul. Located on the lobby level of the Windsor, Le Salon has a single entrance, offering at once a feeling of openness and intimacy. Decorated in restful but warm colors and floral accents, the room is filled with ornate period-reproduction pieces from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Round-top tables that seat six or more sit comfortably side by side with tea tables ideal for smaller groups. Guests have their choice of upholstered wingback chairs or plump settees, as well as baccarat tables at teatime. An impressively trained staff begins preparing hours in advance each day for the English-style…

Through the window of my Kentucky home, I watched in quiet wonder as snow drifted softly to the ground. With my Valentine tea only a week away, the days ahead promised a flurry of activity. A litany of chores filled my mind. Cleaning house topped the list, but I also needed to polish silver, iron table linens, and pull china from the cupboards. With so much to do, I welcomed the sense of peace the falling snow brought. As I gazed out the window, my thoughts drifted to the chilly February day that inspired my Valentine tea. The year before, I had spent a lovely afternoon with friends at the famed Elmwood Inn in Perryville, Kentucky. Elmwood was the first tearoom in North America to be included in the British…

There is nothing trivial about tea. Its consumption is one of modern civilization’s most sublime pleasures, while the ceremonies that surround the beloved beverage are embedded in the very cornerstones of hospitality. Though it is without question the British who elevated the taking of tea to its once and again place of prominence in polite society, history reveals that tea parties were a popular pastime in Europe and in the American colonies for almost a century before becoming the high fashion of England’s aristocracy. The Dutch were among the first not only to widely consume tea but also to serve it with dainty cakes and other delicious tidbits in a convivial setting of friends, flowers, elegant apparel, and cultured conversation. The English expanded tea-party menus, adding a savories course, as…

Whether it’s tea for two or a buffet for many, a well-dressed table is an integral element of any successful party. Consider this comparison: If a party were a theatrical production, the table would serve as the stage. Designing dramatic yet tasteful tablescapes requires a sense of balance, a little creativity, and a bit of know-how. Try these tips: • A balanced tablescape should include a fabric element, a floral or botanical element, accent pieces, and a light source that enhances without overwhelming or washing out the look you wish to achieve. • The basis of a dazzling tablescape is fine linens. If your selection is limited or you are just beginning your collection, choose solid-colored tablecloths in neutral shades. These can be paired more easily with a variety of…

Rosemary-Olive Scones Makes 24 2 cups bread flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into pieces 2 tablespoons finely chopped oil-cured olives 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 1 cup plus 4 tablespoons cold heavy whipping cream, divided 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt, whisking to blend. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add olives and rosemary, stirring until coated with flour mixture. Reserving 1 tablespoon cream, add remaining cream all at once, stirring lightly by hand until mixture comes together and forms a dough. (If mixture seems dry, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a…

When both the setting and the hostess are warm and inviting, every guest feels welcome and at home; the ultimate goal of hospitality has been achieved. While some lucky people seem to have been born with a special flair for flawlessly hosting teas and other social occasions, others—despite their best intentions— have to first overcome a few obstacles. Above all, consider every aspect of an event from a guest’s perspective, and you will be well on your way to becoming a perfect hostess. MANAGING THE MENU The heart of any get-together is always the food, regardless of the reason for the gathering. After compiling a list of invitees, pull out your favorite cookbooks or catering menus, and start planning a list of treats. Will you be hosting a summer afternoon…

1. Fill a kettle with fresh, filtered cold water. 2. Warm the teapot with hot tap water. 3. Heat the water in the kettle according to tea type: • For black, heat to a rolling boil (212°). • For green, heat to less than a boil (approximately 170°). • For oolong, heat to less than a boil (190°–205°). • For white, heat to much less than a boil (approximately 160°). 4. Discard the warming water in the teapot. 5. Place 1 teaspoon of dry tea leaves per cup of water in a tea sack or an infuser basket. Place the sack or infuser in the teapot. 6. Pour heated water over the leaves in the pot. 7. The brew time varies by type: • For black, steep 3–5 minutes, or…

Ginger-Carrot Mini Muffins Makes 24 1½ cups all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 large eggs ½ cup salted butter, melted ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups lightly packed finely shredded carrots 1 tablespoon minced crystallized ginger 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 24-well mini muffin pan* with nonstick cooking spray with flour. 2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, ground ginger, salt, and cinnamon, whisking well. Set aside. 3. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract, stirring well. Add carrots, stirring until incorporated. 4. Add carrot mixture to flour mixture, stirring lightly just until ingredients are…

A few years ago, I caught myself daydreaming as I washed and dried my teacup in my friend’s kitchen in Pennsylvania. This wasn’t just a teacup, it was the teacup, I mused, before placing it in its traveling box for my trip home to Illinois. Who travels with their teacup, you might ask? I do. This is not just any cup, but a very special one that has logged many frequent-flyer miles over the years. It was purchased decades ago at Tiffany’s during a visit to New York City. I must add, you can tell it’s quite old because at the time, the cup cost less than what a gallon of gasoline does today. Mine was not the only teacup purchased that day in the Big Apple. My oldest friend,…

Although perhaps best known for its abundance of yearly rainfall, Seattle also showers its visitors with unique opportunities, including the chance to delve into the depths of a most memorable tea experience. Towering evergreens, soaring mountain peaks, lush foliage—every mile along the road to Seattle, Washington, unfurls and unfolds into a multitude of scenic marvels. Juxtaposed against the city skyline, the unmistakable Space Needle reaches toward the gently drifting clouds above. Along the waterfront, sailboats glide on the gales, and in the distance, ferryboats carry on their daily jaunts, leaving rhythmically rolling wakes in their paths. It is in the midst of this maritime masterpiece that the day unfolds. The highlight of time spent here is undoubtedly taking tea at The Georgian, located in the heart of downtown, in the…