Archive for March, 2008
I thought my girlfriend and I were visiting a local tea room to mark the last year I’ll spend in my 30s (!), but these ladies had a better plan!
Nine dear friends surprised me with a birthday tea yesterday!
Carleen is my number one tea student and friend–she was our hostess.
I laughed and cried with these ladies as they presented me with flowers, gifts, and words of affirmation.
We were so happy to just sit, gab, and laugh together.
They honored me with my favorite children’s picture book, Miss Rumphius, the story of the Lupine Lady.
See the lupine seed packet at the top right? They were a simple and beautiful favor to remind us all of the day.
I loved how they decorated the punch bowl simply and beautifully with the in-season camellia flower.
My friend is more autumn than spring in her style, and yet she pulled together a simple and beautiful floral theme.
Our menu included roasted carrot soup, herb chicken salad sandwiches, goat cheese prosciutto maki rolls with asparagus, spinach salad with poppy seed dressing, fresh fruit, a creme brule’ black tea (a favorite among my friends thanks to a popular local tearoom), and in honor of this entry, cupcakes!
Thank you, dear friends, for bringing spring to my soul through your simple acts of beauty and kindness.
And thank you for providing me such a fabulous entry to Risa’s First Day of Spring Virtual Tea Party! Please join us, it’s not too late! I hope it’s beginning to feel like spring wherever you live.
March 17th, 2008
Mary Cassat’s The Cup of Tea, 1879, oil on canvas, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Can you BELIEVE Easter is next week? I can’t either. If you are planning to prepare a special meal, be sure to see what Alice at Tea in My Cup suggests for an Easter Brunch Tea Party. There’s a complete menu with recipes. And be sure to plan your tea well. I provide suggestions for food and tea pairing in my article, “The Steps to Creating a Tea Party Menu“, but will repeat them here for your convenience.
Here are some specific food pairings that may apply to your menu.
1. Use an Earl Grey or Assam with beef.
2 Use an Oolong or Darjeeling with chicken.
3. Use a Ceylon with vegetables.
4. Use a First Flush Darjeeling or Light, Sweet Green or White Tea with fresh fruit.
5. Use an Assam, Darjeeling, or Oolong with dark chocolate.
6. Use a Dragonwell with milk chocolate.
7. Use a Dragonwell, Darjeeling, Ceylon, or Assam with carrot cake/cheesecake.
8. Use a Darjeeling or Assam with Creme Brulee or caramel.
9. Use a Darjeeling with a dessert of apples/apricots/currants/berries/pie or vanilla.
10. Use a Dragonwell with a Brie cheese.
11. Use a First-Flush Darjeeling with Camembert cheese.
12. Use a Ceylon with cream cheese.
Now, if you are planning any tea sandwiches for your Easter events, I direct you to Susan’s tutorial at the T-Cozy. Preparing the tea sandwich is harder than it looks; it’s important to keep them from getting soggy or dry. And they can be time-consuming. I found this post when Susan provided a round-up of some of best posts from The T-Cozy on her one-year blogging birthday. The other one I want to highlight is her advice about laundering vintage linens. One of the reasons I appreciate the T-Cozy so much is because of the art and aesthetics the bring to the afternoon tea experience they provide at the T-Party. I’ve said it before. If I was closer to Connecticut, I would hustle on over and take tea with these talented women.
Speaking of talented women, another tea party blogger I keep up with is Karen at Sweet-Necessities. This weekend, she’s in Chicago at the Country Living Women Entrepreneur Event. They asked her to pitch her boutique products to a panel for consideration to be featured in a future issue, along with three of her friends from Make Mine Pink. Congratulations, Karen. We wish you the best of success! It’s a thrill to see talented individuals in the tea party niche gain recognition as the tea party’s popularity grows.
Lastly, if you’re a history buff, tea buff, or a tea in history buff, Bigelow’s tea blog recently linked to a tea time line you will be interested in. Tea Party Girl focuses mainly on Western civilization’s version of the afternoon tea party; however tea’s history and role in culture began thousands of years before Duchess Anna began inviting her friends to tea in the mid-nineteenth century.
So, are you planning any special meals/ around your Easter/Holy Week observances? Please share with us in the comments below.
March 15th, 2008
Every niche has its experts and tea is no exception. In the tea world, certain names that are mentioned bring immediate recognition. I’ve covered four of these tea personalities in past entries: Jane Pettigrew, Elizabeth Knight, Dorothea Johnson, and James Norwood Pratt.
Recently, James Norwood Pratt stated in the Fresh Cup article, The Whole Leaf, that “…nobody learns tea or the tea business in a hurry”. I want to introduce you to a lesser known (so far!) Tea Party Expert; one wholly committed to this education process. In an interview with Anne Evans of Teaching Tea, I learned how all of the tea community benefits from Tea Educators. If you are involved in a business related to tea, I highly recommend Anne and this interview to you.
Anne retired from 24 years of teaching in 2003 and immediately found a new passion and business in tea. During 2007 and while helping with her five grandchildren, Anne presented 63 talks, averaging more than one per week, based on the six different topics listed on her website. Her audiences gather at libraries, tea shops, private parties, senior care homes and gourmet and co-op grocery stores, mainly in the Sacramento, CA area.
Anne, how did you first become interested in tea and tea education? As a child I enjoyed tea with my Irish grandparents. They instilled a belief in me that often problems can be solved over a cup of tea. I began visiting local tearooms with good friends and learned my favorite aspect of the tea culture is the way it connects us with the traditions, connects us with beauty and connects us with one another while we are reconnecting with ourselves.
About three years ago, while visiting a local tea shop with some friends I noticed a framed certificate on the shop’s wall. The paper indicated that the tea shop owner had completed course work to earn the title of “Certified Tea Consultant”. Who knew there was such a course? Now I did…
How have you educated yourself in tea? I looked into the training, studied, read, passed the test to become a Certified Tea Consultant, and became a tea educator myself. I’ve attended the World Tea Expo every year since 2005. I’ve also taken Level One from the Specialty Tea Institute, and attended numerous tea classes from various experts in the field. I am an avid reader and very much enjoy research, so my education is ongoing.
As you look back over your tea experiences in the last few years, which one stands out to you in particular? Why? That has to have been at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Dana Point, California. Every detail of atmosphere, food, tea, and service wrapped me up in elegance. Best of all was sharing the tea time with two people I love so much: my daughter and daughter-in-law. They had such a lovely time that this summer’s vacation plans include taking their husband for the same tea experience
How does a certified tea consultant like you help the tea drinker or business owner? Since I give many talks to a variety of tea enthusiasts weekly, I am educating the consumer as to the pleasures of going out for tea, of purchasing good quality loose-leave tea, and of buying tea accessories for their own home tea parties. These purchases directly support tea business owners. I am also available and qualified for consultations and staff training. I visit many tea rooms and talk with numerous people about tea. This gives me a broad range of feedback and insights that I can share with tea business owners looking to have a first rate business.
Based on your experience working with and visiting numerous tea rooms, what are three factors you believe contribute to a successful tea business or experience? First is the tearoom staff’s ability to connect with each customer and make that customer feel appreciated. When the owner is regularly present at the tea shop and takes an interest in the customer, it produces return business. Second is keeping a feeling of freshness in the business without sacrificing some sense of the familiar. For example, most people like to know that at least some of the foods, tea choices, gifts, staff, and decor that they have enjoyed in the past are still available. On the other hand, special events, new products, and refreshing of the decor keep an excitement and sense of anticipation alive. Third is the ongoing desire for excellence. Some shop owners seem satisfied with just getting by. Others strive to improve. They pay attention to details, listen to customers’ concerns, and continue to enhance all aspect of their tea knowledge.
What are three of the most common mistakes you see tearooms make? One mistake businesses make is failing to keep the tea room website up-to-date. Some websites have events listed that have taken place over a year ago. A website provides nonstop advertising. Information should be kept current. If there is a desire to mention passed events, these should be listed under a separate heading apart from upcoming happenings. Also, the shop’s full address including the city and state should be easy to find on the home page. You would be surprised how many sites do not take care on these two important points. Next is the mistake of not understanding the importance of making a really delicious cup of hot tea. There exists an abundance of information on how to do this both in books and on websites. From purchasing truly fresh loose leaves to keeping the correctly brewed tea hot at the table, there are cardinal rules to observe. This goes right along with the quality of the food served. No cook can make food better than the ingredients used. It’s vital that the bread, produce, and other products be fresh, without artificial additives, and as unprocessed as possible. For example, no pre-made cookies or quiches purchased from discount stores. A third mistake is having a tea parlor or shop with no clear focus on decor. Whatever theme a shop selects; be it Asian, Victorian, art deco, or other; everything purchased for the business should follow that focus. This includes the website, business cards, advertisements, tableware, uniforms on the servers- everything. Pick colors, logos, graphics, and all furnishing with the same elements. It’s impressive and memorable which is just what any business needs.
Anne, you interact with the general public on tea-related topics on a regular basis. What are three of the most common questions you are asked at your presentations? I’m often asked to recommend tea rooms and places to purchase tea. Many times I’m asked about the research-supported benefits of drinking tea. People who have traveled much ask me if I have been to a certain country. Usually I have not, so I ask them to tell me about their tea adventure in a far off land as once again tea is making connections.
Anne, what are your hopes for the future of tearooms in America and how do you see this coming about? I would have to answer that question by starting with an example of what I hope will not happen in the future for tearooms in America. The first year I attended the World Tea Expo the atmosphere was warm and filled with a palatable eagerness for making connections with other tea business owners and sharing ideas. The next year, the atmosphere was filled with suits and ties. It was all about making money. My hope is that people who are in business only to make money will not choose the tea business. Tea has so much more to offer both the buyer and the seller. Just making money overlooks the many life-enriching benefits in the world of tea and really is a contradiction to the whole idea of drinking tea.
My hope is that tearooms will strive to be unique and excellent. Tearooms fill a special niche in America’s restaurant trade. No other form of eating-out can connect customers in such a clear way with the traditions of the past and the pleasures of the present while preserving civility.
My hope is that tearooms will appreciate the value of ongoing education for their staff and customers. If they can accomplish this, they will have more than money to their credit at the end of the day. At present I am working with a local travel agency to organize tea tours that will include top-rated shops, museums that house antique tea wares, and other places of tea-related interest such as tea processing facilities and fine pottery making factories. Such tours will educate as they delight.
I’m also looking ahead with hopes of finding hotels and high end restaurants that are eager to learn the correct methods for brewing tea. Won’t it be wonderful when one day customers can order a pot of tea which has been made in the restaurant’s kitchen by trained staff, not at the table by a guest? When that happens, tea will become increasingly popular and tearooms will become the place to visit again and again. The road ahead is brewing with possibilities for tearooms.
What did you learn, reader, from Anne’s perspective? Any further thoughts or questions? Please leave any comments below.
March 13th, 2008
“Christopher Robin was home by this time, because it was the afternoon, and he was so glad to see him that they stayed there until very nearly tea-time, and then they had a Very Nearly Tea, which is one you forget about afterwards, and hurried on to Pooh Corner, so as to see Eeyore before it was too late to have a Proper Tea with Owl.” –The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne (quote courtesy of Dawnya Sasse)
Whether you’re a tearoom owner, tea hostess, or seeking out an afternoon tea experience, do you seek out a Proper Tea or a Very Nearly Tea? What’s the difference?
Here are Tea Party Girl’s top ten thoughts:
A Proper Tea pays attention to the details. These include ironed linens, sparkling silver, and fresh ingredients.
A Very Nearly Tea lets the tea cool or run out.
The guest of a Proper Tea RSVPs in a timely manner and arrives promptly. They make time to groom to their best before they arrive and are better listeners than talkers.
The hostess of a Very Nearly tea shows her guests that she is stressed by the work.
A Proper Tea considers each element’s artistic contribution and thinks through how the tea, food, music, and table settings complement one another.
A Very Nearly Tea serves dry scones and tea bags guests are expected to brew themselves.
A Proper Tea provides comfortable seating.
A Very Nearly Tea crowds as many people as possible into tight places.
The Proper Tea guests are allowed to linger.
The Very Nearly Tea guests are rushed.
Think back through your experiences. What have made your tea-times unforgettable? When have you been disappointed? Please share YOUR thoughts with us on the difference between a Proper Tea and a Very Nearly Tea in the comments below.
March 10th, 2008
photo credit: code poet
Where I live in Northern California, clumps of daffodils trumpet spring’s arrival everywhere we look, walk, and drive. This morning I took two of my children to an abandoned nursery by our home filled with these flowers now growing wild. We picked two dozen for Grandma since it’s her birthday today. We added a simple ribbon around the stems and our simple gift was ready for its recipient.
Do you include flowers at the table when you plan a tea party or event? They also make a simple and beautiful hostess gift. Their freshness and simple intricacy provide a beauty to your tea table that cannot be replicated on the finest china. Flowers on the tea table can be used in a centerpiece, bud vase or as garnish. If the flower is placed near food, it is best to seek out organically-grown edible varieties. Examples of these include:
The Rose (Coral=Desire, Passion)
photo credit: Kjunstorm
The Pansy (Faithfulness)
photo credit: tanakawho
The Nasturtium (Patriotism)
photo credit: St0rmz
The Geranium (Gentility)
photo credit: emdot
These flowers represent only a few of the dozens of varieties of edible flowers available to enhance your event. A complete list can be found here. (Notice daffodils are one of the no-nos for eating; they should only be used as a table, not a food, decoration.)
With spring nearly upon us, the Victorian language of flowers could be used as a theme for your spring event. The Victorians practiced (at least in public) subtlety and decorum. Therefore, many elaborate codes were set-up to communicate with one another, especially the opposite gender. Flowers were filled with hidden meanings that were too intimate to be said out-loud.
While flowers can be purchased easily and inexpensively these days in the grocery store or farmer’s market, it can be very satisfying and thrifty to grow your own. This allows you to spontaneously add flowers or home-grown herbs to your kitchen creations for very little cost. You can also monitor the fertilizers, sprays, or anything else that would compromise their safety for yourself and others.
If you have not gardened successfully before, start small. I recommend one pot outside your back door in a sunny spot or a kitchen window that faces south. Learn what grows when. Did you know pansies, for example, are a cold-season annual and chrysanthemums are often the latest bloomers of all in late summer/early fall? Choose three different flowers and two different herbs for a beginning kitchen garden. Start a pot of a geranium, rosemary, basil, nasturtium, and carnation plant once your harsh weather has passed and you will be supplied with edible flowers and garnish throughout the spring and summer.
Of course, one does not have to host an event to enjoy the simple beauty of fresh flowers. A small bouquet placed on your bedside table, in your bathroom, or next to your computer is well worth the pleasure it brings. I have met women who find flowers impractical. “They just die! Why spend the time and money?” And yet, practicality can rob our souls of the poetry and magic life’s little treasures provide.
Are you a gardener? Do you grow any of your own flowers? Would you offer any advice to us novices? Please leave your comments below.
March 8th, 2008
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