The Tea Room

Set the Tea Table, Tea is On!

This week's Tea Blog-a-thon focus, hosted by Gracious Hospital-i-tea, is called "Set the Table, Tea is On."  I was blog-hopping recently and found the first of these vintage videos embedded into Angela McRae's entry in Tea with Friends.  I followed the related links and found the second video. 

On special occasions, my mother's and grandmother's dining room tables looked very similar to those shown in these videos -- elegant linens, sterling silver coffee and tea sets, and beautiful floral centerpieces.  I have the same traditional dining room set, but occasions I host in my home are more casual than those my mother and grandmother hosted. 

While I truly value courtesy and use it fully in all venues, as I listened to the narrator of these videos describe good manners and articulate instructions for properly hosting a tea party, I must admit that I'm glad the rules etiquette have relaxed over time. 

Just click each video to watch.  Enjoy!

Source:  http://www.archive.org/index.php

The-Sweet-and-Savory-of-Yummy

Week #6 of LaTeaDah's Gracious Hospital-i-Tea Blog-a-thon is entitled The-Sweet-and-Savory-of-Yummy.  We are asked to "share favorite tea time recipes for sweets or savories."  Here are two of my favorites!

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Scones from The English Rose ~ 66 Laurel Street ~ San Carlos, CA

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 stick of butter
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together with hands, except the milk.  Add milk all at once.  Mix well.  Knead mixture 8 to 10 times.  Roll out on floured board to 1 1/2 inches thickness.

Cut with a biscuit cutter.  (Note: For best height, use an up and down movement, do not twist the cutter.)  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake about 25 minutes or until scones are lightly browned.  Serve warm with butter or clotted cream and jam.  (Note: At the restaurant, they also have lemon curd on the table which is also delicious with these scones.)

Recipe yields about 2 dozen scones.  They freeze well for future use.

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Red Pepper Jelly from my grandmother (1904 ~ 1999)

• 6 2-lb red peppers
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Remove seeds and membranes from peppers; cut into strips and put through course grinder.  Place ground peppers into bowl and sprinkle with salt to draw juice.  Let stand for 60 minutes.  Drain well and discard juice.

Place peppers into saucepan.  Add vinegar and sugar.  Stir and simmer over medium heat for 55 minutes or until a little thick (like jam) when tested on plate.  Let cool on a dish.  If not "runny," then it's done. 

Serve with cream cheese on toasted rounds or any cracker.  May be frozen in small portions.

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Credits: Photograph of scones from epicurious.com.  Photograph of red pepper jelly from The Candied Quince.

Dressed-to-a-Tea

For Week #5 of the LaTeaDah's Gracious Hospital-i-tea Blog-a-thon, the theme is fashion.  Specifically, "ideas for dressing up for afternoon tea." 

I can't wait to see from others beautiful attire that is vintage and/or romantic!  Floral prints, hats and gloves, and cameo jewelry are perfect for an afternoon tea.  My approach is a bit different. 

While the color of my spirit vacillates between pink and yellow, I wear a lot of black because it's a timeless classics.  Although unconventional for tea parties, a crisp combination of black and white is my choice.  I love to accessorize with my gold watch, a pair of tailored earrings, and my cherished strand of Mikimoto pearls. 

Below are photographs of current St. John Knits designs that are similar to pieces hanging in my closet and are representative of my fashion choices.  The women in the photographs are models who are certainly leaner than I am, and I would not choose to wear sandals with slacks.  But overall, I love this look! 

Wearing one of these outfits, I'm ready to step into any palette Mother Nature or a tea party hostess has created.  For me, it's simple: dress in black and white, then add flora, fauna, and lots of chintz china!

More Stitches-for-Tea

Thank you so much for all your nice comments about my new tea towels! I feel so lucky to have found them.  For those who may be looking for similar treasures and/or unable to find them locally, check out Etsy, "an online marketplace for buying & selling all things handmade."

In preparing for my sister's tea party, I just ordered some party favors on Etsy: vintage cotton, hand-stitched tea bags filled with lavender.  They're made by a 20-year-old student named Niandra who lives in Naples, Italy.  She grows the lavender in her backyard and then creates these handcrafted little treasures.  Her communication is super fast and she whipped up a special order of 12 teabags for me in less than 24 hours.  Below is a photograph (from Etsy) of her work. 

My sister's decorating style leans toward primitive country, so these will be perfect for her tea.  Aren't they charming?!  See more of them here: Lavender Tea Bags by Niandra.

   

Stitches-for-Tea

Here we are in Week #4 of LaTeaDah's Gracious Hospital-i-Tea Blog-a-thon.  The theme this time is "Stitches-for-Tea" and participants are asked to "share ideas and pictures involving stitching for the tea table.  Any kind of stitches count . . ."      

I was inspired to search for vintage embroidered tea towels and just today purchased these lovely, hand-stitched beauties.  I am crazy about them!  I especially like the idea of a garland strung through the handle of a tea cup.  Imagine the possibilities!