"Who would not spout the family teapot in order to talk with Keats for an hour about poetry, or with Jane Austen about art of fiction"? Virginia Wolf
Although the much-loved song from A Sound of Music says ‘Tea with Jam and Bread’, Tea is terrific just on its own or with piping hot scones fresh from the oven, a teacake or other morning tea treat. Our universal yet varied customs, traditions and habits of drinking Tea are often titles, and lyrics in […]
Read More
From the beginning of Tea two thousand years ago to when Tea first arrived in England in 1657, Tea has become the second most popular drink after water around the world. The tea beverage has motivated writers and poets who, throughout the centuries, have expressed their adoration and passion for drinking Tea. In their writings, […]
Read More
Water, tea and champagne are my favourite beverages. How about you? Evidently there are health benefits for us to enjoy in drinking all of them. “I drink Champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone, when I have company I consider it obligatory. Lily Bollinger Water, it goes […]
Read More
Teacups have been collected for as long as people have enjoyed Tea. Beginning in China during the eighth century where Tea was served in small porcelain or stoneware bowls. Over the centuries Teacups have been made from various materials; clay, glass, porcelain, bone china, earthenware ceramic, glass, tin, plastics, paper and pottery. Burn the candles; […]
Read More
The ancient Chinese proverb above encapsulates the sentiment I felt in lockdown last year on a ship heading for Italy at the height of the pandemic. Without warning, the Captain sent us to our cabins, and we did not come out for more than a week. Apart from the fear of the unknown situation and […]
Read More
Our long days of self-isolation and being confined to our homes for all but essentials, provide an opportunity for us to think about what we value most in our lives. A chance to reflect on priorities and spend more time doing the things we love. But when we consider how small after all the cup […]
Read More
Is it scone as in stone or scone as in gone?Jam then cream, or cream then jam? Do you put your milk in first or last? The Duchess of Cambridge, seen here looking so elegant sipping her Tea, made me wonder about the old fashioned etiquette of tea drinking. What are the modern customs and […]
Read More
Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, has a wealth of beautiful High Tea venues. Over time I have enjoyed High Tea at many of Sydney’s best and they have been magnificent and memorable afternoons. Today my recommendations include, The Gunners Barracks, Lilianfels Resort and Spa and The Langham Hotel. As time goes by, I will add […]
Read More
One of life’s great pleasures is to cook for others and to share a meal around the table. Family and friends gathering around the table to share lunch, afternoon tea, a barbeque, or dinner is a welcome and satisfying event that I eagerly look forward to. Entertaining as it was once called, has always been […]
Read More
“I find it harder and harder every day to live up to my blue china”. Oscar Wilde, 1874. There is something very appealing about an assortment of Blue and White China. No matter if it is new or old, English, Italian, Chinese or Dutch, it all goes together beautifully in an eclectic, timeless collection. Blue […]
Read More
“Nobody can teach you how to make the perfect cup of tea. It just happens over time. Wearing cashmere helps, of course”. What is the perfect cup of Tea? Tea is best made with fresh good quality tea leaves in a pre-warmed teapot of choice with boiling water and served in a fine lipped, bone […]
Read More
Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. Henry James It was a close friend of Queen Victoria’s, Anna Russell, the 7th Duchess of Bedford with whom we are indebted, for starting the tradition we know and love today called Afternoon […]
Read More
“In Ireland, you go to someone’s house, and she asks you if you want a cup of tea. You say no, thank you, you’re really just fine. She asks if you’re sure. You say of course you’re sure, really, you don’t need a thing. Except they pronounce it ting. You don’t need a ting. Well, she says then, […]
Read More
What is a Teapot? Ti/pot, a noun describing a pot with a handle, spout, and lid, in which tea is brewed and from which it is poured. Definition – “A teapot is a simple vessel that we fill with hot water to steep tea leaves in for a refreshing beverage”. Teapots are short, often wide […]
Read More
How do you like your Tea, made in a Teapot or with a teabag? A cup or a mug? Do you fancy a glass, china, earthenware or ceramic cup? Green or Black Tea, oolong or china Tea, White Tea or herbal, there are many considerations. One thing for sure is, we all have our favourite […]
Read More
Tea is not only for dainty ladies in Edwardian houses to enjoy an afternoon respite with their contemporaries over tea and cake. There are more rural, masculine traditions associated with Tea. Boiling the ‘Billy’ for a campsite brew of tea is as Australian as the cork hat to keep the flies away. Legends and yarns […]
Read More
“Some days ‘staying put’ might feel the same as Going Nowhere. Make a cup of tea, and wait for that feeling to pass.” Vivian Swift I love my cups of tea but recently I was forced to spend a week with no tea at all, locked inside a very small room due to the worldwide […]
Read More
As we move towards a more sustainable way of life, there is a growing trend towards seeking a fair trade, plant-based, gluten-free, lactose and sugar-free drink that also contains antioxidants. What better drink is there that covers all these criteria than TEA? Over the past decade, our tastes and opinions have altered, and we are […]
Read More
