It is heartening to realise that there are millions of people throughout history that were as fussy, and demanding in their tea drinking habits as I am. Not only in the past but now in the modern contemporary world of art, music, film and literature, ardent tea drinkers abound. Who would have thought Mick Jagger,…
Author: Di Baker
“Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.”
There is a fine line at present in these surreal times of keeping abreast of the current situation, monitoring our own risk and navigating lockdowns with a degree of happiness or normality. Being positive, talking of happier times, and our daily rituals and habits are very important. A ritual is defined as “an internally motivated…
“Remember the tea kettle, although it is up to its neck in hot water it keeps on singing.”
The timeless warming sound of a kettle boiling is always heartening and sings with a promise of our favourite beverage. At your place, no matter whether you like to use a stovetop or an electric kettle, or you prefer the features of an iconic Alessi or Le Creuset kettle, a smart kettle that keeps the…
“The Mere Chink of Cups and Saucers Tunes the Mind to Happy Repose”
The design and aesthetics of everyday objects has always been fascinating to me. It is no wonder that I enjoy collecting cups and saucers; the endless array of designs, decorative styles, embellishments, colours and shapes. Whether vintage from fifty years ago when it was common to collect the ‘best set of china’ and later pass…
“Earl Grey is really more of a ‘Sense and Sensibility’ kind of tea”
What exactly is Earl Grey Tea? Earl grey is a flavoured Tea scented from the oil in the rind of Bergamot oranges, that grow along the coast of Italy and the south of France. Adding the oil from the orange rind to black tea gives the tea an aromatic, zesty flavour that, according to Twinings,…
“Come and share a pot of tea. My home is warm and my friendship is free”
I like to live with the philosophy of “my door is always open” attitude and there is nothing I like more than to cook for loved ones – family and friends. Sharing a meal around the table or a tea is a joy and I always like to use my fine China collection at every…
Not Everyone’s Cup of Tea
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…
“Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.”
My mother used to have a day now and then where she would stay inside, read books, drink tea and, because her hands were rarely idle, do knitting or handiwork all day. These occasional days she called ‘a nightie day’, meaning she stayed in her nightie all day. Rather than a common habit, ‘nightie days’…
“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 noun ( tee) an aromatic beverage prepared from tea leaves by infusion with boiling water. Can diminish your troubles,calm your nerves and revive your brain cells. Tea is best made with fresh, good-quality tea leaves in a pre-warmed teapot of your choice with boiling water and served…
Tea! Bless ordinary everyday afternoon tea!
We are all being urged to stay home across New South Wales and Victoria, so this week in a clearing out frenzy I pulled out a tea set I had bought in the 1980s. The set is comprised of four cups and saucers, creamer, sugar bowl, a large Teapot and also two well-loved large breakfast…
The very sight of a teapot puts a smile on the face of most people.
Well designed objects fulfil our desire for art and beauty and are a natural source of pleasure every time we use them. A ubiquitous Teapot is an object that is not only practical in providing a way to serve Tea but can also be a source of memories, a promise of an interlude, a symbol…
‘Tea – a drink with jam and bread’
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…
“What better way to suggest friendliness and to create it- than a cup of Tea?”
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,…
A Sip Of The Past
Don’t you just love the pretty colours and designs of special cups and saucers we see at High Teas? These are called trios; a cup, saucer and plate or a duo if there is no plate. Picture a cozy fireside in winter, the laughter of friends, a crisp white table cloth spread over a coffee…
“You were my cup of Tea but I drink Champagne now”
Water and tea are my favourite beverages and like Lily Bollinger quoted above I also adore Champagne too. How about you? Evidently there are health benefits for us to enjoy in drinking all of them. Water, it goes without saying, is a healthy beverage, and we could not live long without it. Tea is, after…
Life’s Short Use the Fine China!
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;…
“Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one”
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…
“A simple cup of tea is far from a simple matter.”
Tea lovers are notoriously pedantic about their tea-drinking habits, and I know this because I am one of them. As obsessive tea drinkers our customs, rituals and tea habits are likely to be annoying to others. Although it is human nature to create habits and both coffee and tea drinkers consider their daily rituals as…
“The spirit of the tea beverage is one of peace, comfort, and refinement.”
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…
“But, indeed I would rather have nothing but tea”
“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…
Love and Scandal are the Best Sweeteners of Tea.
Tea drinking has come a long way since Victorian and Edwardian England’s stuffy drawing rooms. Today we make our own rituals and trends of Tea from fruit, flower and herbal infusions, individual private tea blends to Japanese Tea ceremonies and Matcha green, White and Pu-erh Teas. We can visit the grandest of old homes and…
“Tea is the Elixir of Life.”
As we move towards a more sustainable way of living, there is a growing trend towards seeking a fair trade, plant-based, gluten-free, lactose and sugar-free beverage 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…
High Tea in Sydney
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…
Blue and White Charm
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 and white porcelain in a home create an everlasting, classic quality perfect for any country styled afternoon or…
“Every Teapot Has a Soul”
Teapots are fascinating. I have a nice collection of them that I use often depending on my mood, the guests or the Tea event. My troupe of Teapots include; an Italian Spode, Robur silver, and bright yellow breakfast Teapot. A 1980’s Laura Ashley fine teapot, Aladdin’s lamp shaped Teapot, and a dainty white Coalport countryware…
The Ritual Of Tea
The daily ritual of making Tea is a worldwide phenomenon. I’m sure that any tea drinker could share many beautiful stories of the unique ways they enjoy their Tea. How they serve, offer and have Tea prepared for them. My husband regularly makes me Tea when I’m out in the garden, making tea first thing…
High Tea
“The daintiness and yet elegance of a china teacup focuses one to be gentle, to think warmly, and to feel close.” Who doesn’t want to pretend to be Lady Mary from Downton Abbey for an afternoon and sip tea in an elegant setting with your closest girlfriends? Clink glasses, sip champagne and enjoy deliciously dainty…
Tea in The Afternoon
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…
Tea and a Chat
“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,…
Taking Tea
Elevenses, morning tea, chai, char, te, teh, tae, thee, or te all are words around the globe that describe taking Tea. A pleasurable pause in life for a liquid refreshment we most commonly call morning or afternoon tea. Legends tell us that Tea began in China in 2737 BC, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung was…
