Taking the time to make a perfect cup of tea is a gentle way to remind ourselves of the simple things in life. Savouring a well-made pot of tea is one of the easiest ways to increase mindfulness in our daily lives. It is a small yet effective way to heighten our experience of taking…
Category: Tea
“Que les invités qui entrent dans cette maison repartent en amis”
The French phrase above translates into English as, May all who enter as guests, leave as friends. I love this beautiful sentiment that happens so easily over a cup of tea. Let’s put the kettle on and become friends as I share my love of all things tea; teapots, recipes, quotes, tea news and fine…
“Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book or some yarn.”
One of the more pleasant aspects of rainy days is being warm and dry indoors with piping hot tea nearby, and some yarn for knitting or crocheting. For me, it’s all about crochet which is not only relaxing and calming at the same time stimulating. Not unlike tea; invigorating yet soothing. I need nothing more…
“Tea, garden. Tea, garden. Does a good morning need anything else?”
Apart from loving Tea, I also enjoy being outdoors and in the garden where tea plays a vital role in the day of working on garden tasks. In fact one of my favourite tea moments is sitting on a garden bench, piping hot cup in hand, taking a breather after heavy work, and collecting one’s…
Tea… from the farm to the cup
The phenomenon of paddock to plate continues to build in Australia as we live more mindfully and sustainably. Being more aware of where our food is grown, by whom and the story behind the farmers and producers of our commodities is one way to be more proactive about food ecology and ethical values in sourcing…
“Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company.”
“When you have nobody you can make a cup of tea for, when nobody needs you, that’s when I think life is over.”Audrey Hepburn Millions of people throughout history 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,…
Put the Kettle On…
The simple act of putting the kettle on to make tea has been written about, quoted, and even sung about millions of times and yet remains a highly significant and worthwhile task. We do it naturally at the pauses during the day, to comfort others, on waking, when we come in from the garden or…
You can never have too many teapots..
Many of us have enjoyed the Regency splendour of shows like Bridgerton with the elaborate tea settings in glorious palaces and stately homes. With popular shows like The Crown, Sanditon, Downtown Abbey, The Queen and Pride Prejudice have increased interest in many of our everyday objects; tea sets, vintage delicate china cups, saucers, and teapots….
“I find it harder and harder every day to live up to my blue china”.
We can never hope to attain the perfection and beauty of blue china aptly expressed by Oscar Wilde. He said he found it harder and harder to live up to his blue china in the abovementioned sentiment, and I wholeheartedly agree. Blue and White are unequalled; fresh and bright, charming and delightful, elegant and forever…
I don’t drink tea to wake up. I wake up to drink tea.
Is there anything more invigorating, comforting and refreshing first thing in the morning than a hot cup of Tea? The quote above says it all. Do I wake to drink Tea, or does Tea wake me up? There is a fine line between the two at times, and like coffee drinkers, tea drinkers love the…
“The Mere Chink of Cups and Saucers Tunes the Mind to Happy Repose”
The design and aesthetics of everyday objects I’ve always found fascinating and I enjoy collecting antique and vintage cups and saucers. They have an endless array of designs, decorative styles, embellishments, colours and shapes. Fifty years ago it was common to collect the best set of china and later pass them on to daughters and…
“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 cooking for loved ones – family and friends. Sharing a meal around the table or tea is a joy and I always like to use my fine China collection at every opportunity. Even…
“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”.
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 in a fine-lipped, bone china teacup. Teabags…
Tea! Bless ordinary everyday afternoon tea!
During the lockdown period, we are all urged to stay home across New South Wales and Victoria, so 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, a sugar bowl, a large Teapot and also two well-loved large…
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…
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…
“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…
At My Table
One of life’s great pleasures is sharing a meal around the table with friends and family; enjoying fine food and wine. Traditions are built from these moments, and cherished memories are created. I love to cook for others and to prepare and plan special events and occasions. It doesn’t matter what the meal is, from…
George Orwell Musing on Tea
George Orwell, the famous English critic, writer and essayist, loved a cup of tea as much as any of us. First published in the Evening Standard in 1946, he writes about the correct way to make tea and on reading his list, I have to agree with him. In his essay ‘A Nice Cup of…
Tea and Scones
The quintessential treats to enjoy with a cup of tea are always scones. Loved the world over and called by so many different names, they are nonetheless, delicious for Afternoon or Morning Tea. Whether you like to say Devonshire Tea, Cream Tea, Devon Cream Tea, Cornish Tea, Tea and Scones or High tea, follow these…
Tea 