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…
Category: Tea stories
Life’s Short Use the Fine China!
Teacups have been collected for as long as people have enjoyed Tea. They are an elegant nod to the past when life was less hurried and more serene. Tea began in China during the eighth century when it was served in small porcelain or stoneware bowls. Over the centuries Teacups have been made from all…
“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…
“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,…
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”.
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…
“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 as Lily Bollinger quoted above, I also like my Champagne. There are health benefits for us to enjoy in drinking all of them. How about you?Water is a healthy beverage, and we could not live long without it. Tea is, after all, mostly water with a refreshing…
“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…
Time for Tea?
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…
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…
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…
“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…
“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…
“Tea is the Elixir of Life.”
As we move towards a more sustainable way of living, there is a growing trend toward 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? A simple cup of tea is far from a simple matter.” Mary Lou…
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…
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…
Tea and a Chat
“In Ireland, you go to someone’s house, and you are asked 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,…
Home is Where Your Teapots Are
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…
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 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.” Henri 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…
High Tea Sandwiches
The humble sandwich, a staple around the world, has quite noble beginnings. It is said that in 1762, John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich®, was playing cards but he did not want to leave the gaming table to eat so he asked for a serving of roast beef between two slices of bread so…
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 