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!

Decor-a-Tea: In the Garden

Below are six paintings of tea-themed outdoor scenes.  In these early days of spring, just imagine sipping tea in any one of these lovely garden settings.

 

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Credits:  First row: "Tea Party" (artist unnamed).  "Afternoon Tea II" by Consuelo Gamboa.  Second row: "High Tea" by Abbott Graves.  "Tea Garden" (artist unnamed).  Third row: "Lilac Tea Party" by Benjamin.  "Patio II" by Avril Morris.  All images are from art.com.      

Decor-a-Tea: Triptychs

Sometimes triptychs, or panels of three, are an effective way to dress a wall.  Below are two tea-themed sets.  Images are once again from art.com.

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"Tea Time" by T. Chiu depicts four ladies in three panels making for a dramatic, jewel-toned triptych.

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I've always loved the idea of re-purposing special treasures.  In this case, paintings of tea cups converted to planters are each called "Tea Topiary" (from left to right numbered I, II, and III) by Consuelo Gamboa. 

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Tomorrow's Decor-a-Tea is called "In the Garden."

Decor-a-Tea: Still Life

Most subjects in paintings are categorized as portrait, landscape, interior, or still life.  Imagine again selecting a tea themed painting to enhance a specific space in your home.  This time that space is a corner of your home that is just for you.  Solitude, whether stolen or planned, restores the spirit.  You want to create a mood that is perfect for relaxing.  What time of day would you mostly likely be in this special place?  What would you do there?  Is the seating in this corner wooden or upholstered?  Is it bathed in natural sunlight or aglow courtesy of a favorite lamp?   

Below are four still life paintings depicting tea for one.  Each conjures a feeling of refined charm.  While the first two are very similar (blue and white china, Battenburg lace, and floral arrangement), consider the differences in the wallpaper patterns, the hues of blue, and the color of the wood tones.  The painting on the left appears to be more casual, perhaps for a cottage setting, while the painting on the right has a more formal, traditional feel.  Even the lighting suggests different times of the day.  Similarly, the second set of two paintings suggest several differences: old world versus modern, Victorian versus cottage. 

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If I were to pick one, I would choose either of the paintings with lace.  Blue is my favorite color and, coupled with yellow, it makes for a very cheerful setting.  While I like the harlequin pattern on the wallpaper in the first painting, all furniture in my home is dark, so the formality in the second painting is probably a more suitable match.  Which one of these four prints would you choose for your very own space and why?

I'll have at least two more posts on tea-themed paintings.  Then, later this week, I will post a few photographs of teapots used as decor in my home. 

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Credits: "Tea and Lace I" and "Tea and Lace II" by Anne Brown.  "Afternoon Tea" by Van Martin.  "Teapot and Iris" by T. Chiu.  All images are from art.com.    

Decor-a-Tea

It's Week #3 of LaTeaDah's Gracious Hospital-i-Tea Blog-a-Thon.  The theme this week is called Decor-a-Tea and we are invited to "share ideas and pictures that incorporate tea and/or tea themes into home decor."  This topic is especially fun because I love interior decorating! 

March 30 - April 5
Decor-a-Tea

During my second year in college, I considered Art History as a major.  I loved studying the works of the great masters, and especially enjoyed following the evolution of painting.  I decided then that Impressionism is my favorite genre and that Claude Monet (1840 - 1926) is my favorite painter. 

I own two framed Monet prints; one is in my home and one is in my office.  Both are the Japanese foot-bridge at Giverny (1899), complete with weeping willows and signature water lilies.  It wasn't until after I chose Monet as my favorite that I learned he and I share the same birthday, November 14th.  The image to the left is "The Tea Set" painted by Monet in 1872.

Often times it is a piece of art that is the focal point for interior decorating for it can inspire and direct the colors, textures, and accessories that are subsequently chosen to include in the room.  In considering a tea theme in home decorating, I have found several paintings which I will share throughout the week.  Consider how each might set the mood in a room in your home. 

We'll begin with two selections that might be considered for a child's room.  The similarity between the two paintings is that the figures in each scene are sharing tea.  In addition, they are equal in charm and whimsy.  However, the difference in how each piece would dictate design choices in the room, i.e., colors, textures, accessories, and even era, are significant.  Which one would you choose?!    

Credits: "Teddy Bear Tea Party" by Stewart Sherwood.  "Fairy Tea Party" by Linda Wingerter.  Images are from art.com.

 

Teacup-a-Story

Catching up on Week #1 (March 16 - March 22) for Gracious Hospital-i-Tea's Blog-a-Thon, LaTeaDah has invited us to "share a picture of [our] favorite teacup and saucer; describe it and tell its history." I have two teacups and a story with each. 

The photograph on the left is one of my favorite teacups.  I love the floral design as well as the colors in this particular pattern made by Aynsley.  I have several pieces in this pattern; what distinguishes this set from others is that, in addition to the traditional teapot, creamer, and sugar bowl, I also have the matching sandwich tray.  For several years, I had a few pieces of this bone china arranged in a little vignette: a charming invitation to partake in tea-for-two.

The photograph on the right is another one of my favorite teacups.  This one has a lot of sentimentality attached to it.  I am over half Irish, my mother's parents were born in Ireland.  When I was a teenager, my mother made a few trips to "the old country" with my grandparents and, on my birthdays and Christmases that followed, gifts included one or two special pieces from Ireland chosen just for me.  This teacup is part of a tea set: Royal Tara, made in Galway.  I love the airy shamrock pattern and I love the scallops along the edges.  A very delicate pattern from the Emerald Isle.

More Litera-Tea

It's so much fun to find these treasures!  Here are a few more quotes from literature:

"Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

"It has never occurred to Mr. Winterbourne to offer me any tea," she said, with her little tormenting manner." "I have offered you advice," Winterbourne rejoined. "I prefer weak tea!" ~ Henry James, Daisy Miller

"Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things." ~ Chaim Potok, The Chosen

"Polly put the kettle on, we'll all have tea." ~ Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge

More Litera-Tea

What a wonderful network of talent this tea blogathon is drawing.  I have so enjoyed reading what others have included in their blogs.  Here's another contribution.

"Then Mrs. Tiggy-winkle made tea—a cup for herself and a cup for Lucie. They sat before the fire on a bench and looked sideways at one another. Mrs. Tiggy-winkle's hand, holding the tea-cup, was very very brown, and very very wrinkly with the soap-suds; and all through her gown and her cap, there were hair-pins sticking wrong end out; so that Lucie didn't like to sit too near her." ~Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle

A Tea Blog-a-Thon

How fun.  I just found a blog-a-thon about tea hosted by LaTeaDah at Gracious Hospitality.  It's Week #2 of the blogathon.  I'll plan to catch up with Week #1 in the next couple of days.

March 23 - March 29
Litera-Tea

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me”  ~ C.S. Lewis (British Scholar and Novelist. 1898 - 1963).