Tea Party

Our Cape Cod Vacation includes Tea Time!

Tea Time is Special Time

Hello, again! It is my hope for us, that we take the time each day to enjoy our lives – and that includes our tea time. I wish I were sitting with you now, enjoying a lovely cup of our favorite tea and having a wonderful conversation. I’d love to know about your latest tea finds. Although I’m not with you now, I hope to see you soon!

While I’m writing this post,

I’m drinking a bracing cup of Basilur Ceylon Orange Pekoe tea with a splash of Silk Almond Milk.  I made a pot of tea in my smaller 3-cup green teapot using 3 teabags. Once the tea steeped for 5 minutes (recommended time for their black tea was 3 to 5 minutes), I poured the tea into a lovely cup by Lenox in the Ambassador Collection Newbury Square pattern. I enjoyed using a more decorative cup and saucer this morning!

When we recently traveled to Cape Cod for a family vacation, Rich and I went to the Christmas Tree Shop (of course!). As we were shopping, we noticed a decorative box of 60 assorted tea bags, called the Basilur Tea Gift Collection Specialty Classics box. The box was on sale. So I had to try them! The tea is by a company called Basilur which is located on the island of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was formerly called Ceylon and the company choose to keep the Ceylon name for its teas. This is my first time for trying Basilur tea – I recommend them for a strong cup!

Basilur Tea Box

While we were down the Cape,

our wonderful friend Anita came to visit! Here you see Anita and my daughter Emily happily enjoying their mugs of tea. Rich thoughtfully made us each a different type of tea. I had Basilur Earl Grey with almond milk and raw sugar, Anita had her Bigelow Constant Comment with a sweetener, and Emily had her Basilur Darjeeling with almond milk. Emily decided that she prefers a milder tea, but trying new teas is part of the adventure! All different. All so enjoyable. Tea is so versatile!

Anita and Emily drinking tea

While drinking tea and having a wonderful time, we also did a challenging 1000 piece Ravensburger jigsaw puzzle. We found the pre-owned puzzle in one the many thrift shops that we scouted! All the pieces were there, thankfully.

Emily and I often do jigsaw puzzles at home. Puzzles by Ravensburger are a favorite. I especially like the Ravensburger puzzles with the XXLarge pieces – easier to hold and to see!

Our Mint is Growing!

mint from garden As the mint in our backyard is spreading out too far, it was time to pick it. Again. Here you see the mint drying on a plate on my kitchen counter. This mint will be used for tea. There’s already so much mint in my refrigerator that is used for cooking.

To make mint tea, I put about 6 leaves (or two heaping tablespoons) in a diffuser in a mug, add boiling water, and let steep for about 5 minutes. I like a little raw sugar in my mint tea. This mint tea smells amazing and is so soothing!

Speaking of Raw Sugar…

There are so many lovely sweeteners and vegan milks to add to tea. And depending on the type of tea and the time of day, I will add different types of sweeteners and vegan milks. Or none at all. I often like almond milk or soy milk in a black tea. At night, I’ll also add Sugar in the Raw to my black teas. Sugar in the Raw is a sugar that is vegan. Not all sugars are processed in a way that is vegan. I’ve tried agave, which is also vegan, but prefer the taste of sugar.

milk and sugarI love to use my vintage creamers and sugar bowls. It’s no surprise that I own many of them and keep them accessible for easy use. It’s important to use often the lovely items that I have and not save them for “best.”  In this way, I can regularly appreciate and enjoy them.

Here is a photo of some of my creamers and sugar bowls. All are vintage – many belonged to my Mother and others were collected by Rich and me at different times. Since they are lovely but not expensive, my creamer and sugar bowl purchases are limited by the storage space in my kitchen and dining room cabinets!

The photo also includes the Silk Soy Milk, Silk Almond Milk, and Sugar in the Raw that I prefer. Sugar in the Raw also comes in bulk in a large container, which wastes less paper for the wrappers. I have that too.

For our next tea party conversation, please comment…

What do you like in your tea – Sugar? Other Sweetener? Milk? As is? Does what you like in your tea depend on its type? Your mood? The time of day?

Please let us know.

And let us know when you are enjoying a cup at home or out of the house!

Teapots, Cups, and Cozy – Can you ever have enough?

Tea Time is Special Time

Hello, again! The next time you make yourself a lovely cup of your favorite tea, I hope that you enjoy the whole experience of making the tea, as well as the pleasure of sipping your beverage. Tea Time can be an occasion (several times a day!) when you take time to be good to yourself. And it is so important to be kind to ourselves and take good care of ourselves. And other people whom we love – make them a nice cup of tea, too!

While I’m writing this post,

Rishi's Turmeric Ginger Tea

I’m drinking a hot cup of Rishi’s Turmeric Ginger Tea in my Bodum glass mug. The adorable metal canister that holds the Rishi’s tea says it is an organic loose leaf herbal tea. The loose leaves went into the plastic and nylon infuser that came with the Bodum mug. I steeped the tea for an extra minute – it’s a little stronger but not bitter. I then added a bit of Turbinado cane sugar to balance the flavors. Francine and Sue commented on Trader Joe’s turmeric/ginger tea. I’ll have to try that soon!

 Sue’s Polish Tea Pot and Warmer

Polish Pottery teapotglass tea warmerPolish teapot and warmer

My dear friend Sue commented on the last blog about her beautiful Polish pottery teapot and glass tea warmer. She graciously sent photographs of the teapot and warmer for us to enjoy. Here they are!  Whether you purchase a new teapot, as Sue did, which becomes a family treasure, or use a family heirloom teapot, the experience of using a beloved teapot adds to the Tea Time experience.

A warmer is a great idea to keep the tea from getting cold. I have never used one, but would love to try one. I use a cloth insulated tea cozy over the teapot, instead.

 My Tea Pots

Katherine's Teapots

Teapots are so beautiful and come in many colors, designs, and materials.

I own and enjoy more teapots than comfortably fit in my cabinets! I select teapots on the feel of the ceramic and pottery – I love a smooth surface. I also like a handle that balances well when I pour.

The photograph shows four of my teapots which are used quite often. I really love my two Brown Betty teapots from England – one Brown Betty is on the left. I have two green teapots in different sizes from England – a green one is on the right. But I don’t know who made them – the bottom of the green teapot only says Made in England. Wish I knew the maker! The teapot in the front of the photograph is Buchan’s Thistle Stoneware Pottery from Scotland, which matches my everyday dishes. The white teapot with the gold trim in the rear of the photograph is more formal and it’s usually used with my more formal dinnerware. But sometimes I just use it when I’m in the mood for a white and gold teapot!

Choosing the teapot to use is an enjoyable morning task!

Cups and Mugs

Katherine's teacupsHow do I select which cup or mug to use? That  depends on my mood, what type of tea (loose or bag), and how much tea that I want to steep and drink at that moment. That’s one of my first wonderful decisions of every morning.

I just can’t have too many styles, shapes, and colors of cups and mugs. But they all have to be lovely for me to look at and to hold. I love to use cups (and dishes and actually everything) that please my eye and my fingers.

There’s no extra space in my cabinets to store any more cups so I’ll have to be really discerning about any new purchases. It’s really collecting, not hoarding…

I have several types of cups and mugs with their own infusers, which makes it very easy to brew loose tea directly in them.

Bodum makes a great glass mug with a plastic and nylon tea infuser. I found it on sale at Barnes and Noble so I bought two.

One year Teavana made a set with adorable little covered mugs with metal infusers. I loved them so much that I bought three sets, giving me six little mugs with infusers and covers. The metal infusers happen to fit in many other cups and mugs, which is really useful.

The photograph shows some of my cups which also have tea infusers for brewing loose tea in the cup. I use these when I want just one cup of a loose tea. When I’m craving several cups of that tea, I brew them in a teapot.

I also have many lovely cups and saucers that are part of dinnerware sets.  I inherited other matching very special cups and saucers; most of these were owned by my Mom who got them many decades ago. Some cups and saucers came from my husband’s two beloved grandmothers. When I use these cups and saucers, they inspire wonderful memories of these three special ladies.

On the right of the photograph is a two-cup plastic tea brewer from Teavana. Perhaps I should have put it in the photograph with the teapots since you don’t drink from it but brew the tea in it. Once the tea is steeped as I like it, I put the tea brewer on top of my cup and the tea flows down. It’s quite useful. But I usually prefer ceramic and porcelain, not plastic.

Tea Cozy

Tea Cozy

I have a very special Tea Cozy that we bought from an amazing shop that used to be called Margaret’s Fine Import Shop in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is now called Tea Pittsburgh Blue Monkey Tea. The Tea Cozy is made by Thistle Down Cozies. The fabric is beautiful – to look at and to hold. And yes, placed over the tea pot or mug, it keeps the tea (and the object. Be careful!) quite hot for hours. A well-made Tea Cozy is a great investment.

For our next tea party conversation, please comment…

Do you have favorite teapots, cups, or cozies to make your tea drinking that much more pleasurable? Or do you find yourself reaching for the same cup for your tea? Tell us!

And, as always, please let us know when you are drinking a favorite cup of tea. Let us know what you’re drinking! And perhaps if you’re having a nibble with it, too.

Please share vegan recipes for goodies that complement your tea!

 

 

 

 

 

Teas from around the World

Good Morning!

As I’m writing this post this morning, I’m drinking a cup of delicious Ahmad’s Cardamon tea in my Buchnan Stoneware Thistle Mug. Cardamon tea is great with almond milk. This is actually my second cup of the morning! My husband Rich made Cardamon tea for me this morning using loose leaves in a metal mesh strainer in my Brown Betty teapot. He put the tea cozy on the teapot to keep it warm for a few hours. The 6-cup teapot will give me tea throughout the early part of the day! I enjoy Rich’s thoughtfulness with each sip.

Take the Time to Treat Yourself Nicely with Tea!

A wonderful cup of tea that you make for yourself can mean that you take time for special enjoyment of one of life’s pleasures! There are so many small and meaningful steps to brew a special cup of delicious tea for yourself or someone whom you care for – from the selection of the tea, to the boiling of the water in your kettle, to deciding how to steep the tea (silk bag? metal mesh strainer? directly in the pot?) how long to steep, and then what to add to the tea (almond milk? sugar?). Or if someone else makes you a cup of tea (like Rich did for me this morning), you can enjoy their caring for you. At the end, when you finally sit (and I hope that you do!) to enjoy your tea, you can savor each sip. Ah! How wonderful!

Teas from my Cousin

My well-traveled cousin Francine recently sent me an amazing collection of teas that she has gathered from various places throughout the world. What a joy it was to open the package! She included lovely notes with each tea, recalling where each one came from. This adds so much to the enjoyment of the teas!

These are her notes on each packet, starting from the top row in the picture from left to right: “This is the rarest and most exotic – from China (Shanghai) notice the length of the tea leaves – very rare”; “These came from Brussels – a great way to serve and then hook the teabag on the edge of your cup”; Yes these are sugar packets – for those who need the sweet – just adding a little color!”; “These are jasmine tea pearls; We had a Sunday afternoon tea in appreciation of our volunteer efforts and they gave us these to take home.”; “Immerse a bulb in a pitcher of hot water – the bulb will bloom into a flower. The tea does not have much flavor but the show is great!”

Thanks, Francine!

How Hot the Water?

I always boil water for tea on the stove. Microwaving water just doesn’t seem to make good tea.

I usually warm the carefully chosen mug or cup with a little boiling water right before adding the boiled water to it to make sure that the temperature of the mug doesn’t cool off the water. Once the water is poured in,  I’ll cover the cup or mug, when possible, with the matching cup cover or with my tea cozy. That keeps everything as hot as possible.

Tea Kettle

There are currently two water kettles on our black glass stovetop – one vintage Pyrex glass kettle and one stainless steel Farberware kettle with a whistle. Whistling kettles are great to help me remember that I’ve put water on the stove to boil.

The glass kettle is really pretty and the water makes lovely bubbles when it boils. The glass kettle sits on a metal heat diffuser made for that purpose, rather than directly on the glass stovetop.

I found this Pyrex glass kettle at an Antiques sale down the Cape at the end of the season last Fall. It is treasure! When I was first married, we had several Pyrex glass kettles like the one that I’m using now. I may have broken them. So I’m sentimental about using this new vintage one.  I usually use the glass kettle unless I think I might be distracted. Then I use the metal whistling kettle that lets me know when the water is boiling.

The metal diffuser is always under the glass teapot, but I moved it between the teapots to show what it looks like. We bought the metal heat diffuser online, as the teapot did not come with one, and I remembered needing to use one. Otherwise, the glass kettle may stick to the glasstop of the stove! I don’t want to have that problem!

By the way, the oven is on in the picture because I was baking a carrot quick bread from a Williams Sonoma mix. A delicious quick bread is easy to make and is wonderful with a hot cup of tea!

For our next tea party conversation, please comment…

How have you recently treated yourself nicely with tea? What kind of kettle do you prefer? Have you tried a new tea? Or continued with a favorite? Or any tea-related thoughts? I’d love to hear from you.

 

Easter Tea

Happy Easter!

We had a lovely Easter celebration last Sunday and decided to end our special day with tea and goodies. Of course! We enjoyed green tea from China, vegan apple cider donuts, tiny frosted vegan cupcakes, and cashew-based Snickerdoodle and Vanilla ice cream.

Easter Tea 2018

We used the beautiful Lenox Tuscany pattern dishes that had been my Mom’s, special gifts from my Dad to her each holiday.

Easter 2018 Emily & Honey

The elegant silver flatware was Holmes & Edwards Lovely Lady, given to Mom by Dad in their first year of marriage.

Here you see little Honey, our 13-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, enjoying Vanilla ice cream.  Honey always enjoys tea time with her family. After all, she is English!

The bunnies on the table are Lindt dark chocolate. The gold bunnies add to the Easter decorations of the dining room before the holiday. Once Easter arrives, the chocolate bunnies are happily eaten. Even vegans eat chocolate bunnies!

 

Loose Tea vs. Tea Bags

I buy both. Why choose? Some wonderful tea is only available in one way so I buy it that way.

Using tea bags is easy and requires only fresh boiling water and a lovely mug or cup. But commercially packaged tea bags really are good only for one cup, not a mug. So if I’m drinking from a larger mug, I use two tea bags.

Does reusing tea bags make a great cup of tea? – No. I’ve tried. No matter how many tea bags I reused, the tea came out weak.  I have not had success with reusing tea bags, even when using up to 6 in a mug (yes, I have done this). So the tea made from reused tea bags was really not worth drinking.

Using loose tea usually gives a stronger, more rich flavor. I use a tea spoon (I have special tea spoons) and use a full one for a cup of tea and two tea spoons for a mug. Can I reuse loose tea to make a great cup of tea? – I’ve tried that, too. Yes. But I add a little more leaves in the pot or cup, just to make up for any lost flavor.

My daughter Emily prefers using loose tea because she is very concerned about “sustainability”; that is, she believes in the importance of keeping our environment healthy and reducing the amount of waste that we make. A tea bag has a small bit of tea, usually more like dust than actual leaves, wrapped in a paper or “silk” envelope, and often with a string and a tag with letters printed in ink. When I use loose tea to make my many cups of tea, I produce much less waste, and drink more flavorful tea, too!

The Celestial Seasonings tea company in Boulder, Colorado does not use strings and tags on their tea bags because of their concern for excess waste. Our family visited the Celestial Seasoning tea factory many years ago and still talk about their Mint Room. One step into the Mint Room cleared our sinuses and the overpowering scent drove us out of the room within seconds. Quite an experience!

Steeping Time

Because I like strong, flavorful tea, I always let the tea steep for one minute longer than the suggested time. My personal preference. After steeping, then I slowly dunk the tea bag or tea ball in the mug about 30 times. Why 30? It seems to add more flavor.

I realize that not everyone likes strong tea, as illustrated by the following story lovingly related about my Mom:

My Mom liked the tea bag to steep in her mug for about 30 seconds. Then she’d pull it out. Done. I’d say to her, “Mom, that’s not long enough. That gives you only color but not flavor.” She’d reply, “That’s how I like my tea.”

And that’s one of the many lovely traits of tea. We each can make it to our satisfaction.

For our next tea party conversation, please comment…

How do you like to buy your teas, loose or in tea bags? Or both like me? How long do you let your tea steep? Longer than suggested or shorter like Mom preferred?

And, as always, please let us know when you are drinking a favorite cup of tea. Let us know what you’re drinking. And please tell us if you’re having a nibble with your tea, too!

Tea Time with Friends and Family

Tea Time with Friends and Family

Tea with a friend

Recently, I had a wonderful evening with very dear friends and family. In case you’re wondering, that’s me in the top photo on the left.

Earlier that day, my husband, daughter, and her boyfriend went to the Bean Counter Coffee Bar and Bakery in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts and bought wonderful vegan chocolate chunk cookies. We were fortunate to get the last of their vegan cookies to bring with us.

We then traveled to the Post Office Pub in North Grafton, Mass. where we met friends for a wonderful dinner with good food and lots of laughs.  We have gone there several times as there are several good vegan selections!

Then we went back to our friends’ family house for after dinner tea. Our friends had many different lovely choices for tea, which was fun! My tea of choice was Bigelow’s Constant Comment decaffeinated. I added a little almond milk for creaminess. It’s rare that I turn down a chance to drink Constant Comment!

The chocolate chunk cookies were really good. Our friends had wonderful cashew-based ice cream, as well as pies and festive cookies. Wonderful! The camaraderie, food, and laughter continued until late!

Tea with friends

Tea time with people whom I love is very special.

 

Comment below… please tell us about the last time that you had a special tea time with very dear friends or family.

 

My Favorite Teas

It’s about Tea Time, Not Just the Tea

First, thanks so much to everyone who commented here about your favorite tea!

Now let’s have a conversation about Tea Time!

I do enjoy at least 4 cups of tea every day and I start tea-drinking early in the morning, so I think of myself as a dedicated tea drinker!

Having a wonderful cup of tea is not just about the tea. It’s about doing something nice for yourself.

It’s about taking care of yourself. it’s about taking time to use teas, cups, dishes and pots that you love to touch and look at. Tea making can be a satisfying life experience that you can have several times a day. You can have this wonderful experience with yourself only or with other companions.

And when you make and drink a cup of tea with others, it’s about doing something nice for all of you. It’s about having good conversation that is enjoyable. It’s about making a face to face human connection.

I get so much satisfaction when I drink tea with people who are special to me. When I take the time for good conversation and make a meaningful personal connection over a favorite hot beverage and an enjoyable bite to eat, I can feel happy and peaceful.  And I hope that you do too.

My Favorite Teas

Tea with savory biscuit
My morning tea with a savory biscuit

As I write this, I’m drinking a wonderful cup of Harney & Sons Earl Grey Imperial tea. It’s now morning, so I like to have my tea with unsweetened almond milk. The delicious tea is in my vintage Buchan Thistle Pottery mug. A small cup is not enough in the morning. A larger mug is a better size! And a homemade savory biscuit is a wonderful addition to a hot mug of tea.

Black Teas

There are many enjoyable types of tea made from the tea leaf. Black, Green, White, Red, Oolong, and Herbal are all types that I have tasted.

My kitchen shelves with tea
The tea has taken over the pasta shelf!

My favorite type of tea is a black tea.

  • An example is the Harney & Sons Earl Grey Imperial that I’m drinking now. I like the bergamot flavor.
  • I also like a black tea with a flavor such as Cardamon tea. I’m currently happily drinking lots of Ahmad’s Cardamon Tea.
  • Taylor’s Tea Room Tea that we bought from Tea Pittsburgh Blue Monkey Tea in Pittsburgh makes a wonderful cup of tea that I enjoy, as well.
  • English Breakfast Tea makes a very pleasant cup of tea anytime, not just for breakfast.
  • And Bigelow’s Constant Comment Tea is always wonderful!

I’m always trying different types of black teas. I can buy a little of a new tea (new to me) in case I don’t like it. But if I don’t like it, there’s usually someone else who does like it!

My kitchen cabinets have two shelves dedicated to holding my latest purchases of tea. As I’ve just bought more Harney & Sons tea, the tins are happily sitting on the shelf which stores pasta and tomato sauces. Guess I’ll have to drink them soon!

Oolong Tea

We are so fortunate to have an amazing box of Oolong Tea from China that was a gift to our family. The Tea is amazing. I have to admit that it is such a delight to look at, that I haven’t drank that much of it. I need to move it in my mind from a visual art to a taste pleasure so I will drink it more!

Herbal Teas

My two favorite herbal teas are

  • ginger
  • mint.

We grow mint in our yard so there’s always enough mint for tea. (And for salads, and for cooking almost anything else).

I buy fresh organic ginger for tea. I slice it very thin and then boil it in water for about 20 minutes. I then strain it and drink it with raw or brown sugar

Caffeinated vs. Decaffeinated

I usually drink caffeinated tea which doesn’t bother me at all. Even at night. But that’s what is good for me, my brain, and my body.

Because so many people are sensitive to or bothered by caffeine, so many of the teas that we love can now be bought as decaffeinated.

Always listen to your body and do what’s best for you. That’s what I try to do.

Tea Time is about being kind to yourself.

For our next tea party conversation, please comment…

So now that we’ve talked about our favorite teas, what is your favorite way (or ways) to brew them? Loose tea or bags? In the pot and strained or in a mesh tea ball or filter? How long do you like to let them steep?  Please comment on your preferred ways to brew your favorite cup of tea! What do you like to put in your tea, if anything? Almond milk? Raw sugar? Agave? If you like, make yourself your favorite cup of hot tea first. Then comment on your tea-making preferences! Let’s continue our tea party conversation.