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 What is High Tea exactly? Low Tea and High Tea are like small meals, almost like snacks, served with tea. Low tea, which gets its name from being served on a low table, like a garden table or coffee table, would be served somewhere between noon and 5 PM and hence sometimes goes by the name Afternoon Tea. High Tea is typically served around 5 - 6 PM and is a heartier snack, with meats, breads and of course tea. High Tea got it's name from being served on the dining table which was typically the tallest table in the house.
In today's nomenclature 'High Tea', which the name itself strengthens, is considered a fanciful event with fine finger foods, scones and gourmet tea. Historically, High Tea was drank by both the working class, as they would want a small snack when getting home after a long day, and also by the children of the upper class as a snack before a heavier dinner that they may not have the patience for. Either way, if you use the term 'High Tea' in today's society, expect to need reservations and a jacket.
Now to the important information; how to host High Tea or throw a High Tea party. Here are a few things to consider:
1) Sending written invitations always adds an air of sophistication to a party. If you feel snail mail invitations are a little above the call of duty, try sending an evite from evite.com. It's free, and you can choose tea related themes which will set the tone for your party.
2) Include the dress code in the invitations. Dressing up is fun, but only if everyone knows about it. Large hats for the ladies are great for conversation and photo opportunities.
3) Think of the aesthetics of your menu as much as the taste. White table cloth and serving on crystal or fancy serving platters will make the simplest of cookies look like the queen's affair.
- Tea Sandwiches are perfect - think special ingredients like nuts, unique spreads and herbs.
- Anything miniature is good - think Mandarin Oranges, Baby Corn and miniature Artichoke. These bright colors will help dress up the table as well.
- Small cookies and crackers for adding delicious spreads are a must. Want to really impress your guests? Consider finding a scone recipe and make at least one of the menu items homemade.
- To stick with tradition, serve two or three finger foods that involve meat. Cold cuts are always easy and go well with just about everything.
4) Now for the tea. Try serving a multi-course tea menu.
- Start with a traditional tea with a twist, like Vanilla Creme Earl Grey. This can be served with the scones to get things started.
- Bring out the veggies and meats with a kettle of a soft, but well rounded tea like Silver Needle.
- Finish up with the desserts while serving a unique, decaf dessert tea like Tiramisu Rooibos.
Let us know how it goes. We'd love to see photos of your High Tea parties. Post them in our Spill It Forum under Tea Photos.
Steeping your tea for the proper amount of time is part of the art and one of the most important steps in enjoying a great tasting cup of tea. Everyone is different and will enjoy their tea with slight differences, but these differences are counted in seconds, not minutes. There are guidelines as to how long each type of tea should be steeped, which will really help you head in the right direction. To find out the recommended steeping time for each of our teas here at California Tea House check out the label on the bag as well as more detailed information at the bottom of each tea product page on our website.
If you are like me, you're on the computer a lot. A lot of times I will get a kettle of tea started, sit down to start some work on the computer, thinking that I will hop right back up in time to stop my tea steep using the ever-so-accurate clock in my head (yeah right!). Needless to say, many times I end up with an astringent and bitter cup of tea due to over steeping. Due to this reoccurring issue, I have found a few fun and helpful tea steeping alarm clocks that operate right on your computer which is perfect for a laptop junky like me. Below are the top 5 tea timers that I have come across. All free, but donations are appreciated:
1) http://tea-clock.com/ (This tea timer is my favorite due to it's simplicity, customizable features as well as the desktop alert feature without any downloads required. Steve Jobs would be impressed!)
2) http://steep.it/ (This tea steeping alarm is at the tope of my list too due to the ease of use and fun graphics. I also prefer not to download software to my computer if I don't have to which makes this one a plus.)
3) http://widgets.yahoo.com/widgets/tea-timer (Here is a simple, nice design for a tea steeping alarm that you have to download to your computer.)
4) http://www.joshjacob.com/mac-development/teatimer.php (This is a downloadable, programmable tea alarm made for Mac)
5) https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/tea-timer/ (Another tea steeping alarm that you download. It's a little basic in design, but does the trick.)
I'm guilty of often over-estimating and over-brewing how much tea I really want to drink when I steep it in a pot. Sometimes I'll brew a whole pot and think that I will want to drink it all, only to drink a cup and not want anymore. I hate wasting things, and so I've tried to be more careful about how much I might realistically drink and what to do with left over tea.
There is, of course, always iced tea. I've noticed that the same kind of tea tastes totally different cold then hot, and doesn't always call for the same additional ingredients, if any at all. For example, I always put milk in my chai, but left over chai iced tea that I leave to sit in the fridge tastes much better naked and alone.
That's not the only thing I do with leftover liquid. Every so often I put some in my tropical plants. Not only the liquid, but also the tea leaves themselves. Plants that like acid or alkaline, such as azaleas, hydrangeas, dogwood, raspberries, blueberries, and most tropical plants, thrive when their soil is enhanced with the acid from teas, especially black teas. Acid-loving plants don't need this often, maybe a few times a year, but it can aid in the fullness of their leaves, the vibrancy of their color, and the overall strength and productivity of the plant. If you have a garden, the spring is a good time to mix tea leaves in with the soil, or you can add liquid tea or leaves to water and water your garden with this mixture.
Otherwise, tea leaves are always a great addition to a compost pile. This helps to aid in the breakdown of organic matter in the compost, and gives the soil nitrogen. Nothing needs to be wasted!
 Not many of my friends drink tea. I think it must be a generational thing - we were brought up to eat cereal in the morning and dash out the door. Who has time for tea? Well, to help introduce your friends to the world of healthy and delicious tea, there are a few things I have learned to do.
1) Fun Coffee Shop Options: When you and your friend are in a Starbuck's (or Peet's, etc), have them try a hot Chai Tea Latte. This is a personal favorite of mine, especially on a cold day, because it's so warm and spicy. On a hot day, Green Tea Frappuccinos (AKA Freddos), or Iced Green Tea Lemonades are extremely refreshing, and lighter than an iced coffee. Even though these beverages aren't very healthy, at least your friend will get a taste of the delicious potentials of tea.
2) Tea at Work: Many of us have access to a microwave at our jobs. Microwave + water + mug + tea leaves = hot tea in minutes! It's so simple, what's to stop you from bringing an extra mug and extra tea leaves for your co-worker to share? In a small store with a slow pace, you can expose them to all your favorite teas during your downtime.
3) Iced Tea: Who can resist iced tea with lemon? It's always tasty, especially if it's homemade. Any party you are invited to - bring some iced tea in a pitcher and witness what a hit it is. It's such an easy drink to make in bulk, I just keep a container of cold, lightly sweetened tea in my refrigerator and invite my roommates to take as much as they like.
4) Pearl Drinks: Another fun way to drink tea is via Pearl Milk Tea, AKA Bubble Tea, AKA Boba Milk Tea. Originally from Taiwan, this drink is a hit in Asia, and has since spread internationally. Pearl Tea has milk, sugar, ice and chewy tapioca balls, "pearls", at the bottom. I enjoy the tapioca balls because they deter my urge to drink most of the tea in one sip. They also offer a multitude of flavors and different options instead of the tapioca balls.
And remember that small steps towards a goal are better than none at all! Hardly anyone becomes a die-hard tea drinker overnight. But, for instance, one exposure to green tea at work, might lead to several Green Tea Frappuccinos, which might lead to a whole obsession and the more sophisticated consumption of green tea!
Whether it is packaged in tea bags or is loose leaf, all tea comes from the same plant, the camellia sinesis. So why do some people prefer loose leaf tea?
As it turns out, there is a world of difference between the product found in a tea bag, and that found in loose leaf tea.
First of all, loose leaf tea is typically hand-picked, whereas the tea found in tea bags consists of small pieces of tea leaves. The latter results in a quicker and therefore more convenient brew, but not quite as much flavor. Additionally, tea bags may tend to give a harsher taste than loose leaf tea due to the release of additional tannins. Furthermore, because the leaves are broken up, the essential oils and chemicals that give tea its taste may evaporate, leaving the drinker with a poorly flavored cup.
Additionally, tea leaves need space to swell and unfurl. Obviously, this is not possible to any large degree in a cramped tea bag. Good water circulation is also important, and, again, this is much more easily attained by brewing loose leaf tea than in a tea bag.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there are more flavor varieties available in loose leaf tea than in bagged tea.
Make your next cup loose leaf, and I promise you won't be disappointed!
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