Here in Southeastern Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia International Flower Show’s one of the big social events of the year and the largest harbinger of spring. This year’s theme was Hawaiian. Think leis, orchids, and hibiscus. Also think many judging categories and the crowds befitting the largest indoor exhibition in the world. So, when my husband and I discovered that the Pa Horticultural Society was offering a garden tea in a converted conference room away from the bustle of the crowds, we leaped.
Each tablecloth in our delightful improvised tea room was of a Hawaiian floral design and each was graced with an elegant large silver teapot in the shape of a watering can. As a matter of fact, the large teapot really did contain just water and we were offered a selection of bagged teas to steep in individual ceramic pots.
I first chose a black mango coconut which I sipped while eating crust-less tea sandwiches. We were served 5 varieties of those which included salmon with cream cheese, deviled ham, cucumber, watercress, and egg. My favorites were the cucumber and the salmon. My husband loved the deviled ham as did some of our table-mates. We were also treated to cheese, a strawberry garnish, and seedless grapes as well as a few yummy bites each from a pineapple upside down cake and of a tasty basic scone with the option of adding the classic accompaniments of cream and lemon curd.
While finishing up all my goodies, I drank a cup of mango passionflower herbal tea and combined it with some black tea. That was both to cut the tea’s sweetness and to get just a little more energy for round 2 in the Flower Show’s exhibit area. To keep my aloha spirit going, I’m planning lots of tea breaks with macadamia nut cookies and green mango tea.
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As a librarian and an avid book collector, I often carry a mug of tea to my reading corner. Usually, I choose to drink Darjeeling or Irish Breakfast tea, but sometimes I enjoy matching my tea to the book. That’s really easy to do when reading the charming Tea Shop Mysteries by Laura Childs. Series heroine, Theodosia Browning, is a marketing whiz who left her advertising agency career to open the Indigo Tea Shop in the historic district of Charleston, South Carolina. Theodosia frequently finds herself tracking murderers after catering Charleston society events. Her master tea blender Drayton Conneley and baker Haley Parker also assist in her sleuthing. Detective Burt Tidwell deplores Theodosia’s risk taking but also frequently enjoys discussing the latest case and partaking of the Indigo Tea Shops offerings.
Warning! You too will get hungry and thirsty while reading the evocative descriptions of Haley’s culinary treats and Drayton’s tea blends. Besides, Childs includes recipes and tea tips at the ends of the books.
The Tea Shop Mysteries In Order:
Death By Darjeeling
Gunpowder Green
Shades Of Earl Grey
The English Breakfast Murders
The Jasmine Moon Murder
Chamomile Mourning
Blood Orange Brewing
Dragonwell Dead
Silver Needle Murders
Oolong Dead
The Teaberry Strangler
Scones & Bones
Agony Of The Leaves (Forthcoming March 6, 2012)
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It's October 31st, one of the best days of the year for kids. But, what's so great about Halloween for adults and what does tea have to do with it anyway? Well, if you're a woman like me, Halloween's gifts always included dress-up fantasies and chocolate.
But what if you just got a last minute command performance invitation to a costume party or you've decided you need to wear a costume to encourage a dearly beloved child who's nervous about dressing up to go trick or treating and you're all out of ideas? How about wearing a tea related costume? You could choose the classic Alice, Mad Hatter, or Queen of Hearts characters or as a teapot,teabag, or tea towel. How about becoming a Chinese Dragon or a tea leaves reading Fortune Teller for the night?
If you're just sending out your kids and staying home giving out all your goodies to the neighborhood kids, you know you're going to have another problem. What do you do after your little darlings have come home, told you about their adventures, deposited their UNICEF money and overflowing trick or treat containers, and gone to bed? The chocolate bars they left on top are calling, "eat me; eat me now." Couldn't you filch just one? No, the kids have memorized the contents of their stashes, an you have to set a good example. You go to another room and try to keep busy, but the chocolate just shouts louder. Your resistance is slipping. What can you do? How about a cup of chocolate, vanilla , or almond tea to satisfy your cravings and make you feel good in the morning too?
