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 “Iced tea is too pure and natural a creation not to have been invented as soon as tea, ice, and hot weather crossed paths.”  ~John Egerton 

Most of us are familiar with at least some of the benefits of tea. It’s delicious; it’s high in antioxidants, and a great way to calm the mind and spirit. It’s soothing on a cold winter’s night, and as Richard Blechynden learned many years ago in Saint Louis, refreshing on a summer day.

Iced tea was made popular during the Saint Louis World’s Fair in 1904 (notice I did not say INVENTED). Blechynden’s plan was to give free samples of hot tea, but due to a heat wave that year fair attendees were looking for something cold to drink. He dumped ice into his blend and served iced tea instead, and it was one of the biggest hits at the fair. 

It’s winter here on the Philadelphia (well sort of), yet here I am pleading the case for iced tea. Perhaps it’s my Southern ancestry, but I personally drink iced tea all year. In fact I’m drinking a glass as I type this. I don’t mean that sugar water you find in a bottle that someone waved a tea leaf over. I mean the kind that you brew, “season”, chill, and serve over ice. 

I like my iced tea with a bit of a fresh citrus (unless it’s chai). For most people this is lemon, but I’ve preferred my ice tea with lime ever since I started traveling in the Caribbean.

If you're looking for a unique gift for Valentine's Day for a special person or even something to add some fun to your Valentine's Day date... We have a couple of romantic teas that are perfect for Valentines Day!  Why go with the same old chocolates in a box routine when you can give chocolate tea!?

Check out our very own custom blended Apricot Chai aphrodisiac black tea and our Chocolate Chai herbal blend.  Click on the names of the teas to go to their product pages, read about the delicious ingredients, learn about how we blended these very popular blends, their health benefits and pick up a bag or two to enjoy on this romantic holiday.  Don't forget we offer gift wrapping as well!  

We just finished blending and packaging these two favorites, and they are ready to go.  You'll have to act quickly though.  Like always, we custom blend our specialty teas in small batches to ensure the finest quality and the freshest ingredients.   We will probably sell out in a day or less!  Buy $50 or more worth of any of our teas and get 10% off with this limited time coupon code:

VDAY2012

Code expires 2/15/2012.  Order by 2/9 for delivery on or before 2/14.  

... then tea and scones are absolutely delightful!

Raise your cups to an act of winter whimsy: the tea party. In attendance were two children (at heart) and two teddy bears. In the oven, a batch of maple-cinnamon scones. In our cups, well, tea of course - in fact, thee kinds were consumed over the

course of the afternoon. I don't recall being one of those tea-party-loving little girls, but here I am, a tea-party-loving woman.

After a cold-but-pleasant January walk, we whipped up some super-tasty scones (the mix had been a holiday gift) and boiled a pot of hot water. To make it even more of an event, we put cream in my grandmother's creamer (usually we pour milk straight from the carton) and drank our tea from fancy-schmancy mugs that look like little elephants. After ensuring that we had photographic evidence, we chowed down. The scones melted in our mouths as the tea warmed us from the inside out. Now that's what I call a relaxing weekend afternoon.

If your tea parties need a jump-start, here are a few ideas that will please kids and adults alike:

• Base your menu (whether it's extensive or not) around a colorful theme. A Valentine's tea could feature rooibos tea, scones with strawberry jam, and raspberry thumbprint cookies. Green tea, cucumber sandwiches, and shamrock cookies work for St. Patrick's day. You can even ask guests to wear the appropriate color. (If you're throwing an impromptu at-home "party," go ahead and change - it'll put a smile on your face.)
• Try a "T" party - think toast, tomatoes, or tiramisu. 
• Or go for a "no T" party, where you'll rack your brain to avoid using words with the letter 't' in conversation. ("Could you please pass some more warm beverage?")
• Get fancied up. Everything will taste better while you're wearing your pearls and holding a silver spoon. 
• Relive the royal wedding with elaborate hats (homemade or not) and across-the-pond accents. 
• Stage a blind taste-test of different types of tea, or play guess-the-tea. 
• Have each attendee adopt a funny character of his or her own creation. Give yourself an unusual name (Lucinda Catterbottom, Mr. Sledright, Oddball Jones, etc.) and act as outlandishly as your character would. If you have the time, this one just screams out for costumes!

Remember: a tea party is a tea party simply because you say it is. Plan one weeks in advance, or throw one together last-minute. Commemorate a special event or counter rainy-day boredom. Above all, be creative, and enjoy!

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.

Brrr! It's getting cold here in NJ, and I have been retreating to my fall favorites to keep warm: fires, blankets, mulled cider, and hot toddies! I first experienced a hot toddy as a child when I was sick with a sore throat or when I came in freezing from playing out in the snow. My mom presented me with this, at the time, extremely potent concoction that was overwhelming to sip but definitely took the cold edge off. Since then, I've actually come to enjoy this hot tea recipe in the fall and winter because it warms you from the inside out, and so I have adapted my own versions to my particular tastes. 

The classic hot toddy is made with black tea (because it mixes well with lemon and honey), but green tea does too, and I think you could make it delicious however you want according to whatever teas you prefer. The possibilities are infinite, but here is a simple standard recipe:

1oz (or more if you like!) of brandy, whiskey, or rum

1 tablespoon honey (sometimes I like to use agave nectar instead)

1/4 lemon (add more if you accidently made it too strong)

Golden Monkey Paw black tea

Voila! Curl up next to a fire, keep sipping, and keep toasty.