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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.  

I'm not proud to admit it, but though I consider myself a tea lover, I've never been a fan of green tea. I'd love to get a dose of green tea's healthy antioxidants, like the EGCG I profiled in a previous post, which can fend off cancer and Alzheimer's. I like green vegetables, green lights, and the green movement to save our beautiful planet - and yet, somehow, green tea left me cold. 

I recently received, as a gift, a small tin of green tea flavored with pomegranate and hibiscus. Honestly, pomegranate is another so-called superfood that has just never thrilled my taste buds. And while two wrongs don't make a right, today I learned that two flavors I don't particularly like can combine to create a beverage I truly enjoy. 

Yes, I brewed a cup of pomegranate tea. I was first charmed by its pleasant pink color, then by its gently fruity and tropical sweetness. (Full disclosure: I added sugar.) It may never be my go-to tea, but it's another pleasant afternoon infusion to add to my tasty arsenal. I wish that every time I tried something new it went this well!  When was the last time you tried a new tea?

What could be better than tea, than some yummies to go along with it!

When I went on a university trip to London, that was when I was introduced to proper English tea. Earl Grey with cream, or with lemon, but not at the same time. And I discovered tea biscuits. Oh I ate many McVities Rich Tea Biscuits. I bought some many packets back home with me! And always felt elegant, elegantly dunking them into my tea, which just didn't taste the same back in the states.The great thing about many types of tea is that you don't just have to have a digestive or a biscuit to dunk- pretty much anything sweet and crunchy, or warm and savory works. Certain things pair well with certain teas, but I believe it's all about personal preferences and tastes.

I haven’t been back to England in years, regrettably, but I still do drink a lot of tea, which I like to take many different foodstuffs with my tea, depending on my mood.  If I have a cup of English Breakfast tea or a British blend, a bagel suits it perfectly. Ginger, lemon and orange teas I quite enjoy with scones or mini cookies.

 I tend to go in moods with my tea, and lately, each morning must begin with a chewy onion bagel and a cup of rich English tea. And then I catch up on my news for the day and begin writing. How do you start your day?

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.  ~C.S. Lewis

 “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.

... 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!