Tea Chat RSS 1 RSS 2 Atom

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.

If you are like many people, myself included, it's hard to remember to drink enough fluids when you're not hot. Most of us remember that if we're exerting our bodies physically, we need to replenish them with water, tea, or other beverages; but when temperatures drop and we find ourselves shivering our way into work, hydration is not quite so intuitive. The fact is, however, that the white mist you breathe out is actually water vapor: you lose just as much water in the winter as you do during the summer! 

Dehydration is no laughing matter, either. It can cause you to become more susceptible to falling ill and can even cause you to gain weight: the symptoms of dehydration can mimic those of hunger, causing you to overindulge when you're not really hungry at all; you're thirsty (source). 

A good rule of thumb is that you should drink half your weight, in pounds, in ounces of water. If you weigh 150lbs, you should be drinking 75 ounces of water, or other beverages like tea, per day, year-round. If you exercise, you should be drinking even more water than that! 

Of course, it can be difficult to drink that much plain water each day, so why not give yourself an incentive to drink more fluids by drinking more tea? Brew a cup in the morning; bring a thermos with you to work; and drink a cup with dinner and after dinner. I like to indulge in roobios blends, because I don't have to worry that caffeine is causing me to lose -- and need to replace -- even more water. 

The elderly are particularly susceptible to dehydration: According to a study conducted by the NIH in 1991, 6.7% of Medicare hospitalizations were at least partially due to dehydration (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8059883). Make sure your elderly loved ones have access to a wide variety of teas and other beverages to appeal to their taste buds and ensure they remain adequately hydrated! With the holidays drawing near, it may be a great time to stock your grandparents, parents, and aunts or uncles up with teaware, tea brewing accessories, and new tea blends.

Have you gone to a tea room lately? Of the many that I've been to or researched, they are all either English or Asian style. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that... but is this how you enjoy your tea? Do you always have your tea in a china cup and saucer... or from an Asian pot in a tea bowl? Or... do you have a favorite mug? I have many pots and many cups, mostly without saucers and many mugs (I use a mug in the mornings)... I tend to marry pots I like with cups and creamer/sugar sets that don't match the pot perfectly, to make my own tea sets.

My favorite, or at least the one I use every night, is a green Alladin pot with gold trim that I've put together with my favorite orphaned cup (a vintage hand painted Nippon), a brass compote (for my Stevia) and a beaded stainless steel mesh tea ball.

I have a dream of opening my own tea room... but it will be different! It will have more of a bohemian flare! I'll have many different tea sets that I've put together from teawares I've found in thrift stores and antique shops... and even from my own hutch!

This one I call my "Worldly Set" as it seems to come from many different cultures...  Asian basket, Middle Eastern charm on the teaball, decidely American cups and Depression Glass creamer and sugar and a huge pot that echos of Europe!

This one I call my "Hippie Set" as joining the vintage 1970s raised fruit avocado green teapot with vintage avocado green cups just screams 70s! The basket and the amber Cubist pattern Depression Glass creamer and sugar match the pot very well... and the teaball is beaded with green and amber glass hippie flowers!

Here's a cute set that I recently sold... It consists of a really cool, small, black  Mid-century Modern pot with a small Depression Glass creamer and sugar. Its teaball is adorned with a pewter bead with a moon on one side and a sun on the other and an irridescent crystal.

I love putting tea sets together and if I ever get to have my tea room... I'll have the coolest one of a kind tea sets around! You all be sure to keep your eye out for it and come in for a cuppa... A girl can dream can't she?

It's safe to say that almost everyone is trying to save as much money as possible in this economy. But being frugal doesn't mean anyone should go without entirely!

There are plenty of nontraditional places you may not expect to find teaware that are actually full of inexpensive, unique pieces.

1. eBay. And you thought it was just for textbooks and electronics!  But there are always a couple of dozen high-quality sets listed there.

2. TJMaxx and Marshall's. These retail outlets are mostly known for their high fashion available at low prices, but skirt around the corners of these stores and you will find homegoods, including classy, high-end teaware for low-end prices.

3. Your local farmer's market. These pieces are always unique because they are handcrafted, usually by local artists. In addition to getting a great deal on a one-of-a-kind piece, you are supporting local talent!

4. Yard, garage, and estate sales. Not every yard or garage sale will boast a piece of teaware, but when they do you can be certain you are getting a great deal! 

I think that having teaware you enjoy looking at is one of the most important factors that will help you enjoy the process of drinking your tea, and even in this economy, it is still possible to expand your collection of teaware.