When the King comes to America, what do you serve? A Costco favorite? If so, there's precedence!

Hot dog lunch for the Royals? Almost 90 years ago, FDR hosts a picnic for the King and Queen.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are visiting the US this week and those who reside in the White House have surely pondered what to serve the English Royals on this historic trip. Could a casual American food item, more at home at a picnic or baseball stadium than a state dinner, be on the short list?

Of course, we're talking hot dogs - and if that's the choice - there's precedence dating back almost 90 years ago.

In 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, parents of Queen Elizabeth II, made a trip to America,  the guests of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady, Eleanor. They toured Washington D.C. and were feted at a formal State Dinner, but there was still time in their four-day visit for some casual fun. The latter came as picnic at the Roosevelt home in Hyde Park and, yes, hot dogs were on the menu.

BTS at Hyde Park. . . 

The grounds of Hyde Park, perfect for picnics

As noted in The Smithsonian (June, 2017), the New York Times ran the following headline, post picnic: "King Tries Hot Dog and Asks for More".

NYT's columnist, Felix Belair, postulated that the no frills frankfurter served as plain speaking diplomacy. Though outwardly it may be conveying "On behalf of the United States of America, may we offer you this tubular delight of meat, meat byproducts, curing agents and spices?"  But, what it's translation is buddy-talk for "How ya doing? Wanna beer?"

Though the English monarchs were willing to try this American non-delicacy, the Queen was unsure how to eat it. Served on silver platters, both the King and Queen joined the others eating off paper plates. However, the Queen drew the line at hot dogs as a finger food. She used a fork and knife. 

Coincidentally, the same week of King Charles' visit, Costco announced a change to their classic hot-dog and fountain drink combo. For over 40 years, the warehouse retailer has offered this combo for $1.50.

For those who enjoy discount shopping accompanied by a less than $2.00 repast, do not fret. The only change Costo is making to its "happy deal meal" is offering the option of swapping pop for water. Guests can now have a 16.9 ounce Kirkland brand of bottled water instead of a Coke. 

The Royals have been to countless formal dinners and black-tie affairs when visiting foreign dignitaries, so maybe a little more informal entertainment would be a welcome change. 

We have a Costco membership and would be happy to escort the King and Queen to our local store. We'd even offer to cover the cost of lunch.

Author's notes:  

1.  As our cover photo suggests, hot dogs can rise to an "elevated occasion". This hot dog and wine pairing took place in Dundee, Scotland (October, 2023) at a local restaurant on the eve of my husband and I touring St. Andrews. Hot dogs, pinot grigio and soccer on a big screen TV work well together. 

2. BTS features Eleanor Roosevelt tea talks. A remarkable first lady who provided us with a favorite quote:  A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong she is until she's in hot water. 

Game Time! Prosperitea - an opportunity to own a tea shop and create prestigious blends

 

A perfect game night:  family/friends, cups of tea and filling out the dream of owning a tearoom.

Many of us who are passionate about tea have, at one time or another, dreamed of having our own tearoom - a cozy retreat for community regulars and an inviting respite for out-of-town visitors - filled with charm and quality tea. While the idea of that shop remains a wistful fantasy for most, there's still a way to act out those dreams and, in the process, enjoy the possibility of knocking out the competition (i.e.. family and friends) in the process.

Queue up Prosperitea:  a game that gives you the opportunity to own a tea shop and blend your own teas. Profits are important, but prestige is the ultimate goal.

Though competition is fierce, you still rely on your game-playing network for favors. In an environment less cutthroat than Risk or Monopoly (not that there's anything wrong with that), in the tea world, kind assistance is rewarded with points. 

Rob, sorting tea cards, was introduced to Prosperitea, by good friends.

Properitea is relatively new in the game world. Created by Mentha Designs, it debuted in 2022. A few years later, my son, Rob, after being introduced to it by good friends and fellow gamers, gifted it to me for Christmas.

Though the compact game, in its attractive gold trim packaging, sat proudly on display in my bookcase, it took a while before we put it into practice. Featured in our blog earlier this month on the trend of upscale home game rooms (The New Boardroom), we decided it was time to make Prosperitea more than just a pretty face. 

First player is designated with a teapot. Tea cards share fun facts.

Last week, for family game night, we all set up our prospective tea shops and began to source and blend. It took a few go-arounds to get familiar with the instructions, but once we synched (at our relative speeds), it was a lot of fun. Son-in-law, Sean, won, of course, because he zeroes in on strategy, while others in our party (perhaps, your humble blogger), were distracted by all the pretty tea cards and their accompanying tea tidbits. For example, one Ceylon card shares: "Tea produced in Sri Lanka carries a 'Lion Logo' on its packages. This logo is strictly controlled".

You won't learn such facts on Boardwalk or Park Place.

Accompanied by a favorite cup of tea and family and friends, no matter how the game plays out, we're all winners - although, really, who doesn't want to have the most prestigious tearoom????

Attractive on display, Prosperitea is more than just a pretty face. 

BTS, two white gloved thumb's up to Prosperitea. 

Just in time: Pocket watches are back in style!

Assorted pocket watches from our family's collection, mounted and ready to display. . . almost.

This month, pocket watches aren’t just hanging in our front hallway — they’re making headlines. At BTS we follow trends, but, in this case, did we actually foresee the resurgence of this vintage accessory?

Dare I say, time will tell?

This week a pocket watch with combined Gilded Age/Titanic provenance made headlines. As noted in several news outlets, including the Chicago-Sun Times, a Tiffany gold pocket watch worn by John Jacob Astor IV on board the Titanic sold at auction yesterday for $800,000.

Of course, its owner and brand contributed to the price tag, but the timing dovetails neatly with another spotlight on pocket watches: last month’s release of the long‑awaited Peaky Blinders spinoff.

According to Elite Traveler’s April 10, 2026 article, “The Pocket Watch Comeback You Didn’t See Coming,” interest has surged in the period style associated with Birmingham gangster Tommy Shelby (played by Cillian Murphy). Shelby’s signature look — close‑cropped sides with a shaggy top, a sharp three‑piece suit, and, front and center, an elegant pocket watch with its chain looped through his vest — has clearly struck a chord.

Rob hanging now trendy pocket watches in our front hall.

Google reported a 100 percent increase in searches for Shelby's watch. But, does that translate to the pocket watch being the must-have accessory for 2026? One industry specialist suggests the trend is more ripple than tidal wave.

Nicholas Bowman‑Scargill, managing director of Fears Watch Company, told the magazine that while pocket watches may never be fully “mainstream” again, there is a “gentle, but notable interest” in them. She attributes the appeal to a growing appreciation for objects that feel “more considered, more mechanical, more real.”

For years, we've been accumulating collections from parents and grandparents and, among them, a small assortment of pocket watches. Last year, I gathered up five of the time pieces from long tucked away tins and boxes filled with vintage medals, buttons, odd coins and costume jewelry. I dusted off my newly found treasures and hung them in decorative shadow boxes. I set them aside, until I found the perfect place to display them - which, sadly, was mostly in the upstairs hall closet.

Six pocket watches on full display - one vintage piece still going strong.

That is until last month, when my husband, Chris, was doing more decluttering in the basement. He found a pocket watch that I believe belonged to my dad's dad - and here's the ticker kicker, it was still working!

Now with my collection of six, I ordered new shadowboxes, vowing to show these watches off. With the aid of my son, Rob, we hung them in front hallway, right next to our mounted pendulum clock. 

They do bring me joy and a sense of connection every time I walk by.  (and, may I add, an admiration for the craftmanship - it's true, they don't make things like they used to).

Did I know when we finally got these antique gems out in the open that they'd be trending? 

Perhaps a bit of serendipity. But, undeniably, the time for the pocket watch has come.

Time Out: Tea time wellness package is self -care wrapped up in a bow, complete with hugs, friendship and maybe a little DOOL

Wellness Tea package, a self-care toolkit, comes with tea, mug, candle, slippers, and good friend hugs.

Candles as roses and slippers so snuggly

Copper tea kettles and lots of warm huggies,

Colorful packages tied up strings,

These are a few of my favorite things. . . 

To borrow from Rodgers and Hammerstein, there's a lot of simple pleasures that bring us joy. Put them in a big bag, wrapped with a bow and you have a very special present. But, that's not all - add the focus of wellness and self-care, and you have been gifted a bit of indulgence as well. Sip tea in a big cup, light a scented candle, put on cozy slippers, lay back in the recliner and queue up the latest episode of Days of Our Lives.

With the exception of those last two, that’s exactly what I received last week from my very good friend, Laura — who, for clarity and tradition, has always been referred to by her full title: my very good friend, Laura.

On our way to our mid-way refresh cup.

Born the same year, married the same number of years, raising millennial children, and navigating careers that zig‑zagged through the same industries and cities, it’s surprising we didn’t meet until 2009. But when we finally did — at a once‑Fortune 500 company — we bonded instantly over The Banana Splits (the ’60s TV show), Foreigner, and musicals.

Now that we're both retired, we've turned hour lunches into half-day events. Our most favored restaurants bring us new coffee/tea cups when we've hit the two-hour mark.

Having the time for marathon catch‑ups is a gift, but even then, with all the activities that fill retirement (that oft‑repeated motto — “I’m busier now than when I was working” — turns out to be true), intentional “time‑outs” can slip to the back burner. So when your very good friend gives you all the tools to take a break, there's no excuse to let that self-care slide.

Self care box has everything but the recliner and TV remote. 

The Wellness Tea Care Package comes from Modern Elegance. The box contains a 13 oz earthtone mug, comfy cloud socks, a flower-shaped sea salt and nectar wax candle (handmade with love!) and, the piece de resistance - Wellness Blend tea, a mix of black and green tea with turmeric, ginger, and cornflower petals. It's deliciously relaxing.

And, just like in the office, I respect my good friend Laura's direction. This afternoon, I put the copper kettle on, steeped my tea, put on my cozy slippers, lighted my candle, threw back the recliner to "rest position" and caught up with DOOL. 

Taking time out from time to time is important and so is having a very good friend. 😊💗

 

Duck Sh*t Tea (and Chocolate): It's real and it's spectacular!

Tasty tea (and chocolate) with unsavory name.

If you were trying to entice customers to drink a specialty tea, cultivated from lush plants and rich terrain that strongly delivered in both taste and smell, you would most likely favor descriptors that evoke beautiful imagery, fragrant aromas and delightful flavors. 

Duck doo-doo does not rank high for such alluring advertising.

However, if you are trying to dissuade people from seeking your tea out - say, ruthless competitors or big business takeovers - labeling it foul fowl feces would be a good start.

That is the legend of Duck Sh*t tea.

A confession:  in all my years in the tea business, I had never heard of this tea of type.  Though my memory is often tested, I am certain I would not have forgotten a tea with this misleading moniker. And, misleading is key here, as I have come to discover more about this odd duck tea.

My Story:

Last week, as part of my ongoing birthday celebration, my daughter, Rachel and son-in-law, Sean, gifted me with a collection of chocolate and tea and chocolate tea. Truly, they know what I love (including them). But, of course, the Duck Sh*t Tea Chocolate label immediately got my attention.  

Daughter, Rachel, had Duck Sh*t tea when living in China a few years ago.

While they purchased this at a gourmet food emporium in Salt Lake City during a recent trip, Rachel, was already familiar with this Chinese tea and explained the name, is, indeed, real. She actually drank Duck Sh*t tea when she lived in China a few years ago. She also shared what she knew of the tea's lore: a tea farmer cultivated such an extraordinary tea that, to guard against unwanted attention, he gave it a name to offend and repel.

Duck Sh*t Tea's Story: 

Digging a bit deeper, according to UK's TeaTrade, there are two theories of the branding origins of Duck Sh*t tea. The first involves a tea farmer, Wei Chunse, who lived in a mountain village in the province of Guangdong (southeast China). He introduced a tea bush from a higher altitude village to the unique yellow-soil of his own farm. It produced such an aromatic tea, superior to those in the area, that at the risk of theft - played out by the cutting of branches and grafting - a name was given to get the competitive hounds off the alluring scent.

Another suspect in the Duck Sh*t label is the soil itself.  Rich in minerals, the dirt has a distinct yellow loam and an overall yellowish-brown hue, which, to the locals, resembles excrement of the grain-fed poultry in the region. 

It is suggested that the truth of the Duck Sh*t name may be a combination of both theories. Our clever tea farmer may have drawn inspiration from a common reference to protect his unique tea creation.

Would Duck Sh*t Tea by Any Other Name, Smell as Sweet? 

When the Duck Sh*t hit the fan, fans demanded it not change. In 2014, a Chinese Tea Farmers Association tried to "gentrify" the tea and package it with a more attractive label, "Silver Flower Fragrance". Customers rejected the change, preferring its "earthy original", signaling a trend in the high-end tea market which places value on authenticity and provenance.

List of ingredients on candy bar, notably absent, duck doo doo

Waiting for the tea, but chocolate is just fine

Currently, I'm making my way through my Duck Sh*t tea chocolate bar from FOSSA Chocolate. It's delicious - definitely malty and earthy with hints of floral. It's not sugary sweet, either, which gives it staying power on my serving platter.

In the meantime, I'm sourcing some Duck Sh*t tea. I like that its true to its authentic self and ditched the Silver Flower for a name we'll all remember. Duck Sh*t tea happens and I can't wait to sample more.

'Guilded Age' of Gourmet Confections: Ontario's Guild Chocolates is a treasure across the border!

Jaclyn Sanders (right) with BTS' Barb Gulley

In 1866, oil was discovered in Petrolia, setting off a series of boom periods for the small Ontario town. Nearly 150 years later, gold struck again in the form of hand-crafted, high-quality chocolate and its home is Guild Chocolates.  

Last weekend, we embarked on a remarkably short international trip to meet with the owner and award-wining chocolatier, Jaclyn Sanders. 

Though Guild Chocolates has been in business for over a decade, my husband, Chris, and I just recently learned about it. An upcoming tea event, hosted by the folks behind Guild Chocolates, showed up on our social media feed.  Afternoon tea and chocolate? No surprise, we're their demographic.

Guild Chocolates award-winning sweets, miniature works of art.

The shop is only open on Saturdays, so Chris and I carved out a weekend to cross the Blue Water Bridge, traveling the easy distance from Sarnia to nearby Petrolia, to meet up with the chocolate artist behind Guild Chocolates.

Jaclyn is as sweet and inviting as her chocolate and within a few short minutes, I felt like I was talking with an old friend. Her resume is impressive - studied Art History at Cambridge, lived in NYC for eleven years honing culinary skills -  yet she's equally down-to-earth and engaging and her passion for her craft is evident in all her chocolate creations on display.

Guild Chocolates is open only on Saturdays, but hosts special events throughout the year. 

The variety of confections include solid bars and truffles in various forms from frogs to bubbles. Many of Jaclyn's chocolates have won top awards in both international and national competitions. In fact, there's a six-piece sampler of some of the medaled chocolates (which we bought and loved!), including FruitTea, made with matcha, kukicha, peanut praline and raspberry.

That's not where the tea connection ends, however. Guild Chocolates also sells several loose tea blends and other tea-infused sweets. One of our favorites in the latter category is their Earl Grey chocolate, which received Gold in the Canadian Chocolate competition, 2023.

Earl Grey chocolates, recipient of Canadian Chocolate competition, 2023.

In addition, Guild Chocolate hosts special tea and chocolate events throughout the year with historical themes (Churchill, Titanic, Dickens, Frank Lloyd Wright), tastings and Afternoon Tea (which is coming up in May!).

Inspired by Victorian writer, artist and central figure of the British Arts and Crafts movement, William Morris, Guild Chocolates not only offers extremely tasty treats, but individual works of art in every bite-sized sweet.

Guild Chocolates in Petrolia, Ontario - a town that continues to strike gold!

Guild Chocolates is a delicious get-away. For those in the Detroit Metro area, a relatively short (1 - 2 hour) drive. We'll be crossing the bridge again in May, for more chocolate and afternoon tea.

For more information on Guild Chocolates, their hours, location and upcoming events, visit their website at guildchocolates.com.

Barb's Tea Service: Podcast of the Year!

Barb's Tea Service wins Podcast of the Year from ONTV Studios.

Barb’s Tea Service is excited and honored to share that we were awarded Podcast of the Year by ONTV Studios.

Last week, at the ONTV banquet and awards ceremony in Lake Orion, my co-host and arm candy, Chris, along with our son—and five-time BTS guest—Rob, joined me to dine and mingle with studio staff, fellow producers, and creators.

Awards ceremony hosted by ONTV's Ian Locke and Tracy Marsh.

Executive Director Ian Locke, who also served as Master of Ceremonies this past weekend, opened the evening with highlights of ONTV’s programming and achievements. After a delicious catered dinner, Ian resumed his emcee duties and, alongside ONTV’s Administrative Assistant and outstanding hostess year-round, Tracy March, presented the evening’s awards.

BTS' five time special guest - and son - Rob, joined us for the awards banquet.

After only two years in the studios, Chris and I were both surprised and thrilled to hear Barb’s Tea Service named Podcast of the Year.

Earlier this month, Chris and I were celebrating both our 70th podcast and our second anniversary. Looking back at our 2025/2026 highlights, we sampled over 30 different tea blends, hosted six special guests, and explored a wide range of tea and tea-adjacent topics -  from a dozen tea events  and travels to eight different states to milestone birthdays (Jane Austen and Chris).

Barb's Tea Service team of Barb and Chris Gulley awarded Podcast of the Year.

With all that behind us, we already know this year’s highlight. 😉

That being said, rest assured, we're not resting on our laurels. We've got another fun year planned full of more special guests, more tea and more surprises (mostly to us!). 

Podcast of the Year award will find a place of honor at the Gulley homestead.

We're thrilled to be recognized by ONTV, but, honestly, it's icing on the cake.  As we noted after completing our first year of podcasts, our regular trips to the studio feel more like visiting family than just "renting" space. 

A wonderful banquet, complete with swag bags.

A heartfelt thank you to ONTV Studios for their continued support over the past two years: Ian Locke, Tracy Marsh, Joe Johnson (Studio Manager), and Joey Tysick (Production Coordinator).

And to all our listeners, viewers, and special guests—thank you. As we like to say at Barb’s Tea Service, please stay tuned!