Happy Easter from Barb's Tea Service! Wishing you lots of great tea and very good chocolate in your basket!

Easter basket filled with Bon Bon Bons

 After filling your Easter basket with jelly beans, peeps and brightly colored eggs, choose the ultimate chocolate treats from our favorite Michigan chocolatiers:  Bon Bon Bon and Mindo, (and, rather exclusively,  my friend, Pam).

Enjoying Earl Grey bon bon with Earl Grey tea

When Easter falls in April, I get more of my share of goodies, since it's also my birthday month.  I love sweets, but chocolate is on the top of my list, as any readers of this blog know, I write about chocolate almost as much as tea. Of course, holidays and birthdays are a good excuse to indulge (it's worth a few more steps on the daily dog walk).

Key Lime truffle, incredibly delicous!

 Last week, my son, Matt, gifted me with a dozen bon bons from Bon Bon Bon. I've been enjoying one (or two) a day with a cup of tea. There were some I hadn't tried before and they were as amazingly delicious as all my old favorites. Key Lime Pie is incredible - it even has a little crumble crust between the key lime mousse and the chocolate shell.

Earl Grey bon bons created with help from BTS

Included in this dozen bon bons was my go-to truffle to accompany my go-to tea, Earl Grey.  When Rachel and I took the truffle-making class at Bon Bon Bon last summer, we assisted in making those fabulous Earl Grey chocolates.

Barb, Alex (owner of Bon Bon Bon) & Rachel

Mindo Chocolate is another great place to stock up on holiday treats for your Easter basket. Barb's Tea Service worked with Mindo in a recent chocolate tasting event. You can see the ingredients just bursting out of every bar and they are simply scrumptious to eat.

Mindo offers a variety chocolate bars  We love the dark chocolate and sea salt.

The ingredients burst out of every bar!

Pam and Barb with Dana from Mindo Chocolate

Finally, and I know it's not available everywhere, but if you are lucky enough to have a friend who makes you homemade fudge, there's really no equal. My birthday treasure-bath this year included a box full of espresso fudge from my very good friend and tea associate.  #thankspam  #extralongwalksthismonth #worthit

Delicious homemade fudge part of birthday treasure bath

Whatever you find in your Easter basket: peeps, jelly beans, sinful chocolate or, best of all, lots of good times with family and  friends, we at Barb's Tea Service wish you a Happy, Happy Easter!

Tea gifts for Easter from Adagio Teas!

Joyous Easter package from Adagio Teas includes tea mug/infuser and two teas from the Spring Collection

Looking for a springtime tea treat to fill an Easter basket? Adagio Teas has the perfect Easter tea sampler specially packaged for the holiday.

Joyous Easter comes specially packaged for the holiday.

Adagio's "Joyous Easter" collection, includes two Spring teas and a pretty, pastel pink tea mug with its own infuser.  The latter does double duty as cheery over-sized cup to sip from as well as a steeper of loose tea.

A great Easter treat to open and savor!

The two teas included in the Joyous Easter package are "a-tisket, a-tasket", a green tea blend comprised of lemongrass, sunflower petals, citrus peels and lemon and vanilla flavors and "bushel and a peck", a mix of black and jasmine teas with orange peels, chamomile flowers and orange flavor.

Both tea blends offer a taste of Spring with abundant citrus-y and flowery notes.

In keeping with the theme, even the tea tins are miniature gardens with yellow and white blooms displayed on the front of the green and yellow boxes.

"Bushel and a Peck", one of the two tea blends included in Joyous Easter

This lovely holiday package isn't limited to Easter. Adagio sells similar packages for Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Father's Day.  They come in loose tea or bag tea options.

Treat your tea enthusiast to a tasty treat this Easter with Adagio's Joyous Easter.

Spread the joy of Easter with the "Joyous Easter" tea collection from Adagio. It's a great gift for all the tea enthusiasts on your list - including you!

Note:  Although the front of "a-tisket, a-tasket" tea tin states "loose leaf black tea", it is green tea. 

Product review disclaimer:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free or a discounted price. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Etiquette Program "Eating Various Foods" at the Townsend: Take our Quiz - Fingers or Forks?

Eating Various Foods: Dare to take on more!

Coming soon to The Townsend Hotel, the third in its Dining Etiquette Series, featuring Barb's Tea Service.  We will cover "Eating Various Foods". You don't always have to play it safe with grilled chicken breasts and cooked vegetables.

If you've ever been stumped by which foods are eaten using fingers or forks, we've got the answer. Take our quick quiz below to assess your skill! (answers below).

                                               Fingers or Forks?

                                               a)  Asparagus                    
                                               b)  Bacon                        
                                               c)  Olives                          
                                               d)  Corn on the Cob          
                                               e)  French fries                   

Etiquette presentation is part of Afternoon Tea at the Townsend's tea lobby

We'll cover the art of mastering a variety of challenging foods as well add in a few tea etiquette tips - all in the most beautiful setting,  Townsend Hotel's afternoon tea lobby.

We hope you will join us for a delightful afternoon tea featuring the Townsend's delicious savories, scrumptious scones and tasty desserts, all served up with bottomless pots of expertly brewed tea!

Join Barb's Tea Service for Dining Tutorial at the Townsend

Answers:  a) fork unless you are in Europe, b) fork, unless extra crispy, c) fingers, d) fingers and e) fork and knife, unless served with hamburgers or hot dogs.
Five correct: Master Diner, Four correct: Honorable Mention Diner, Three correct:  Pretty good Diner, Two Correct:  Almost Pretty Good Diner, One Correct: Almost Pretty Good Diner in Training, Zero Correct: Diner