St. Patrick's Day tea table: Irish tea, Irish linen and a bit o' green

Hello TEA Friends,

Holidays provide inspiration for tea time tablescapes and St. Patrick's Day is no exception. Key ingredients for a March 17th afternoon tea table include Irish linen, green accents and, of course, great Irish tea.

During a recent visit to Kristea's tea gift shop in Berkely, we were motivated to start our own St. Patrick's Day tea table after viewing their seasonal tablescape on display. The retailer's eye for design and attention to detail comes together with emerald-hued plates and glassware accented with a hunter- green plaid tablecloth.

Inside the store, we also spotted some beautiful Irish linen napkins with a shamrock pattern on the border - what an elegant crumb catcher for our McVities' Digestives.

Back at home, we put the kettle on for some hearty Irish tea and set out to furnish our finest Irish afternoon tea table. Using cherished family treasures, I took out my grandmother's light green depression glass tea cups and dishes and set them on a beautiful Irish linen tablecloth from my mother-in-law. With such finery, only the best of tea would be suitable and we had just the one. My good friend, Joni, just back from a trip to Ireland, brought me a tin of Bewley's Dublin tea. After one sip, it went right to the top of my favorites' list.

St. Patrick's Day tea time should be an elegant affair. With fine design and excellent tea, it can be achieved. However, we reserve commenting on what occurs after tea time. What happens on St. Patrick's Day, stays in St. Patrick's Day!

Top O' the Morning/Evening to all!

Barb

Spend Valentine's Day with tea, chocolate, roses and. . . hamburgers?

It's Valentine's Day and we all have our own idea of how the perfect February 14th should be celebrated. I like spending the day with chocolate, roses and tea (see our blog entry from February 12th on Adagio's Valentine tea which combines all three!). Throw in a candlelight dinner and my ideal has been realized. But I never, in all my romantic daydreams, considered fast-food hamburgers in the scenario, let alone reserving a table at the neighborhood White Castle. But, maybe it's time to break out of the heart-shaped chocolate box and reconsider.

In a story I first ran across this weekend by The Restaurant Examiner, Anya Vinclauv, I thought it must be a one-time, one-locale promotion. Further reading and a visit to the White Castle website, proved, however, that across the county, one could celebrate Valentine's Day at the short-order grill with tableside service and flowers on the table. It's all part of White Castle's "Sweetheart Meal Deal" and, if this sounds at all tempting, you'll have get to your phone quickly. This is a reservation-only affair and, per White Castle's website, "seating is limited".

The White Castle menu includes not only its signature "Sliders", but exotic fast-food fare such as fries with cheese, fish nibblers and chicken rings. In addition, you'll see they also serve chocolate shakes and a hot tea (the latter's menu picture proudly captions "have a sip and meditate on the depths of White Castle Flavor"). Chocolate, tea and a rose on the table - this is starting to sound dangerously familiar.

Should you never want to forget such an evening, White Castle advertises that you can have your picture taken during dinner. Somehow, though, I don't think a photo would be necessary. I have a feeling, this is an experience that would remain in one's memory for a very, very long time.

It may be too late for this year, but I'm keeping options open for 2012. For now, I'll console myself with some Valentine tea, chocolate truffles and a beautiful rose on my dining room table (thanks, Chris and Rob!)

Happy Valentine's Day to all - no matter how you spend it!

Barb

Celebrate Valentine's Day with Chocolate, Tea, and Roses from Adagio

Valentine's Day is almost here and we're celebrating with all the traditional ingredients of the holiday. At Barb's TEA Shop, we are spending February 14th with tea, chocolate and roses. In fact, we like the combination so much, we turned to Adagio Tea's Valentine tea, which allows us to enjoy all our favorite things in just one cup.

For those of us who have sampled a lot of chocolate tea, it's easy to get disappointed. The aromas can promise delicious things to come, but it doesn't always translate in the brew. Adagio's Valentine tea, however, will not only have you at "hello" when you open its package, it will keep your interest until it has the last word at the end of your cup.

Starting with Ceylon black tea, Adagio's romantic blend, adds rose petals and natural strawberry and chocolate flavors together to bring all the delights of February 14th to your teapot. Roses will fade and chocolates bring calories, but Adagio's Valentine's tea will satisfy all year long.

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Barb

Scones for your next Super Bowl Party?

On the top ten list of the most popular food items consumed on Super Bowl Sunday, even I was surprised that tea made the list. Even more shocking was what made it to the top. According to the NY Daily News, the market research group NDA reports the most popular food eaten on professional football's biggest day of the year are vegetables. Who knew?

Well, certainly not anyone who attends my brother Glenn's annual Super Bowl party. It's a holiday feast starting a few hours before kick-off with a 6-foot sub, salty snacks and delicious dips. The pot-luck menu gets better every year with gourmet cookies, home baked chicken wings and spicy meatballs. At half-time, while we wait for the next potential celebrity wardrobe malfunction we munch down just delivered deep dish pizzas. All this typically gets paired with a diet cola or low cal ale in attempt to counterbalance the super-sized caloric intake for the day.

So how do vegetables, salads and milk make this top ten list? According to NDA, not everyone watches the Super Bowl. It's hard to believe as long-time attendees of my brother's Super Bowl party. How insular can we be to forget that most households in America don't watch it at all? So in all the years we devoted fans have endured times where the commercials were better than the game and indulged on dips with sour cream, double-fudge brownies and pizza with cheese-stuffed crusts, most other folks are sitting down to dinner with vegetables and tea? Incredible.

Based on this recent information, I have informed my brother that I will be bringing a pot of Earl Grey. He's up for the new addition, but says it will remain a BYOV (if you want veggies, you have to bring them yourself). I don't think the pre-Super Bowl trivia games are in threat of being replaced by a viewing of A & E's Pride and Prejudice nor do I think Chris' from-scratch chicken wings will get any competition from scones and crumpets.

Let the best tea/football party begin!

Yours in tea and friendship,

Barb

January is Hot Tea Month, but still iced in northern Michigan

Hello TEA Friends,

Although it's the end of January, one still has time to continue celebrating Hot Tea Month. It's a wonderful occasion - no need run to Hallmark, wrap presents or haul out forgotten decorations stored in the basement. It's just one month on the calendar to remind us that hot tea is a special treat and, especially for those of us who reside in the northern climates, it's a welcome relief to some chilly temperatures. It's also a great month to guage the progress of my tea garden.

Last weekend, we were at our up-north cabin, Pemberly, for a marathon cross-country skiing event with the family at Garland Resort. It's officially known as the "Gourmet Glide" and it's a four-mile-plus trek across groomed trails with several fine dining stops in between (all who attended gave it a fleece-lined mittened two thumbs up). My husband and I came up a few days early and practiced skiing on our small compound. We made a routine stop at the tea garden I started last year. As you can see from the picture above, the herbs are literally chilling out.

Inside Pemberly, however, my Camellia sinensis is safe from the unfamiliar seasonal temperatures of its new locale. We keep it in the corner of the kitchen, a cozy spot flanked by a picture window and a glass doorwall. Here, when the sun does come out, it floods light and warmth to such an extent, my tea plant, if it closed its eyes, could easily believe its back in its subtropical home. It seems to be happy, budding on schedule this fall and growing noticeably in length every month.

So, while January is hot tea month, our outdoor herbal tea in northern Michigan gets served with ice. But after the down vests come off and the ski boots are left dripping on the boot rack, the tea kettle goes on, another log gets thrown on the fire and we enjoy hot tea from the inside. We get as toasty as our transplanted Camellia sinensis in the kitchen corner, where it puts its roots down for the winter. It may be the end of Hot Tea Month, but its not the end of hot tea up north, even when when the naturally iced tea is gone from the garden.

Maybe next year, I will send cards for Tea Month.

Happy 2011 to all!

Barb

What's In, What's Out for 2011

Hello TEA Friends!

After all the shopping, decorating, baking, planning, eating and gifting of the holiday season, it's time to ring in the new year and focus on all that's ahead for the next twelve months. This is a great time to start fresh or renew unfinished projects. It's also the time that I look forward to some of the best reading material of the year: the highly anticipated "In/Out" lists of prescribed trends and fashions for the next 365 days. I cull newspapers, magazines and on-line sources to see if my toile pillows are still in style and if clutter remains an "out" (I'm forever optimistic that it will one day be "in").

This year, Barb's TEA Shop, has traveled to Las Vegas for the World Tea Expo, Louisville for the Jane Austen festival, and both upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan to uncover what's fashionable in tea for 2011. Here's our In/Out List for the new year.

Barb's TEA Shop's What's In/What's Out List in the World of Tea for 2011

IN ................................................................ OUT

Specialty loose teas................................................... Generic grocery store tea bags

Tea carts with room for wine.................................... No tea cart at all

Russell Hobbs tea brewing system ............................Tea made from hot tap water

Tea party attire: vintage jewelery, smart casual.........White gloves, mink stoles

Tea Whiskey ............................................................ An Old Fashion (because it's, well, old fashioned)

Pu-erh tea (old, but not old fashioned) .....................Other than Pu-erh, old tea

Honey spoons .......................................................... Three-year old honey in the bottom of the jar

Chamilia/Pandora bracelets with tea charms ............ Robin's-egg-blue-boxed chunky bracelet with heart

Chinese tea ceremony ......................................... Too ritualized tea (we're here to drink tea, after all)

Tea cozies ............................................................ Cold tea

Kim Wilson's Jane Austen's tea/garden books......... Any "Real Housewives of . . ." TV, even if they drink tea or garden

JASNA ................................................................... LOL, ROFL, BRB

Beautiful tea room in upper peninsula .................... Tea party moose hunting in Alaska

Blueberry tea from Blueberry Capital ......................Cherry flavored coffee from Cherry Capital

Tea Forte tea cocktails ............................................An Old Fashion (see above)

In-home tea tastings ..............................................Purse, cooking and Tupperware parties

Talbott Teas Cocoa cardamom seduction ................Drive-through peppermint mocha lattes (seductive, too, but at 400 calories per cup, they're out - at least until next December)

And finally:

Oprah's Favorite Things & Barb's TEA Shop's Wish List

(room for both of us, always "IN" and always IN good taste!)

Whether you're staying in to celebrate or heading out to party, we wish you a safe and happy New Year's Eve and a fantastic 2011!

Barb

Barb's TEA Shop Wish List

Hello TEA Friends,

During the year, I keep notes on things I find in my travels via plane, car or the worldwide internet that I think would make great gifts. And, you know that old adage that people give gifts that they would like to receive themselves? Well, my list is comprised of pretty much that - merchandise and excursions that I would be happy to receive.

So, dear friends, I offer the items on my list as suggestions and inspiration for the tea enthusiast on your list (or, if you are in a quandary as to what to put in Barb's TEA Shop's stocking).

Tea and tea related gifts wish list:

Mrs. Crumpet's tea cart from Victorian Trading company. At $399.95, this is on the high end of the list, but again, it is a wish list. This remarkable cart is elegant yet utilitarian with room for not only your tea service, but for a few bottles of wine as well. A must-have for the ultimate tea party.

Another big ticket item on the list is an overnight stay at Paula Deen's Y'ALL Come Inn on Tybee Island in Georgia. Although not a tea-specific item, ever since I received a Paula Deen tea kettle for Christmas last year I have yearned to head down to Savannah and stay a spell. I would bring my teapot down and use it to fix a delicious pot of tea for my favorite Food Network celebrity - even if it was only with her cardboard cutout clone.

Rates for one night's stay near my birthday (April) approximately $500.

In the more moderate range, but unquestionably luxurious, are Talbott Teas - selected as one of Oprah's Favorite Things of 2010. As some readers may already know, Talbott Teas has offered a limited time 15% discount on their gift sets (just use the promo code "COUTURE"). Tea lovers would love any one of these fine sets, but as long as we're wishing, clearly who could not want the aptly named "Ultimate Collection" for only $150. This gift set (see photo, upper left hand corner) includes a variety of both loose and sachet teas, a teapot, two cups, filters, honey sticks and a tray. (Everything that could fit on your Mrs. Crumpets tea cart.)

Our wish list also includes something for the tea geek in the family. We were introduced to the Zojirushi Water Heater at the World Tea Expo this June. Zojirushi is the "Apple" of the tea world and their water heaters are the IPad equivalent. The 4-litre model, on sale at Elmwood Inn Teas, will heat water to the correct temperature for green, white or black tea and keep it warm for hours. Is this essential? Does one need an IPad? I rest my case.

(Speaking of Elmwood Inn, we sampled their blueberry herbal infusion at the Expo and it was delicious. They have packaged it with their Christmas in a Cup custom tea blend for a Christmas Tea for Two.)

Another World Tea Expo find that's both festive and economical comes from Meville Candy Company. Tea and coffee spoons add a variety of flavors including honey, french vanilla and peppermint to your favorite hot beverage. These make great stocking stuffers or hostess gifts (and won't they look fantastic on your Mrs. Crumpets tea cart?).

While in the party spirit, consider Tea Forte's cocktail infusions. We purchased the Collection this year and enjoyed the teaming of tea and spirits. We are ready for reinforcements. (That tea cart is becoming very well stocked, don't you think?)

Of course, there a number of Michigan items on the wish list too. From local tea rooms, here are some of our favorites:

Chazzano Coffee in Ferndale has a fantastic Puerh tea - my latest indulgence. While there, you may also want to pick up the Ethiopia Harrar for your friends on the Dark Side.

Goldfish Tea Room has an outstanding Keemun black tea. A package of this - or any of their Chinese teas - will satisfy tea fans. Also, check out their pear wood tea boats, they're essential for an intimate tea ceremony with friends.

And, if you want to experience an authentic Chinese tea ceremony by a Chinese tea master, treat yourself and a friend to Master Ma at The Wanderer's Tea House in East Lansing. We went earlier this month and were exposed to an exquisite tea and a wealth of information. For the outrageously low price of $10.00 a person, you will want to make the trip more than once.

Continuing north, Light of Days of Traverse City offers delicious organic, free trade teas. We would be delighted to find Creamy Earl Grey, Coffee Convert or Cacao Mint tea under our tree Christmas morning.

Finally, no list would be complete without a nod to our own hand-crafted tea cozies available on Barb's Tea Shop e-store. There are styles and sizes that will match a wide range of tastes and teapots. (We'll keep adding more great tea related products in 2011, so continue to check back regularly!)

Before we put on our nightcaps and settle in for a long winter nap, with visions of tea carts and hot water ready, but not from the tap - our list would not be complete without wishing you the happiest of holidays.

With all the best the season brings, yours in TEA and friendship,

Barb