Tuesday Tea and Tomes: The beginning of virtual Tea and Reads

Afternoon tea now features book club!

 

Afternoon tea is not just about tea and scones (although, those are delightful components). Our monthly family tea times have evolved to include not just a gab fest (although, another delightful component), but now book club, too!

At our initial tea, the conversation turned to latest Netflix shows and last reads. The latter topic lead to a an informal book club idea and Haley, my future daughter-in-law, had just picked up a book the weekend prior, "Mrs. Everything" by Jennifer Weiner.

Sis-in-law shows off fancy spoons and biscuits from Caffe Florian

Haley was drawn to the book because it's about two sisters growing up in Detroit. The time frame spans from the 1950's to present day and it's a page-turning journey of the sister relationship strained and forged over tragedies and expectations.

Having been on the cusp of the generation where women had the choice of stay-at-home mom or Ms. Career  - and a vast subtext of suspicion from each camp of the other - I understand the struggle to "do it all" with equal amounts of confidence and doubt.

The senior members of the book club found some of the sisters' antics exhausting. The millennials in our group were saddened by the limitations of the time for the Kauffman girls. 

With names pulled from "Little Women"  - Beth and Jo,  the pretty one and the tomboy -  the sisters carved out lives for themselves neither one anticipated.

And, all of this story with Michigan roots. There's some fun references to the Detroit area, but we all spotted out the incorrect geographic crossroads of Quarton and Lasher described as being part of Southfield. Not essential to the story, but still allows an "insider" to raise an eyebrow.

Definitely for mature readers, but a fast read and something, I'm happy to report on, out of my routine. It's nice to be in the new millennial from time-to-time.  

And, as with other teas, we still showed off what we were drinking and fancy accoutrements. We had a bit of a Caffe Florian theme - my sister-in-law, Sandy, showed off her beautiful silver teaspoons and biscuits (!)  from the Venetian tea room that she received as a birthday gift. I held up one of my selections from the Caffe Florian's 300 year's anniversary collection. Molto bene!

We've already selected our next book and scheduled the "Virtual Tea and Reads" for April. Looking forward to tea, scones, gab fest and book review - all delightful components for our next gathering!

Victoria's Tea Pleasures inspire spring teas and bring back memories from Carolina Inn!

Victoria Classic's Tea Pleasures inspires spring teas and tea travels

Yesterday, March 20, marked the first day of Spring and with that (and a well-timed sunny, temperate weekend in  Michigan), we're anxious to change color schemes from winter bolds to warmer pastels, take tea out of doors, and - with the promising outlook of more venues opening up - a visit to a favorite tea room. Victoria Classics Tea Pleasures special issue "Celebrating the Art of Tea" has all of those topics covered in almost one hundred pages of inspiring articles accompanied by beautiful photographs.

In this edition of Tea Pleasures, there's a delightful arrange of topics from tea traditions to tea hospitality. the latter including tips for making guests feel welcome such as place cards, uplifting background music and adding some casual elements to the table to dial back some of the stuffiness of a very formal place setting. 

Place cards can help guests feel comfortable and welcomed!

"Occasions for Tea" section features a Spring Tea and a Garden Tea - both of which I'm anxiously planning and preparing for soon.  Recipes and tablescapes for each themed tea are provided. Although the "lemon-blueberry parfait" is listed under the Spring Tea, I'm going to prepare it for the Garden Tea as well. It looks delicious and not overly complicated to prepare - and the bonus of having it in our "up north" tea garden is that blueberries grow naturally there and its herb garden is filled with mint. It can be our "tea-garden-to-tea-table" sourced afternoon tea!

Tea Pleasures has us thinking of more outdoor teas to come

Tea Pleasures wraps up in a final section on "Tea Destinations" which brought back memories as well as added to my must-see tea room wish list. The first tea room highlighted is The Carolina Inn which I visited back in 2013 (see blog story, Going to Carolina Inn my mind).  The article had me reminiscing about the delightful afternoon tea I enjoyed at this venue in Chapel Hill with then tea director Carolina H. 

Carolina Inn for tea in 2013

Tea Destinations also had me go back to my tea room visit wish list and re- highlight, re-circle and boldly underline New York's "The Plaza Hotel". With all our trips to Manhattan, that's one spot I've yet to experience, but now must.(Note to NY son, when we can visit you next, we'll be heading to Fifth Avenue and Central Park for a cup of tea). 

 While we wait to officially move the winter coats to the far side of the closet and travel becomes a bit more accessible, we recommend "Celebrating the Art of Tea" in Tea Pleasures for a refresh on tea essentials and lots of spring-time inspiration. 

Happy Spring from BTS!

Virtual tea times still going strong! Warning: duration of afternoon tea talk may exceed time on invite!

Virtual afternoon tea - a most civilized way to get together for an hour . . . or more!

Last weekend, BTS (Barb Gulley and Rachel Gulley Brown)  hosted a family virtual afternoon tea.  The invite list included two aunts, one cousin and one future sister-in-law (or, from the elder Gulley's  perspective, two sister-in-laws, one niece, and one future daughter-in-law) with a geographic spread ranging from the Oakland county suburbs to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Local afternoon tea guests were treated to delicious blueberry scones, baked and delivered by Rachel

The time was set for Sunday from 1:00 - 2:00 pm and all but our Cincinnati relation received a special delivery the day before. Rachel baked blueberry scones from scratch (gluten free and "regular") on Saturday, wrapped them up in a clear cellophane package cinched with a  silver twist tie and personally door-dashed them to local guests.

Come-as-you-are attire means hat and bling for some

It was "come-as-you-are", which, at BTS, means fascinator and bling!  

Virtual afternoon tea with the family. Cousin/bridesmaid Marti, shows off her fancy tea cup

We all logged on to our on-line  link and commenced with tea and talk. Over blueberry scones, we shared what tea we were drinking and in what cup. Honors go to Marti E., who brought the tea cup she was gifted as part of a bridesmaid invite package from Rachel last year (she's not only a cousin, but a bridesmaid, too!).

Sandy & Marti's pretty afternoon tea tablescape - all the essentials:  tea, scones, savories & tiered tray

Conversations covered current events and recent reads, the latter including text books, children's classics and "Mrs. Everything", the latter a choice for a future tea time book club.

Although the invite designated time period was one hour, it, without hesitation, went well beyond. Afternoon tea time cannot be constrained!!

So much enjoyed by guests, another virtual afternoon tea time was scheduled for this month (and tea time book club coming soon!).

We love keeping up this new tradition. Certainly more to come and we'll be ready with tea, scones, and tablesscapes. But be warned:  time on invite is merely a "suggestion". 

BTS' tablescape for one included festive spring flower placeholder (no confusion as to where I sat!)

Venice's Caffe Florian faces most challenging times in three hundred years. While the doors may be closed, its still open on-line for international orders!

Venice's Caffe Florian has resided in St. Mark's Square for over 300 years.

 

Caffe Florian, like its home, Venice, is a magical place that enchants natives and tourists alike. In its three centuries of existence, it appeared to be immune from everything from  political upheaval to natural disasters - that is until 2020's global pandemic rattled the coffee and tea shop's charmed life and forced an extended shut-down. 

While at the elegant Caffe Florian, Rachel and I take in the infinity mirror

This week, the Wall Street Journal profiled Caffe Florian (World Wars Couldn't Stop Caffe Florian. Covid Did) and its current struggles. It set me to mind of our visit just three years ago when I was able to mix a bit of business and pleasure - a family vacation that included a couple of writing assignments for TeaTime Magazine - and afternoon tea at Caffe Florian was at the heart of both.

Afternoon tea at Caffe Florian

Signature china also available on-line

In the fall of 2017, my tea business partner (and daughter) Rachel and I, along with husband, Chris spent ten days in Italy. Rome was our home base, but we did spend time in Florence and, as noted, Venice. Although each city has its own allure, of all the places we've visited in western Europe, it's hard to compare Venice to any other spot with its canal travel system and its influence on every part of Venetian life. 

Chris and Rachel in Venice

Traveling the canals via gondolas

Caffe Florian adapted most admirably to its environs. Starting as a small coffee shop in 1720,  it emerged as a luxurious restaurant in the 19th century, attracting society's elites for centuries. We felt every part of that society at our visit. We were greeted warmly by Anna Rita Panebianco, the retail manager of the cafe, and she was our hostess throughout the afternoon tea. The restaurant combines old world elegance with divine cuisine. 

Caffe Florian article in TeaTime, a visit of both business and pleasure

However, even with its formidable adaptability, there's one challenge Caffe Florian hasn't been able to overcome just yet - Covid 19 and quarantine. The tony but accessible restaurant in St. Mark's Square has been closed for over a year. It missed out on a 300th anniversary party in December and another carneval season has passed it by. 

Anna Rita, the cafe's store manager, demonstrates how the tables turn for ease of getting in and out

BUT, all is not loss. Caffe Florian is open for on-line orders!! They have coffee, chocolate, china and, of course, tea. They also have commemorative merchandise available that honors their 300th anniversary. 

Caffe Florian's amazing tea available on-line

Rachel holds a fav: Sunset in Venice

This weekend, I ordered some of my favorite Caffe Florian tea, including a special 300th anniversary variety pack. I was dismayed that anniversary tea cup and saucers are out of stock - and wine orders could not be put through - but that just left more money for other items.

To purchase chocolate, tea, coffee and much more (!) from Caffe Florian, go to their e-shop link provided here: Caffe Florian e-shop  or go directly to their website caffeflorian.com  

You can read more about our visit to Caffe Florian in TeaTime Magazine's article, in Caffe Florian, wearing its best smile for 300 years on-line or in its January/February 2019 issue. 

A more personal account is in our December, 2018 blog,  Caffe Florian in Venice.

TeaTime Magazine's 100th Issue! Many years of great connections, exciting tea travel, terrific tablescapes, inviting recipes and beautiful photographs. . . and more to come!!

TeaTime Magazine celebrates its 100th issue with one hundred pages!

Every issue of TeaTime Magazine is special, but the March/April 2021 edition is extra special, with an emphasis on extra. This is TeaTime's 100th issue filled with one hundred pages of everything we love about this magazine:  tea room visits, tablescapes, recipes and tea education, all written to inform and entertain,  accompanied by gorgeous photos that cheer and inspire.

Barb Gulley with TeaTime Editor, Lorna Reeves

But, TeaTime is more than just a magazine - it's a lifestyle and a community, and, for me, it's been an essential companion throughout my own tea career. With its first issue published in 2003, TeaTime launched just as my daughter, Rachel (still in high school) and I, were putting together our business plan for Barb's Tea Service (at the time, Barb's Tea Shop) which officially started in January of 2005. 

TeaTime not only connected me with tea friends and tea travel, but, eventually an opportunity to write articles about both topics for this incredible magazine.

Afternoon tea with Penelope C

Our visit to Caffe Florian featured in Tea Time

My first contribution to TeaTime came in 2014 with a short piece for "the tea diaries" feature. In "Making Friends over TeaTime", I shared the story of meeting a fellow tea presenter and author, Penelope C. in Denver, Colorado. In a bit of "seredipi-tea",  Penelope's tea event at the Molly Brown House was highlighted in TeaTime just a month before my husband and I were planning to visit the mile high city. I sent Penelope a note asking if we could meet up before her event and, in the fashion of the remarkable tea people I've had the pleasure to know, she not only said "yes", but invited me to her home for afternoon tea!

My TeaTime archives. Front and center: Jan/Feb 2016 issue featuring our visit to Highclere Castle

TeaTime made for many local connections as well. One of my favorite tea friends, Barb T., connected with me after reading one of my TeaTime articles. She reached out to me via social media, with the comment: "how is there another Barb in (southeast) Michigan who loves tea and I haven't met her yet?".  We remedied that immediately and, since then,  we've shared many a delightful tea time at some of the most wonderful  tea venues in Michigan. 

Tea enthusiasts who met via TeaTime, Michigan Barb's at tea

After my submission to the "tea diaries", I continued to contribute to TeaTime Magazine. From 2016 to 2019, I wrote articles on my tea travels to Highclere Castle (the "real" Downton Abbey) and, later, visits to tea rooms in Venice and Rome. It's always a great honor to write for TeaTime - every issue is executed with high standards and attention to detail. It's what keeps us not only upping our subscription every year, but welcoming each new issue as though it's a holiday upon arrival.

Barb & Rachel G. with Janes Norwood Pratt 2010

With Bruce Richardson, 2019

The March/April edition  of TeaTime pays tribute to all of its one hundred issues starting with its origins as an offshoot of Southern Lady Magazine and a collaboration between Phyllis Hoffman DePiano and Barbara Cockerham. In 2010, Lorna Reeves took over as Editor and continues in that role today. In 2013, the magazine added three contributing editors: James Norwood Pratt, Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson. All of these editors are the rock stars of the tea world and since 2004, I've met them all personally. They continue to educate and motivate and, like TeaTime Magazine, they are equally elegant and accessible. 

Barb and Rachel Gulley with Jane Pettigrew 2011

When TeaTime published its first ever British Tea, special collector's issue, it was a thrill to share "contributing writers" status with Jane Pettigrew. 

Contributing writers include Jane Pettigrew & Barbara Gulley

First ever British Tea issue

  

Happy 100th Issue TeaTime Magazine. It truly is more than a magazine:  it's where friends meet with a shared passion and continue our tea journey together. We look forward to more BIG issues and will continue to eagerly wait for its next arrival in our mailbox! 

For more information on TeaTime Magazine's products, including subscriptions, check out their website: teatimemagazine.com 

Patricia's Chocolate and Light of Day tea make a perfect pairing! Happy Valentine's Day from BTS!!

An extraordinary pairing of tea and chocolate from Patricia's Chocolate

On Valentine's Day we celebrate love - and, here at BTS, it's no secret we love tea and chocolate.  Pairing a delicious cup of tea with chocolate is a special treat, but combining the two in one toothsome offering is extraordinary. Lucky for us, that is just what Patricia's Chocolate has created and it is amazing!

The "Tea Collection" pairs not only high quality tea with exceptional chocolate, but also combines two fabulous Michigan small businesses:  Patricia's Chocolate and Light of Day Organics. 

We've long been fans of Angela M. and LOD tea farm in Traverse City, watching the business literally grow from a small garden to a hoop-house year-round operation. We've used their teas for tea tasting events and stock up on inventory every time we visit the Traverse Bay area. So, we were excited to see LOD combining efforts to create tea-infused chocolates.

Special delivery from Patricia's Chocolates via LOD

Advertised on Light of Day's Facebook page early last week, the Tea Collection called to me.  I ordered it immediately and it arrived mid-week.  It was an early Valentine's Day gift to me!

Patricia's Chocolates almost (almost!) too beautiful to eat

Per their website,  Patricia Christopher,  owner of Patricia's Chocolate, notes how her business began out of love as well, the "love of the confectionary arts".  Pursuing this passion, Patricia studied at renowned culinary schools in both Chicago and Montreal which lead to her creating delicious "bon-bons" for family and friends. Encouraged by their great reviews, she closed one career and embarked on a new one.

Business has thrived despite early customers' concerns that Patricia's chocolates "were too beautiful to eat".  Having opened my pretty blue box from Patricia's Chocolate this weekend, I can say, I too, expressed the very same thoughts.  But enjoying an alluring chocolate scent that wafted from the opened box and reading the ingredients, those concerns were easily dismissed.

Hummingbird Nectar is a tisane from Light of Day

The Tea Collection consists of six different tea-infused chocolates, including a Creamy Earl Grey with black tea, cornflowers and lavender as well as Hummingbird Nectar, a tisane blend of cherry, blueberry, hibiscus and maple syrup. 

I've worked my way through the assortment and I can attest,  these chocolates are as scrumptious to eat as they are attractive to view.  The chocolate is a perfect texture of creamy delight, not too hard or too soft. Like baby bear's porridge, they are exceedingly "just right".

The Tea Collection is infused with  LOD teas, including Earl Grey and Hummingbird Nectar

Chocolate and tea are the perfect match and the Tea Collection from Patricia's Chocolate is a great way to treat yourself and loved ones for Valentine's Day. . . or just because!

Happy Valentine's Day from BTS, but don't wait for a holiday to indulge in Patricia's chocolates

Happy Valentine's Day, with love!, from BTS.

Patricia's Chocolate is located in Grand Haven, Michigan. They also offer their products on-line. For more information, check out their website patriciaschocolate.com 

Böttger's Teapot: Cocktails, Mocktails and the history of European porcelain from the Frick Museum

Favorite European teapots owe a debt of gratitude to Johann Friedrich Bottger

Do you have a favorite porcelain teapot? Perhaps  the quintessential afternoon tea classic "Old Country Roses" by Royal Albert or maybe a more contemporary (although now retired) Royal Doultan "Provence" from the early 2000's? Whatever one's preference of European porcelain manufacturers is,  we owe a debt of gratitude to Johann Friedrich Böttger, a 17th century failed alchemist, but gifted artist, who is  credited with replicating China's alluring pottery for Europe's mass market.

Bottger was the subject of a Cocktails with the Curator  presentation from Manhattan's Frick Museum. Alerted by BTS team member and great friend, Pam B, of this wonderful, no cost, series which features lectures of various items in the museum's vast collection by Deputy Director and Curator, Xavier Salomon, we fired up our laptop and tuned into Bottger's Teapot, learning about the creation of European porcelain. 

Like Augustus the Strong, I, too, like to collect fine porcelain

Before delving into teapots,  first a note about the Cocktails with the Curator series.  Every Friday at 5:00 pm a new topic is presented by the Frick Curator, typically on one of the museum's paintings or sculptures.  All are under thirty minutes and feature a cocktail (or mocktail for teetotalers, the under 21 crowd or those watching a recording on a "school night") to accompany the subject.  It's a great way to continue museum visits in quarantine times as well as learn an incredible amount of art history.

Bottger's teapot first "aired" in September of last year. Salomon kicked off his lecture with the Saxon cocktail (a rum and grenadine concoction) as an homage to the home of Bottger's porcelain creations.

Teapot daughter Rachel brought home from China - where it all started

Harking back to the origins of porcelain in China and Japan, Salomon notes Europeans were first exposed to it via Venetian Marco Polo in the 13th century. His excursions to the Eastern world brought back a variety of exotic goods, including earthenware vases and vessels which the great explorer coined "porcellana", a nickname in Italian for cowry shell, whose shiny surface resembles porcelain.

More of my  "porcellana" collection featuring blue and white china teapots.

Imported porcelain became highly desirable with royals and aristocrats and in particular, in the late 17th century, Polish king and ruler of Saxony, August the Strong.  So devoted was he to the acquisition of porcelain, that he traded an army of six hundred men to the King of Prussia in exchange for one hundred fifty-one Chinese ceramic pieces. (Ironically, some of the traded soldiers were among those who later fought against Augustus  - gives new meaning to one's investments making a killing).

Now, enter Bottger, whose boastful, but unfulfilled claims of turning base metals into gold, had placed him in some hot water with his royal benefactor, King Frederick of Prussia. Unable to produce gold, he fled to Dresden where Augustus the Strong kept him captive in a workshop/prison to continue the pursuit of developing the precious metal. Augustus also paired him with another artist, Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus.  Tschirnhaus was in pursuit of reproducing Chinese porcelain and, after many failed attemps to make gold, Bottger wisely saw porcelain as his salvation.

Bottger spawned other European pottery companies, including my favorite, Wedgwood

After many iterations of mixing different materials in a variety of conditions, Bottger finally approached his goal.  In 1708, he produced a red stoneware - close to porcelain, but not quite.  The following year, he successfully made white porcelain and created a range of simple to ornate vases, dishes and, per the subject of the Curator's presentation, teapots.

The production of such porcelain coincided with the introduction of more new imports to Europe: coffee, chocolate and tea. Due to their expense, they, too were the exclusive property of the wealthy, who now needed fancy serving ware for these delicious and highly desirable goods. A perfect match of fine china and tea that still continues to this day.

Like Augustus the Strong, I love to collect fine china. I raise my cup of Earl Gray and weekend cocktail to Bottger for his grand contribution to porcelain production, his teapot and to the Frick Museum for sharing all this fantastic art history.