Uniquely Tea

Farewell

2009-12-26T21:46:00.002-05:00

December 2009

It is with a great deal of sadness that I am here to tell my loyal readers from around the world that Uniquely Tea will no longer be published. I have loved every minute of writing this blog and especially communicating with everyone through your kind and thoughtful comments, but the responsibilities of my day to day life have suddenly become somewhat overwhelming so I must say good-bye. (Everything's "okay" ~ just time for a priorities shift.)

Thank you for all your support, encouragement, advice, information, and LOVE!

Yours,

Denise

Miniature Twinings Tea House Art

2009-12-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

Click above image to enlarge

I came across Megha Punater and her incredible tea art here on the Twinings UK website. She has graciously given me permission to share her uniquely tea art with you, gentle reader.

Megha, who lives in Belgium, is an artist, potter and designer who shares her life with her Belgian husband and two children. She was born and brought up in Bombay, where she studied fine arts.

A fan of Twinings tea (their flavors and their packaging), her creative muse led to a project she named 'The Twinings Tea House.' Megha collected different teabag covers and drew illustrations around them. To give her project a bit of an edge, she challenged herself to do them quickly in the spur of the moment.

She also created a special book to house her collection:

I have fallen absolutely in love with these little treasures. How I wish I had such talent!

In The Bleak Midwinter

2009-12-01T00:03:00.000-05:00

My favorite carol, this instrumental version is from the new Loreena McKennitt CD, A Midwinter Night's Dream.

Text: Christina G. Rossetti (1830-1894)
Music: Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

In the bleak midwinter, frost wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

What are you reading?

2009-11-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

Bit of an off-topic post today...

I recently started reading A Necessary Luxury - Tea in Victorian England by Julie Fromer. Not a particularly light or easy read, but quite interesting so far.

Am also thumbing through And Then It Was Teatime [compiled] by Laurie Nienhaus. This is a nice collection of over 150 excerpts from literature (both vintage and modern) that involve tea. Neat concept for a tea book.

How about you? What are you reading?

Tea & Art

2009-11-29T00:01:00.000-05:00

The Tea Party by Nicolaas Verkolje (1673-1746)

The Free Tea Party

2009-11-27T00:01:00.001-05:00

The Free Tea Party cultivates community and encourages dialogue about peace, environment and health through actions like serving free tea. Read the fascinating story about it here.

Teacup Coloring Sheet

2009-11-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

Right click on image, then select "print"

Tea Box Dress

2009-11-24T00:01:00.005-05:00

Using boxes of Celestial Seasonings tea, this dress was created to raise awareness of the risk of heart disease among women.

Full story here

Queen Victoria's Tea House

2009-11-23T00:01:00.002-05:00

This 1869 brick and tiled Tea House was built for Queen Victoria in the southeastern corner of the garden at Frogmore in Windsor. That is wisteria growing on the tea house. It's beautiful when in bloom!

Opposite the Tea House Queen Victoria erected a granite drinking fountain, inscribed 'In affectionate remembrance of John Brown, Queen Victoria's devoted personal attendant and friend, 1883'.

Here is a detailed photograph of the Tea House, where you can see the granite drinking fountain.

Tea Chest Kitchen Cabinets

2009-11-22T00:01:00.002-05:00

Wow!
London-based designer and builder Rupert Blanchard made these kitchen cabinet doors by veneering them with vintage tea packing chests. Visit Rupert's blog for more pictures and information about this project.

Origami Tea Bags

2009-11-21T00:05:00.004-05:00

Russian designer Natalia Ponomareva has developed an origami bird tea bag concept, designed to expand as the tea steeps. These are not yet being manufactured, but Ponomareva has expressed interest in making the concept available for commercial use.

I love it. What about you?

Tea Cup Sunset, Florida

2009-11-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

From Outdoors.Webshots.com

Nature's Royal Tea Party book

2009-11-18T00:01:00.001-05:00

I am reprising the below post because I know that many of you have already started your Christmas shopping and this book is perfect for young and old tea lovers alike!

~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Longtime teafriend Cheryl Kling has just published her first book, and I was fortunate enough to have received a review copy this week.

Cheryl is a lovely young woman and a very talented author/artist/educator from Branford, Connecticut. The book, written and illustrated by her, is called Nature's Royal Tea Party. Cheryl says the inspiration for the story came from her mother, who read Mother Goose to her as a child, and from her grandmother who introduced her "to a good cup of tea."

The story. Characters from Nature's Royalty are invited to the May Queen's tea party. The little Firefly is the messenger who delivers invitations to Queen Mum, Ladybug, Queen Bee, the Frog Prince, the Monarch Butterfly and other royal characters who prepare to celebrate with a secret guest of honor. My favorite character is Queen Anne - who not only wears but also supplies the teacups!

Cheryl's book is both charming and intelligent, and adults will enjoy it just as much as children.

Kudos to you Cheryl for such a magical book!

For more information, visit http://cherylkling.com or email Cheryl at cherylkling@gmail.com

Tea & Poetry

2009-11-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.

- Clyde Watson

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Just what is Organic tea?

2009-11-15T00:01:00.002-05:00

Tea labeled "organic" does not ensure quality, but it does certify that the tea was grown without using any chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides for at least three years.

Click here for more information about organic tea.

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Just what is Fair Trade tea?

2009-11-14T00:01:00.004-05:00

Fair trade certified tea means the tea is grown on an estate that provides its workers with fair wages, safe working conditions, adequate housing, health care and education for their families.

Click here for more really good information about Fair Trade tea.

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Devonshire Tea

2009-11-13T00:01:00.001-05:00

As many of you know, I am married to a Brit. My husband was born in London but spent close to twenty years in Plymouth, Devon.

I have been to Plymouth many times. (That's us below at the Mayflower Steps.) I love the Hoe, the Barbican ~ and those wonderful Devon Cream Teas!

Denise and Tony

Thanks to Twitter, I became acquainted with another Brit, Gavin Sheppard, and the fine people at Devonshire Tea, a family owned business based in Plymouth. Gavin is one of the Directors of Devonshire Tea and says his favorite part of his job is researching (and TASTING) Cream Teas across Devonshire!! (It's a tough job Gavin, but someone has to do it!)

I've invited him along today to tell us a bit about Cream Teas and a bit about Devonshire Tea. Thank you, Gavin!

A traditional Cream Tea

Gavin speaks:

The history associated with these most delicious and World Famous of Afternoon Teas is both long and interesting.

It wasn’t until the mid 1600's when tea became really "fashionable" in the UK, and that was all because of a Portuguese Princess, Catherine of Braganza, who loved tea so much that when she became the wife of Charles II she introduced tea to the upper classes.

In hardly no time at all news spread of this refreshing new beverage, and it was then that the East India Company started to import it in volumes to meet the growing demand.
Today, "Afternoon Tea" is seen as being a Great British Institution and when visitors come to the these shores, from overseas, many make a bee-line for the many & varied quality tea rooms to enjoy that authentic taste of an English Cuppa, with sandwiches, cakes and of course scones & cream!

Aahh, Scones & Cream…. that brings us nicely onto the best known of all English Afternoon Tea Treats, the “Devonshire Cream Tea”.

An authentic “Devonshire Cream Tea” consists of mouth watering home baked scones covered in gorgeous thick Devonshire Clotted Cream, and topped off with a beautiful locally made jam preserve, usually Strawberry. All washed down with several cups of Devonshire Tea.

It is widely reported that an afternoon snack, similar to our modern day "Cream Tea", had already been served as far back as 997AD in Devonshire, in the ancient Stanary Town of Tavistock to labourers working to re-build the local Abbey (which had been destroyed by Danish Invaders). They were fed on scone like “rounds” with cream to provide sustenance mid-afternoon.

“Devonshire Cream Teas” have come a long way in the subsequent 1,000 years and are now enjoyed the world over. However, there is little doubt they are best enjoyed in Devonshire, and if you visit http://www.devonshirecreamtea.com/ you can find links to several high quality places across the County of Devonshire, all serving this most authentic of afternoon treat.

A box of Devonshire Tea

Gavin and his Tea Tweeters

Pictured above are a group of avid “Tweeters” from Plymouth, enjoying a Devonshire Cream Tea before the very first “Twittour” (a tour for people who use “Twitter”) in Plymouth, which took place on Saturday 10th October. The photo was taken in the garden of The Tudor Tea Rooms, New Street, Plymouth which is located just a few minutes from the historic “Mayflower Steps” where the Pilgrim Fathers set sail on The Mayflower, bound for The New World, in 1620.

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How to Set a Perfect Tea Tray

2009-11-12T00:01:00.001-05:00

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Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T00:01:00.013-05:00

Today in America we celebrate Veteran's Day

How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes! ~Maya Angelou

Click here for the history of America's Buddy Poppy.

I have decided that before next Veteran's Day, I am going to purchase a Red Poppy teacup to use during this season of remembrance. Crown Trent makes a Poppy Chintz pattern that is nice, and Roy Kirkham produces this pattern called Monet:

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Tea to dye for

2009-11-10T00:01:00.002-05:00

Anyone who watches old war movies is familiar with the shortage of silk stockings due to rationing. If you were lucky enough to even have a pair, and unlucky enough to get a run, you darned or crocheted the hole closed.

Some women (obviously, not tea drinkers, as tea was rationed, too!) made do with leg dye made from cold tea - and painted on seams with eyebrow pencil.

"Gosh, I hope it doesn't rain today!"

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Wartime Tea Rationing in the UK

2009-11-09T00:01:00.004-05:00

I find stories of wartime tea rationing in the UK fascinating.

From Tea & Taste - The Visual Language of Tea

(available for purchase here)

Tea helped to see Britons through war. While tea rationing was not implemented during World War I, it was enforced during World War II. Strict rationing from July 1940 allowed the purchase of only 2 ounces of tea per week per person, a program that continued at various levels until 1952. Tea was still being served and acted as a morale-booster for many during the war and never a drop was wasted as leftoever tea and tea leaves were used to clean. Tea merchants banned together to help in the war effort. Continuing to serve clients, Lyons teahouse made 100 cups of tea to the pound rather than the usual 85. Twinings supplied tea for Red-Cross prisoner-of-war packages, for the Women's Voluntary Service, and for many YMCA wartime canteens. Despite the fact much of London was being bombed, tea was still served. Following the bombing of the Twinings teashop on The Strand, employees had tables set back up within hours to serve tea.

From a letter dated September 16, 1940 by an Air Raid Post worker in London:

The worst thing to be brave about is the tea ration.
Everything else can be managed.

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Remembrance Sunday

2009-11-08T00:01:00.013-05:00

Today is Remembrance Sunday in the UK

(Notice that UK poppies are different than the ones we wear here in the US)

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

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Square Teapots on the High Seas

2009-11-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

Entrepreneur Robert Crawford Johnson discovered how to avoid spilling your tea while on board ship – he invented a square teapot that would not tip over!

For years designers had wracked their brains to create the ideal teapot for sea travel. What was needed was one that didn’t drip, would not overturn in rough weather and could be easily stored without chipping the spout. Rather than change the whole teapot design, other designers concentrated on one of these "defects" in their endeavours. By creating a square teapot with the spout neatly tucked away in a corner, Johnson solved all the problems at once.

He registered his Cube Teapot in 1917 but it was not put into production until 1920. Some other companies decided to muscle-in on Johnson’s brainchild by producing similar pots which were not under licence. Johnson hit back by forming Cube Teapots Ltd in 1925 under an "Accept No Imitations" marketing banner. Sales stunts included a “living window display” featuring a lady pouring the perfect cup of tea from a Cube Teapot.

Square teapots were adopted by major shipping companies such as Cunard. There are several featured in displays at Merseyside Maritime Museum – they were used on the Queen Mary and earlier Cunard ships.

Click here for some more really interesting information about the cube teapot.

Win a box of Yanabah - Traditional Navajo Tea

2009-11-05T00:01:00.004-05:00

November is Native American Heritage Month and here at Uniquely Tea today we are privileged to welcome Verna Lyons, also known as "Yellow Bird", as a Guest Blogger.

Yellow Bird is here to tell us about Yanabah Tea - but her generosity extends beyond that as you will see at the end of her story.

[Edited to add]: Yanabah Tea is made from Thelesperma filifolium, commonly called Greenthread. It grows prolifically on the Navajo, Hopi, and Pueblo lands. Its lovely, smooth taste reminds me very much of chamomile.

Here is a picture of Greenthread:

Yellow Bird:

I was born and raised on the Navajo Indian Reservation, in the small town of Chinle, Arizona. The reservation is where the breathtaking unique beauty of the surrounding landscape has a common thread of poverty and disrepair running through it. It was in this setting that I, being one of eight children, was raised in a family with no father, yet never felt far from love and appreciation.

My maternal Grandmother, Yanabah, was that constant cord of concern and love that helped me to stay anchored to my culture and engaged in life. She is the one who taught me many lessons that survive with me today. It’s been my greatest desire to pass that on to my children.

One such lesson was the idea that there is always enough for everyone. She had what we might call an “abundance mentality”. After gathering the Navajo Tea plant from the high meadows of the Chuska Mountains, Yanabah would show me how to prepare the plant, dry it, and store it away until needed.

The Navajo people drink their tea for a variety of reasons, from calming an upset stomach to soothing a new mother after childbirth and on and on. I drink it for its earthy flavor and because it takes me back to an uncluttered and simple existence.

Yanabah has passed on and I miss her dearly, but one thing I know for sure: “There is enough for everyone.”

You are welcome to try my Traditional Navajo Tea (herbal tisane) that is 100% natural and was raised without any exposure to pesticides. When checking out on our website, enter “lovet3” in the coupon space and receive $2.00 off of your order from now until the end of the year.

Thank you, Yellow Bird, for sharing your story, your tea and your kind offer with us. Yanabah would be very proud of you.

Everyone who comments on this blog post will be entered into a drawing for a box of Yanabah Navajo Tea. The drawing will take place on November 30, 2009.

Tea & Poetry: "Calling the Kettle"

2009-11-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

Calling the Kettle by Dennis O'Driscoll

No matter what news breaks,
it's impossible to think straight
until the kettle has boiled.

The kettle with its metal back
strong enough to take the strain,
shoulders broad enough to cry on;

plump as the old grandmother
in her woollen layers of skirts
who is beyond surprise or shock,

who knows the value of allowing
tears to flow, of letting off steam,
of wetting the tea and,
her hand patting your cheek,
insisting - as she prevails on you to sit and drink
- that things could have been much worse.

The Charleston Tea Party - November 3, 1774

2009-11-03T00:01:00.010-05:00

Did you know that there were other "tea parties" besides the Boston Tea Party? Tea parties were also held in Annapolis, Philadelphia, Greenwich, Edenton (North Carolina) - and here in Charleston!

In 1773, several Charleston Tea Parties were held. Tea shipments arrived by ship, went unclaimed, and were seized. In each instance, the tea was not dumped as had happened in Boston, but instead stored in the cellar of the Old Exchange Building. Hundreds of chests of tea accumulated and remained stored there.

Exhibit at Charleston's Old Exchange Building

On November 3, 1774, the British ship Britannia landed in Charleston Harbor. Aboard the ship were several passengers, including two new Royal appointees who were no doubt eager to start swinging their weight around this most rebellious of colonies.

You have to admit, though - they are kinda cute

Also on the Britannia were seven chests of that "mischievous drug" - tea. Now this was very interesting because by this time Charlestonians (and all the other colonists) were strictly boycotting the drinking of "English tea". Why was the tea on board and to whom was it slated for delivery? After a bit of investigation, it was revealed that the tea was consigned to three local merchants.

Now, we don't really know what the deal was behind this token amount of tea. Did the two new King's officers (you know, the cute guys above) plan to use it themselves? Did they think they could sell the tea for profit on the black market? Or did they just want to see how far they could go in defying what the local newspaper called "the sense of the people here."

Whatever the reason, tensions were high and those three local merchants very wisely decided that they better decline delivery and dispose of the tea to avoid problems. The trio gallantly boarded the Britannia and personally emptied the contents of their seven chests of tea into the Cooper River.

Warning: Do not try this at home

But what happened to all that tea that had been stored in the Old Exchange Building? In 1776, it was brought out and sold for the benefit of the new State of South Carolina! It brought excellent prices.

So you see, Charleston had not only dumped her tea.

She drank it, too.

New Tea Book: Travels in a Teacup

2009-11-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

I found out about this new book on the Twinings website.

Paul Gunton spent decades working as a taster in the tea industry. He has travelled and worked in more countries than you can imagine, and has now put his memories, adventures, and stories into Travels in a Teacup, his latest book.

Paul Gunton was born in 1938 in Bromsgrove, England, setting off on his adventures at age 20. Married with two sons and two grandchildren, he now lives in the west of Ireland with his wife, continues to shave every morning with the Eclipse razor his father gave to him when he was fifteen years old and is quite content without the use of a watch, mobile telephone, computer and all associated equipment.

This book sounds like a great read and it now resides on my Amazon.com Wish List!

Tea from a paper cup?

2009-11-01T00:01:00.001-04:00

I can personally vouche that tea tastes its very best when sipped from a china cup, but wow ~ I think I could easily cosy up to one of these chic "to go" paper cups if they could be found here in the U.S.

At the moment, these charmers are only available in the UK, a bespoke design for the Mallard Tea Rooms in Knutsford, Cheshire, England. Don't you just love them?

TRICK OR TREAT!

2009-10-31T00:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween!

From The Halloween Encyclopedia by Lisa Morton

Reading Tea Leaves ~ How-to video

2009-10-30T00:01:00.000-04:00

Amber McCarroll, on Tasseology:

The French word tasse (cup) derives from the Arabic tassa (cup).

Reading Tea Leaves ~ The Zodiac Cup

2009-10-29T00:01:00.000-04:00

Tea cup showing tea-leaf reading symbols
Originally uploaded by georg1a

Although many people prefer a simple white cup for tea leaf reading, there are also traditions concerning the positional placement of the leaves in the cup, and some find it easier to work with marked cups. Beginning in the late 19th century and continuing to the present, English and American potteries have produced specially decorated cup and saucer sets for the use of tea-leaf readers. Many of these designs are patented and come with instructions explaining their mode of use. Some of the most common were those that were given away with purchases of bulk tea.

There are dozens of individual designs of fortune tellers' cups, but the three most common types are Playing Card cups, Symbol cups, and Zodiac cups.

Zodiac cups - These sets contain zodiacal and planetary symbols. Typically the interior of the cup contains the planetary symbols, while the saucer has the astrological sign symbols, but there are many variations and exceptions to this common pattern. The placement of these symbols allows the reader to combine astrology with tasseography.

Reading Tea Leaves ~ The Symbol Cup

2009-10-28T00:01:00.001-04:00

There are dozens of individual designs of fortune tellers' cups, but the three most common types are Playing Card cups, Symbol cups, and Zodiac cups.

Symbol cups - These sets are decorated with between a dozen and fifty of the most common visual cues that can be found in tea leaves, often numbered for easy reference and supplied with an explanatory booklet. The symbols are generally displayed inside the cups, but there are also sets in which they decorate the outside or appear in the cups and on the saucers. (Information courtesy of Wikipedia.)

Reading Tea Leaves ~ The Playing Card Cup

2009-10-27T00:01:00.005-04:00

Bone China "Cup of Knowledge" Tea Cup
Originally uploaded by confections

Although many people prefer a simple white cup for tea leaf reading, there are also traditions concerning the positional placement of the leaves in the cup, and some find it easier to work with marked cups. Beginning in the late 19th century and continuing to the present, English and American potteries have produced specially decorated cup and saucer sets for the use of tea-leaf readers. Many of these designs are patented and come with instructions explaining their mode of use. Some of the most common were those that were given away with purchases of bulk tea.

There are dozens of individual designs of fortune tellers' cups, but the three most common types are Playing Card cups, Zodiac cups, and Symbol cups.

Playing Card cups - These cups carry within their interiors tiny images of a deck of scattered cards, either 52 cards plus a joker, as in a poker deck, or 32 cards, as in a euchre deck. Some sets also have a few cards imprinted on the saucers, or the saucers may contain brief written card interpretations. The playing cards permit the reader to creatively relate cartomancy to tasseography. The Playing Card cup is sometimes known as the Cup of Knowledge. (Information courtesy of Wikipedia)

Fall in love with Autumn Spiced Tea

2009-10-26T00:01:00.000-04:00

I'm going to keep an eye out for this tea!

Dancing Witches Halloween Teacup

2009-10-25T00:01:00.001-04:00

Click here for more info

Cosy up to Halloween

2009-10-24T00:01:00.000-04:00

Knitting directions here

The Flaming Oolong

2009-10-23T00:01:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for something really special - and different - for your Halloween tea party, why not try a Flaming Oolong?

My first and only experience with the Flaming Oolong was at The Tea Room in Savannah, Georgia. Prepared at table, it is quite impressive and very uniquely tea! You will see in my photo above that a sterling cognac spoon is used.

The video below shows the preparation of flaming tea, called here "Royal Tea".

Here is the "recipe" for Flaming Oolong courtesy of my friend and Macon, Georgia caterer Teddi Wohlford (who, by the way, gave me the sterling cognac spoon in the top photo).

FLAMING OOLONG TEA

for each 6 oz. cup of tea:
6 oz. boiling water
1 tsp. loose oolong tea
1 sugar cube
1 tsp. cognac

Prepare oolong tea: Pour boiling water over loose tea. Cover and let steep 3-5 minutes. Strain into a warmed teacup. Place sugar cube in a tablespoon or cognac spoon. Pour cognac over sugar cube. Using a fireplace match or longstem butane lighter, warm cognac in spoon by heating from beneath. Ignite warmed cognac and let the alcohol burn off - the sugar cube will melt and caramelize. When flame subsides, stir into tea. Sit back and enjoy! Serves 1

Recipe: Pumpkin Crunch Cake

2009-10-22T00:01:00.000-04:00

Pumpkin Crunch Cake is dead easy to make (see above), smells sooooooooo good while baking, and tastes delicious with a hearty cup of Yunnan tea. Always get loads of raves on this one. Here's the recipe:

PUMPKIN CRUNCH CAKE

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
4 eggs
1 and 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup margarine, melted
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease one 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix well, and spread into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle cake mix over the top of the pumpkin mixture, and pat down. Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over the cake mix, then drizzle with melted margarine.

Bake for 60 to 80 minutes, or until done. Top with whipped topping when ready to serve.

Halloween Fun: Make your own tombstone

2009-10-21T00:01:00.000-04:00

Make your own tombstone here

Halloween Image: Bewitching Tea

2009-10-20T00:01:00.000-04:00

I've seen images of this photograph for years on everything from greeting cards to t-shirts. At first glance these ladies do indeed look like a coven of witches, but fear not and put the kettle on, tea friends. They are nothing more than a group of Welsh women dressed in traditional Welsh costume, invented in the 1830s by the very interesting and very Welsh Augusta Hall, Baroness Llanover of Monmouthshire. (Boy, did SHE ever need the services of "What Not To Wear"!!!)

If you do a Google image search Traditional Welsh Costume Tea you'll be treated to hundreds of great photographs and yes, they all look very "witchy"!

Nevertheless, it's a great Halloween pic, isn't it?!

Tea Joke: Witches at Tea

2009-10-19T00:01:00.000-04:00

Halloween Tea Book: "Old Black Witch"

2009-10-18T00:01:00.000-04:00

"Old Black Witch" is a wonderful children’s book from 1963 written by husband and wife team Wende and Harry Devlin. It is a story about an old witch who haunts a tearoom! She doesn’t much appreciate the mother and son who decide to convert her old New England house into a tearoom, and she wants them out of there! But in the end, the unlikely trio combines their efforts.

This is a highly collectible book, no longer in print. Available from Amazon (purchase here), eBay, or perhaps from your local library. Definitely worth a read- and not just at Halloween!

P.S. There are 2 sequels: Old Witch and the Polka Dot Ribbon (1970 - purchase here) and Old Witch Rescues Halloween (1972 - purchase here).

Last minute Halloween costume for the tea lover

2009-10-17T00:01:00.000-04:00

Throw
a tea cozy
on your head!

Halloween Costume: Teacup

2009-10-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

"Chip" from Beauty and the Beast.

(I've seen these for sale on eBay.)

Halloween Costume: Teabag

2009-10-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

(Used with permission by www.coolest-parties.com)

"For my teabag costume, I purchased a few yards of Crinoline, a couple yards of cording and a box of Lipton teabags. I cut out two huge rectangles the same size. I then laid one on top of the other and sewed the sides and bottom.

Open up the top and fill about 1/3 with dried leaves. Fold the top in on both corners making a point and fold down like the top of a teabag. Cut off the top of the teabag box and shape like the paper tag of a teabag. Hot melt glue to 1 yard of the cording and then sew the cord to the top of the bag.

I made two complete bags and attached them with fabric straps at the top so that I could just throw it over my head. I wore a long sleeve black shirt, black tights and black shorts under it and carried a teapot and large strainer!"

Halloween Costume: Tea Nippy

2009-10-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

How cute is this?!! Easily adaptable as as adult costume, as well.

Halloween Costume: Teapot

2009-10-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

Go on!

You know you want to!

(I've seen these "Mrs. Potts" costumes on eBay, Craigslist, etc.)

Cuppa skull, luv?

2009-10-12T00:01:00.002-04:00

When I came across this on the web, I just knew I had to share it with you at some point before Halloween. Looks super-simple to make. I also like the idea of using a scented tea for this. Superb idea for your Halloween Tea Table!

From the Skull-a-Day blog

Uniquely Tea will be brewing up some Tea and Halloween posts for the next couple of weeks, starting tomorrow with a series on tea-themed Halloween costumes!

Tea & Poetry

2009-10-11T00:01:00.002-04:00

~ Dedicated to J.B. & Erin ~

Prayer for a Marriage
By Steve Scafidi

When we are old one night and the moon
arcs over the house like an antique
China saucer and the teacup sun

follows somewhere far behind
I hope the stars deepen to a shine
so bright you could read by it

if you liked and the sadness
we will have known go away
for awhile – in this hour or two

before sleep – and that we kiss
standing in the kitchen not fighting
gravity so much as embodying

its sweet force, and I hope we kiss
like we do today knowing so much
good is said in this primitive tongue

from the wild first surprising ones
to the lower dizzy ten thousand
infinitely slower ones—and I hope

while we stand there in the kitchen
making tea and kissing, the whistle
of the teapot wakes the neighbors.

Giant Steaming Tea Kettle, Boston

2009-10-10T00:01:00.005-04:00

City Hall Government Center, Boston

At Court & Tremont Streets hangs the giant tea kettle "sign" of the old Oriental Tea Company. This huge tea pot was manufactured in 1873 by a company called Hicks & Badger.

The tea pot was a famous tourist attraction for many years. The reason is due to a huge publicity stunt. On January 1st 1875, a contest was held to guess the capacity of the kettle, and Boston's Sealer of Weights & Measures officially measured it.

More than 10,000 spectators filled the square that day. Eight boys and a tall man had concealed themselves inside the kettle and appeared before measuring started, building excitement for the event. A total of 13,000 guesses were submitted, that were quickly organized and sorted

Each measure poured into the kettle was carefully checked by the city's inspector. A judge was present to observe the process to ensure the contest was fair. A large blackboard was updated after each measure, and it took more than an hour to fill the pot. At 1:05 pm, the closest guess was announced, and a great cheer came from the crowd.

The tea kettle's capacity is 227 gallons, 2 quarts, 1 pint, and 3 gills. Eight people that participated in the contest had guessed to within 3 gills of the above quantity, and were declared winners. The winners received one-eighth of a chest of tea, or about 5 pounds each.

The tea kettle contains an apparatus within it that produces steam, and in winter it resembles a giant steaming pot of tea. The kettle is an excellent advertising tool, having outlived the Oriental Tea Company by many years.

Ironically, the shop located beneath the teapot today - is a Starbucks.

(Information courtesy of Celebrate Boston)

Thank you to Uniquely Tea reader Melanie for telling me about this!

Tea, South Dakota

2009-10-09T00:01:00.001-04:00

Did you know that there is a town (population under 2,000) in South Dakota named "Tea"! The friendly people of Tea are proud of their name. They even have an annual Teapot Days festival complete with the crowning of Ma & Pa Teapot!

How did "Tea" get its name? According to the town's website:

The village of Byron was begun after the survey of the railroad line from Yankton to Sioux Falls was completed. With the completion of the railroad, the community decided it needed a post office, so an application was submitted.

The postal authorities advised the town fathers that several other communities were also named Byron. They requested the community select 10 short names from which one would be chosen. At a meeting around the pot-bellied stove in Heerens and Peter's General Store, townspeople came up with nine names and could not think of the 10th. Since this was a German based community, the tradition of afternoon tea was a necessity. When someone suggested that they break for tea, the idea to put Tea on the list was agreed upon. The postal authorities advised the town that the name "Tea" had been selected. The town of Tea was plotted in 1900 and incorporated in 1906.

I wish South Dakota wasn't so far from South Carolina. Who wouldn't love to spend a few days relaxing in Tea???

World's Largest Teapot, West Virginia

2009-10-08T00:01:00.000-04:00

In my quest for unique tea discoveries, I happened upon Hampton's "Explore the Highway with Hampton, Save-A-Landmark” program. Its purpose is to identify and help refurbish some of America's historical, fun and unique roadside attractions. One of these fun and unique roadside attractions is "The World's Largest Teapot" in Chester, West Virginia.

From the Save-A-Landmark webpage:

In 1938, William “Babe” Devon transported a colossal root beer barrel from Pennsylvania to Chester, West Virginia. When he added a lid, spout and handle, the World’s Largest Teapot was born. Standing in front of Devon’s pottery store, the Teapot lured travelers off the road and into a concession and souvenir stand. In subsequent years, it was bought and sold several times, painted and repainted, used to sell lawn garden items and novelty gifts, and was finally closed and abandoned in 1971.

The land where the World’s Largest Teapot stood was purchased in 1984 and the whimsical landmark was in danger of demolishment, but the Teapot had won the hearts of the citizens of Chester. In 1987, Chester’s cherished landmark was donated to the city and moved to its present-day location. Town residents took action to restore the Teapot, with extensive repairs completed in 1990.

On May 23, 2007, nearly 20 years since the Teapot received any sugar, “Explore the Highway with Hampton, Save-A-Landmark” program volunteers had their work cut out for them. They tore-off and replaced the Teapot’s worn-out roof and then cleaned, scraped and sanded the surface of the Teapot before meticulously applying gallons of fresh paint. Hampton’s restoration of the World’s Largest Teapot is a testament to the citizens of Chester whose efforts maintained the Teapot for nearly 70 years. A donation from Hampton Hotels will enable the citizens of Chester to continue caring for the Teapot for years to come, and ensure that future generations of visitors will experience this unique treasure.

Let's raise our tea cups to Hampton's program for allowing The World's Largest Teapot to continue serving up giant cups of fun for years to come!!!

Teapot Petrol Station, Washington State

2009-10-07T00:01:00.000-04:00

This little gas station was built in 1922 by Jack Ainsworth as a commentary on the Teapot Dome scandal involving President Harding and a federal petroleum reserve in Wyoming. It is said to be the oldest gas station in use in the country. Read its unique history here.

It is no longer in use but some City of Zillah staff have formed a group called "Friends of the Teapot Association" and they are raising funds to relocate the structure closer to downtown and possibly convert it into a tourism information center. There, they say, "the Teapot could be watched and cared for in a way that respects the history and artistry for which it represents".

Tea Kettle Junction, California

2009-10-06T00:01:00.001-04:00

Teakettle Junction is a location in Death Valley, California. The "Teakettle Junction" sign there is covered with teakettles that visitors have attached to it. This website has a series of photographs showing the sign at various times over the years. There are also some great shots of Teakettle Junction on Flickr.

I'm back!

2009-10-05T12:26:00.004-04:00

My son's wedding is over and what a great week-end it was! I'll have pictures at some point but for now thought I'd post a couple of pictures of my twin grandsons who were ring bearers in the wedding.

These are the shirts they wore at the wedding rehearsal. They were so cute!

The emblem says Official Ring Bearer

Ring Security

A New Life Together

2009-10-01T12:34:00.003-04:00

Uniquely Tea (also known as "Mother of the Groom") will be taking a few days off to attend the wedding of her son in Charlotte, North Carolina. It's going to be a full week-end ... Rehearsal Dinner Friday night; Skeet shooting for the guys on Saturday morning; Afternoon Tea for the ladies on Saturday afternoon; Saturday night Wedding and Reception; and finally a post-wedding Breakfast Brunch on Sunday morning to see the kids' off on their honeymoon!

Everyone behave while I'm away and I'll see you next week!

Teapot maze

2009-09-30T00:01:00.000-04:00

Help the princess through the teapot-shaped maze to find her tray of tea.

More mazes here
(Click on image to enlarge, then print out)

Teapot Terrarium

2009-09-29T00:01:00.000-04:00

It's confession time: My thumb is NOT green. I can kill a silk flower. Plants in the garden shop shake and shiver when I appear. I am a complete idiot when it comes to gardening. However ..... I had forgotten about the terrarium. Something like this just might work for me!

The modern day terrarium was discovered in 1827 by Dr. Nathaniel Ward, a London doctor with a passion for botany (read about him here). His "Wardian cases" became very popular as decorative household displays.

There's also a tea connection (why are you not surprised??) for it was in 1848 that Robert Fortune used Wardian cases to transport (smuggle, actually) by sea 20,000 tea plant seedlings from China to Assam, India. This was the literal start of [British] India's tea plantations.

So really, a teapot terrarium embodies a bit of interesting symbolism and is just one more thing that is indeed - Uniquely Tea!

Tea Kettle Songbird

2009-09-28T00:01:00.001-04:00

Thryothorus ludovicianus - the Carolina Wren - is our State Bird here in South Carolina. Its loud, clear song is sometimes written as “tea-kettle, tea-kettle, tea-kettle.” The small bird with the big voice sings this three-syllable chord over and over again. They sing each set of chords in bursts of three-to-five repetitions, sometimes adding a final “tea” to close the chorus. How fitting that this "tea-kettle" bird should make its habitat in South Carolina, where Tea is the state hospitality beverage!!! (Listen to the Carolina Wren here.)

The Power of Tea

2009-09-27T00:01:00.004-04:00

What are two of the most popular things in the UK? If you answered "tea" and "EastEnders", you are correct! Here's a fascinating video about the electriciTEA it takes to power the 1,500,000 kettles across Britain that simultaneously switch on seconds after the ending credits start rolling on the country's favorite soap opera.

Sagittarius the Teapot

2009-09-26T00:01:00.000-04:00

I'll be honest with you - astronomy has never particularly captured my interest. I was however intrigued to learn about the constellation Sagittarius and its recognizable asterism called the Teapot. Perhaps Galileo wasn't drinking cappuccino after all!

Someone to drink tea with .....

2009-09-25T00:01:00.001-04:00

"That's one of the things I look forward to about an evening like this - someone to drink tea with at the end of it. For all I know, the whole point of civilization is to provide one with someone to drink tea with at the end of an evening."

-Aurora Greenway

Victoria Sandwich made with the Spon

2009-09-24T00:01:00.002-04:00

Not long ago I shared with you a nifty, new kitchen tool - the Spon - sent to me by Neal Robertson, a tearoom owner in Scotland. Well, I finally had the opportunity to use the Spon to make Neal's signature Victoria Sandwich and I am absolutely tealighted with the results!

As is often the case with a first-time recipe, there were a couple of "hiccups" (explained later) but overall, the results were teariffic.

Here we go:

Gather ingredients

8 oz. self-raising flour (I used White Lily)

8 oz. golden caster sugar
(I used white caster sugar; Neal says golden produces a richer color.
If you can't find caster sugar, try superfine granulated sugar.)

4 large eggs (I used Eggland)

2 teaspoons baking powder

8 oz. butter or margarine (I used butter)

Measure ingredients into a large bowl .....

.....and beat with the Spon until creamy.

Grease and base line two 8-inch round tins.....

.....and split the mixture between them.

Bake at gas mark 4 (350 degrees).....

.....35-40 minutes until golden brown
and shrinking in from the sides of the tins.

Cover and cool completely on a wire rack .....

.....before turning out.

Sandwich together.....

.....with strawberry jam.

Dust top with icing sugar (powdered sugar).

Victoria Sandwich.

Done!

Now, about those "hiccups." The cake centers caved in a bit. I think this was due to the oven temperature. According to my Delia Smith cookbook, gas mark 4 equals 350 degrees, but I think next time I will set the oven to 400 degrees. The batter for this sponge is rather dense and I think a higher oven temperature might work better.

Or ... could it have been because I used 7" tins instead of 8" tins?

Also, next time I'm going to cream the butter before adding it into the bowl. Just a personal preference.

Despite the above, the cake's consistency is perfect, it looks great and tastes even better! I definitely think the Spon has a lot to do with this. I love it!

Fuschia Tea Emporium, Charleston, SC

2009-09-23T10:33:00.008-04:00

It's becoming a bit mad around here with my son J.B.'s wedding looming on the horizon so my posting has been a little slow. We'll be rounding out the month of September here at Uniquely Tea with some odds-and-ends, and then in early October will reprise the series we ran last year on tea-themed Halloween costumes and other fun Halloween tea things. You would be surprised at the number of people who land on this blog - from all over the world - by searching for tea-themed Halloween costumes!!!

Today I'm posting a few photographs taken at my soon-to-be Daughter-in-Love's bridal shower tea held last month at Fuschia Tea Emporium in Charleston, SC. Fuschia is a lovely Irish tearoom with an adjoining Irish shop (Forty Shades of Green). If you are ever in Charleston, don't miss it. It's the only true tearoom around.

♥My♥son's♥betrothed♥Erin♥

Notice the shelf of teacups on the wall. Prior to tea, you get to choose the teacup you wish to use. We had fun that day color-coordinating our teacups to what we were wearing!

The food was not only tasty, but lovely as well

I like the Fuschia teapots they use.

Due to a very temperate climate fuchsiasgrow abundantly in the West Cork region of Ireland.

Autumn Tea Butter Recipe

2009-09-21T14:02:00.004-04:00

Blend 1 stick softened butter with 2 tablespoons store-bought apple butter, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg. Spread on scones, biscuits or toast.

I love autumn!!!

Cozy up to tea

2009-09-20T00:01:00.001-04:00

Autumn
is

the

perfect

time

year

cozy

tea!

(Images from Flickr)

It's "Talk Like a Pirate Day"!

2009-09-19T00:01:00.001-04:00

National Talk Like a Pirate Day

(Flickr photo from Xtine66)

The Tiger Who Came To Tea

2009-09-18T10:12:00.001-04:00

This charming story ~ The Tiger Who Came To Tea" by Judith Kerr ~ can be purchased here.

EDITED TO ADD:

Wouldn't a box of Bengal Spice be a perfect match with this book for gift-giving?

Tea & Art

2009-09-17T00:01:00.006-04:00

Susan Stockwell (born 1962)
Tea Country
2000
Tea bags, cut and stitched, pasted onto paper
Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Stockwell has often used maps to explore the history of trade and economic power. Here, she has stitched together used tea bags to make a simple map. It is a witty allusion to the British obsession with tea-drinking, but also refers indirectly to the legacy of the British empire in India.

London's Cabbie Tea Huts

2009-09-16T00:01:00.006-04:00

One of my favorite Uniquely Tea things in London are Cabman's Shelters.

Near Russell Square

Built in Victorian England, these shelters were located on public highways and therefore not allowed to be any larger than a horse and cart. Today, as way back then, they serve as places for London cabbies to grab a quick cup of tea and a bite to eat, and to have a bit of a chinwag.

Thirteen of these little gems still exist in London and no matter how many times I visit there, I still squeal with delight when I see one! Tall & Handsome and I once stopped there for a cuppa. Talk about builder's tea!!!

You can read more about Cabman's Shelters here.

Cabbie Tea mug
1935-1945
This 3/4-pint tea mug would have been used by a cab driver 'taking a break' in a Cabman's Shelter. Cabbies bought their own mugs, which were kept for them at the shelter and looked after by the 'shelter boys'. [Museum of London]

The Brown Betty Teapot

2009-09-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

A trio of Brown Betty Teapots
It is a well known tea fact that the Brown Betty teapot brews tea better than any other teapot design. This is because of the shape of the pot which allows the tea leaves to be gently swirled around as the boiling water is added, and the dense clay that holds the heat so well as the tea is brewing.

But why is it called a Brown Betty? Well sure, it's brown. But why "Betty"?

In the 1800's no self-respecting house in England was run without at least one servant. As Elizabeth was a very popular name at that time, odds were that you had a servant named Elizabeth. And Elizabeth - shortened to Betty - would serve the tea.

Thus, this special brown teapot came to be known simply as a Betty or a Brown Betty.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-09-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

September 14, 1954

2009-09-13T00:01:00.003-04:00

Tea & Health

2009-09-12T00:01:00.000-04:00

"It seems more and more that drinking tea is something like drinking a vegetable, and it sure beats drinking brewed spinach leaves."

- John H. Weisburger, PhD, MD (hon.)
American Health Foundation

New Tea Book: Tales From the Teapot

2009-09-11T00:01:00.000-04:00

(Click on the image for more information)

I just discovered this book (published just a short four months ago) while doing some tea research on the internet. Sounds like a great read, and the author - in her eighties! - sounds like a fascinating, fiesty woman!

From Amazon:

The author takes her almost 90 years of experience from being raised in England and her research to entertain you with amusing personal stories as well as bringing out inspirational applications. This book takes an informative look at the history of tea from when it was first discovered in China up to the present time. Little known facts about tea are brought to life as the author takes you from the hospital bed to the depths of the coal mine showing that tea is everywhere.

Tea Infusers for Cocktails

2009-09-10T00:01:00.002-04:00

My friend Mary spotted this and sent it to me. Thanks, M! I had not seen these!

I rarely drink alcohol, but think this is a great idea for any type of drink for special occasions, the holidays, etc. Would be fun to experiment with.

I've always liked the look of TeaForte, and in a drinks glass, these are very attractive!

From TeaForte:

Enliven your Mojito, Margarita or any mixed drink including mocktails with an infusion of unique flavor from the tea experts at Tea Forte. Place an all-natural infuser in a glass, pour alcohol over the infuser, swirl and let steep for three minutes. Then enjoy the unique flavor of an exciting and refreshing new cocktail!

Lavender Citrus ~ enjoy natural flavors of White Tea and Lavender in your Martinis, Cosmopolitans or your own high-end cocktail.

Lemongrass Mint ~ add a dash of flavorful Lemongrass and Mint to Mojitos, Gin and Tonics or other tropical drinks.

Silkroad Chai ~ the blend of Black Tea and Chai spices pair perfectly with Rum and Tonic or White Russians.

What concoction would you create using these infusers???

Agony of the Leaves

2009-09-09T00:01:00.002-04:00

The unfurling of tea leaves in boiling water
is called the Agony of the Leaves

US Astronaut Wants to take Assam Tea into Space

2009-09-08T00:01:00.000-04:00

Read the story here

A New Tea Book! "Nature's Royal Tea Party"

2009-09-07T00:01:00.004-04:00

Longtime teafriend Cheryl Kling has just published her first book, and I was fortunate enough to have received a review copy this week.

Cheryl's book is both charming and intelligent, and adults will enjoy it just as much as children.

Kudos to you Cheryl for such a magical book!

For more information, visit http://cherylkling.com or email Cheryl at cherylkling@gmail.com

Blue and White China

2009-09-06T00:01:00.000-04:00

There's a pleasure eternally new,
'Tis to gloat on the glaze and the mark
Of china that's ancient and blue.

Andrew Lang
Ballades in Blue China, 1880

Lipton Tea Commercial - SMILE

2009-09-05T00:01:00.000-04:00

Red Rose Tea and Norman Rockwell

2009-09-04T00:01:00.009-04:00

Okay, collectors, here ya' go!

Did you know that Norman Rockwell painted a series of 5 advertisements for Red Rose tea back in 1958? In the 1980s, postcards of these prints were included in boxes of Red Rose in Canada.

P.S. You can find these postcards very reasonably priced at - where else? - eBay!

"Having Tea With Grandma" by Norman Rockwell

2009-09-03T00:01:00.000-04:00

My research has shown this image under the name "The Handkerchief" and also "Having Tea With Grandma" or "Tea With Grandmother" and I have not been able to ascertain its true title. It is attributed to having been the cover of The Saturday Evening Post on May 11, 1940, but I find conflicting information on this.

There is a figurine based on this image. If you go to eBay, use keywords Norman Rockwell The Handkerchief Figurine

"The Breakfast Table" by Norman Rockwell

2009-09-02T00:01:00.000-04:00

The Saturday Evening Post August 23, 1930

"Don't Say I Said It" by Norman Rockwell

2009-09-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

Life, March 23, 1922
Alternate titles for this illustration are "Two Women Gossiping"
and "Gossiping in the Alcove"

"Tea Time" by Norman Rockwell

2009-08-31T00:01:00.004-04:00

It's time for another mini-series. This time the subject is American artist Norman Rockwell and .... tea! Y

The Saturday Evening Post October 22, 1927
Also called "Tea for Two"
In 1991, Goebel created a figurine based on this print. If you go to eBay, use keywords Tea Time Norman Rockwell Goebel 1991

A Unique Tea: Unexpected Origins

2009-08-30T00:01:00.003-04:00

I hope you have enjoyed this mini-series on Unique Teas. It goes without saying that there are hundreds (thousands?) of other unique teas out there - like coffee-tea. Yep. For real. I don't even want to go there! But as you come across unique teas along your personal tea journey, do tell us about them!

To wrap things up, I hope you will enjoy this excellent video interview of Jane Pettigrew, taped at the World Tea Expo. Jane discusses unexpected origins: the unique "up and coming" countries to keep on your tea radar:

http://www.worldteanews.com/index.php/Interviews/Jane-Pettigrew-on-Unusual-Origins.html

A Unique Tea: Kukicha (Twig Tea)

2009-08-29T00:01:00.000-04:00

Japanese tea is plucked four times during the growing season. That last plucking is used to make bancha, which means "last tea." At the same time twigs are pruned from the [tea] bushes and used for twig tea or kukicha. It's really a sort of clean-up of the bushes as the growing season ends. I suppose this isn't really too surprising as land is so scarce in Japan. If I were a Japanese tea farmer, I would want to extract as much value from each tea bush as possible.

Some kukicha is roasted and therefore very brown and "twiggy" (as in the image above), and some kukicha blends are very green and contains pieces of leaf.

I think I would like to try a roasted kukicha. For those of you who already have, what can you tell us about it?

A Unique Tea: StripTea

2009-08-28T00:01:00.001-04:00

Thought we'd lighten things up a bit today with another unique tea I've discovered.

Donkey Products from Germany has created these fun tea bags. When placed in the cup they give the perfect effect of little men and women in a jacuzzi.

This one's called StripTea:

The set below is RoyalTea, the British Royal Family:

Help! There's a President in my teacup! (DemocraTea):

I can see how these could be loads of fun at a tea party or community event!

A Unique Tea: Dà Hóng Páo

2009-08-27T00:01:00.001-04:00

The most famous tea trees in China
Image from Postcard Teas

Dà Hóng Páo - real Dà Hóng Páo - is a unique and legendary tea made from 350-year-old tea bushes. It is called the King of Teas in China and was the tea that Mao gave Nixon when he visited China. In 2006, this tea sold for over $30,000 for 20 grams.

From Wiki:
Dà Hóng Páo (大红袍) is a very important Wuyi Oolong tea. Legend has it that the mother of a Ming Dynasty emperor was cured of an illness by a certain tea, and that emperor sent great red robes to clothe the four bushes from which that tea originated. Three of these original bushes, growing on a rock on Mount Wuyi (see photo above) and reportedly dating to the Song Dynasty, still survive today and are highly venerated.

Less than one kilogram of tea is harvested from these plants each year, of which a portion is retained by the Chinese government. The remainder of this original and real Dà Hóng Páo is auctioned, with an initial asking price of 4000 RMB/100g, but often reaching millions of dollars per kilogram.

Cuttings taken from the original plants have been used to produce similar grades of tea from genetically identical plants.

A Unique Tea: Flaming Oolong

2009-08-26T00:01:00.000-04:00

This series is covering teas that for one reason or another are "unique", although in reality I suppose every tea is unique for they all come from the same plant but my goodness, look at the varieties and differences in the teas!

Today's unique tea is actually a unique tea presentation, and a reprise of an earlier blog post. Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: THE FLAMING OOLONG ~

If you're looking for something really special - and different - for your holiday tea party, why not try a Flaming Oolong?

My first and only experience with the Flaming Oolong was at The Tea Room in Savannah, Georgia. Prepared at table, it is quite impressive and very uniquely tea! You will see in my photo above that a sterling cognac spoon is used.

The video below shows the preparation of flaming tea, called here "Royal Tea".

Here is the "recipe" for Flaming Oolong courtesy of my friend and Macon, Georgia caterer Teddi Wohlford (who, by the way, gave me the sterling cognac spoon in the top photo).

FLAMING OOLONG TEA

for each 6 oz. cup of tea:
6 oz. boiling water
1 tsp. loose oolong tea
1 sugar cube
1 tsp. cognac

Prepare oolong tea: Pour boiling water over loose tea. Cover and let steep 3-5 minutes. Strain into a warmed teacup. Place sugar cube in a tablespoon or cognac spoon. Pour cognac over sugar cube. Using a fireplace match or longstem butane lighter, warm cognac in spoon by heating from beneath. Ignite warmed cognac and let the alcohol burn off - the sugar cube will melt and caramelize. When flame subsides, stir into tea. Sit back and enjoy! Serves 1

A Unique Tea: Yellow Tea

2009-08-24T00:01:00.002-04:00

You've heard of black tea and green tea. Maybe even white tea, and red tea. But have you heard of yellow tea?

Yellow tea is rare, and made in China. Its processing is very labor intensive and according to my research, becoming a dying craft. Very little true yellow tea ever reaches the United States - only purchase from a reputable dealer.

The leaves of yellow tea are light green to light yellow appearance. The brewed tea has a warm, golden sheen. Its taste is much milder than green tea (no "grassy" taste) and its aroma is described as flowery, fresh and mild. Yellow tea performs exquisitely with multiple infusions.

Because of its beautiful appearance, it is best to drink yellow tea from a clear glass cup.

Click here to read the specifics about making the unique: yellow tea.

A Unique Tea: Brick Tea

2009-08-23T00:01:00.008-04:00

It's real tea. It's compressed. And it's been around for over a thousand years. It's "brick" tea. And it's pretty darned unique!

Making tea from a tea brick was easy: just carve or shave some off and add boiling water. During the Song dynasty, the widely popular tea beverage became even more important as an item of trade, and these compressed "bricks" of tea were scored on one side and used as currency. They were of uniform size and weight and usually embossed with Chinese characters or scenes. Tea bricks were so commonly accepted as currency in Tibet that sometimes horses and swords were priced according to the number of tea bricks they would bring.

Although tea bricks are less commonly produced these days (other than for decorative purposes), many post-fermented teas, such as pu-erh (below), are still commonly found in bricks, discs, and other pressed forms.

Click here to learn more about tea bricks.

A Unique Tea: Display Teas

2009-08-22T00:01:00.001-04:00

Display teas (or "blooming teas" or "flowering teas") are meant to be enjoyed for the "show" they present while steeping. Depending upon the size and shape, they can be steeped in a wine glass or clear glass teapot. The idea is to watch the tea open/flower/bloom as it steeps.

Generally speaking, display teas are young tea leaves that are bunched and hand-tied or rolled to create distinct shapes. The shapes themselves are interesting even before steeping begins. Once in the water, the leaves unfurl to create a completely different shape. Some display teas are all leaf, but some contain colored flowers that are slowly revealed.

Because display teas take some time to unfurl, and are usually left in the glass or pot while drinking the tea (don't worry - because they are tied together, you won't swallow a clump of tea leaves!), these teas are usually made with specific varietals of tea that will not get bitter.

I always use a display tea in my tea classes because people are so amazed by them! They should be - display teas are unique!

A Unique Tea: Krasnodar Tea

2009-08-21T00:01:00.001-04:00

It appears a bit difficult to nail down any current cold hard facts about the tea growing situation in Russia, but ...

What?

Yes, I said Russia.

Tea? Grown in Russia?

Yes.

How unique!

The 5,000-acre Dagomys chai-plantation (growing tea since 1936) is about 30 miles south of *Sochi - one of Russia’s top vacation destinations (Vladimir Putin has a villa nearby). Sochi is located on the coast of the Black Sea and enjoys a sub-tropical climate. Isn't that amazing? Its Krasnodar tea - which reflected the unique microclimate and soil of the region - became very popular in Russia in the 1980s. However, political change greatly affected the operation of the plantation, as Mikhail Gorbachev’s perestroika led to a long period of neglect. In the last few years, a new management team has taken over the plantation and is aggressively attempting to revive it to its previous state. (Sourced from a May 2007 article in Fresh Cup magazine entitled Russian Tea: a rich brew of culture, flavor and history.)

Mechanical harvesting at Dagomys-chai tea plantation

If anyone knows of a source for this tea, please let me know.

*The mountain range that surrounds and protects the city from the cold northern air is home to world-class skiing. In fact, Sochi has been chosen to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Tea Break

2009-08-20T13:45:00.001-04:00

Uniquely Tea is taking an all-day tea break today!

We will return tomorrow and pick up our series on Unique Teas!

A Unique Tea: Mauna Kea Tea

2009-08-19T00:01:00.003-04:00

You know that Hawaii is known for its coffee and I know that Hawaii is known for its coffee ... but did you know that tea was introduced to the Big Island way back in 1887? However, it's only been in the past 10 years or so that commercial growers have been producing high-quality teas for commercial consumption.

Mauna Kea Tea is one of several Hawaiian tea companies now shipping tea directly from Hawaii to the Lower 48. Another is Tea Hawaii & Company, currently being sold by the Samovar Tea Lounge in San Francisco. (Visit Samovar's website for lots more great information and a video.)

Tea from Hawaii. Now that's unique!

A Unique Tea: TregothnanTea

2009-08-18T00:01:00.000-04:00

Tea grows best in tropical and sub-tropical climates. One-half of the world's tea is grown in China and India. Rounding out the list of the top tea-producing countries in the world are (in order of % of production) Kenya, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, Argentina, Bangladesh, Iran, Malawi, and Uganda.

You may therefore find it interesting that tea is also grown in Jolly Old England - at Tregothnan in Cornwall.

Home to the Boscawen family since 1335, Tregothnan is internationally known for its fine 'English Estate' products grown and produced there such as honey, Kea Plum jam, flowers, wood - and now, tea.

Two hundred years ago, Tregothnan was the first to grow the Camellia ornamentally outdoors. More recently, seven years of secret trials there have culminated in true, 100% English tea being grown on English soil - the first English tea grown in England.

Tregothnan produces black and green tea blends with their tea, as well as occasionally offering a very limited edition of their 100% single estate tea.

And I find all of this simply unique.

A Unique Tea: Boston Harbour Tea

2009-08-17T00:01:00.000-04:00

Some time ago I asked you, tea lovers, for suggestions on some of the things you would like to see here and one of the answers, based on the name of this blog - "Uniquely Tea" - was a series on, well, unique teas! So without further ado, today begins a new series on teas that I consider to be unique ..... for one reason or another.

Let's start with Boston Harbour Tea, a blend of "superior teas" from Darjeeling, India and Ceylon created by Davison, Newman & Co., Britain’s oldest tea merchant . What makes Boston Harbour Tea unique? Well, just being created by Britain's oldest tea merchant (still in business today) would suffice, but it was Davison Newman & Co., Ltd., whose tea chests were destroyed in 1774 at the [Second] Boston Tea Party!

Drink Boston Harbour Tea for a small taste of American tea history. Available exclusively through the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company.

Twinings Tea Caddy

2009-08-16T00:01:00.002-04:00

With divider

Without divider
They had loads of these Twinings tea caddy boxes at the Dollar Star store at our local mall. $4.99 each (empty, no tea). Lovely wood! The divider is removeable so the wooden box can be used for anything. I bought one for myself and am giving one to my best friend.