"A SNOWY TEA"

Come in ... out of the cold my Friends.

Pull up a chair and settle in for another relaxing teatime. Today, I have chosen a charming but most controversial little teapot from Staffordshire. 

I’m sure you recognize the familiar figure on the pot. It is part of the Sadler collection of Historical Teapots ... Henry the Eight teapot and four of his six wives ... Anne Boleyn, Catherine of Aragon, Anne of Cleves and Jane Seymour are in attendance  ...  the other two wives, I believe, are terribly indisposed.

This is a discontinued, octangular pot that is seven and a half inches wide and six inches high to the top of the gold trimmed lid. It is a small unique two cupper, which I love to use on  snowy days. 

Well, with the ‘King" comes his most beloved creature ... Look, who is peeking into my windows ...  Often, a herd of twelve White-Tailed Deer travel down our hills, but this young fellow must have known that it was teatime. Look at that white-tail ... Isn’t he lovely !!!

Sadly, the white-tailed deer sometimes have difficulty surviving winter, particularly if the snow is deep, so I really don’t mind         them staring and nibbling the young shoots in the back bush. 
              
 Their wintry visits seem a blessing to me. Should we invite him in for a cup of tea? Chances are that he wouldn’t be too impressed with our brewing bouquet.( Ha Ha)
                                  

                                       Come Ladies  ...  
Take a gander at what I found in the back of the cupboard. 

          Don’t you think that the white design resembles the 
                                           deer’s tail ?                

I must say, that this teaset is a pleasure to drink from, as the cup is very deep and high .... ( Ting-a-ling)...You could ring it like a bell if it was turned upside-down( ha ha)

TEATIME !!!!

No ... This is not your normal pretty looking “ Windsor " pattern. The design has a strong male presence, which is quite befitting for the King Henry teapot and our white-tailed Friend. Infact, I am feeling quite attracted to the white flourishes of energy that electrify this saucer. 

It seems to have “ HIGH SPIRIT" like the deer that dashes away, in leaps and bounds.

Nibble, nibble, nibble .... sweet woodland creature ,

              while we have a cup of soothing chamomile tea.

I do enjoy the mellow ambience and sweet taste of this tea on such a cold and wintry day.

  I was all set to share a book with you, but the wildlife has      completely taken over our teatime ladies ... Maybe we should drink up and go for a brisk walk through the woods!!!

On second thought ... Br-r-r-r ...  Let's stay put and enjoy one another,  a little longer. We can appreciate the view from the inside. 

LOOK at that cheeky little face!!! Ha ha

This has been a thrilling teatime adventure and I’m so happy that  you took the time to follow along the snowy

path for a cup of tea with me. 

There’s no need to hurry.

 ENJOY your brew

 and

 the scenery.

The sleigh is prepared for your journey home.

Don’t Worry

Be Happy

Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening 

By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his wood fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

                     

                                           I am sharing with :
                                    Friends Sharing Tea
                                    Tuesday Cuppa Tea   
                                    Keep In  Touch        

                       

      

“TRADITIONAL TEA"

WELCOME  to teatime ...  Today, I am contemplating my Mother's  Birthday which is February the  twenty-sixth.  In her honour,  I have chosen to drink some traditional tea  from one of her favourite tea cups.

Here it is ...  a pretty pink set that is “crazed" with lots of tea sipping love. I guess “ crazing" makes the heart grow fonder( ha ha) because I love drinking my morning tea from it too.
Crazing is a network of fine lines and cracks  that appear on the glazed surface of some china. Often, it develops during firing or through years of usage and extreme temperatures ... like hot and cold. In this case, I think it adds charm to the term "vintage”. 

I researched the trademark and discovered that mom’s set is  part of the Royal Leighton 

 collection ( 1946-54) in England .  It’s notable characteristics are the thickness of the ceramic  ... even the handle and the cups' lower rim reflects a much heavier pottery than normal. Maybe, that it why it has endured the test of time.

 I love the nosegay of roses that encircle the centre of saucer.

Don’t you think that the pattern is  reminescent of a chintz ?

Chintz or not , the teaset is a brilliant old girl that seems to perk me up , so  I thought that a traditional English Tea would  compliment it nicely. Of course, I did imagined that maybe, my  Scottish Granny might have used a similar blend of tea, in a tea bag many years ago ... BUT ... Did they have teabags then?
 ( Ha Ha)

WELL ... If there is anyone who knows how to make tea, it is the British. Funnily enough, I started to question myself about brewing tea ....  Do I pour the tea over the bag or do I simply drop the teabag into the already filled cup? 

Does anyone know  how long a pot of tea should steep it for  ?

(H-m-m-m-m-m)

 GOODNESS ... I even wondered, if I should squeeze the teabags with a spoon when it was finished steeping? 

 Believe it or not, there is a right way and a wrong way of making tea, so I asked my ninety-five year old mother, Gracie.

She mentioned, that if you steep it properly, the tea would be mellow and the flavour would shine through, but if you do it wrong, the tea will would be terribly bitter.

After doing a little research, I found what might be a  perfect way of brewing 

"English” tea. 

First boil the water. Add one teabag for every three and half ounces of water. A seven-ounce teacup  should be made with TWO teabags. When the water is between 140 and 185 degrees, you can pour it over the teabags and steep it for approximately five to six minutes. 

IMPORTANT

REMOVE the teabags and DON'T squeeze it. Now, you can pour it into your favourite teacup and add milk if you wish. The tea should be strong but not bitter ...  hot but not scorching and 
perfect with some tasty scones.

"THANKS MOM "

OK, Ladies  “ LET’S HAVE  TEA !!!!

ENJOY !!!!

I am sharing with : Friends Sharing Tea

                               Tuesday Cuppa tea

                                 RoseChintz Cottage

       Dwellings: The Heart of Your Home

"GOURMET TEA"

          "CALL ME A SHOPAHOLIC” 

 If you need to RELAX ... Come on over ... I’ll be happy to  share a lovely mellow tea that I bought today.

While I normally order my tea online or buy it when I’m traveling,this one was purchased at Winners and it’s called Saffron/Chamomile Tea.

It’s a gourmet tea filled with ancient,exotic saffron,which is one of the most prized spices in the world. Not only is it delicious,but it has health benefits.

 The renowned psychic healer, Edgar Cayce recommended Saffron tea to many         of his patients as an healing agent for the stomach. Recent studies even suggest that "saffron" may have cancer suppressing properties.

Of course we’re enjoying a new type of Chamomile Tea blended with saffron. Please do try it as I have found that it was a perfectly delicious remedy for my busy day. Don’t you love shopping,( ha ha)  I mean choosing your tea cup? You can tell that I’m tired!!!

Luckily, I had this little teaset sitting on the shelf,just begging for  a nice hot brew. Isn’t the tapestry design ... PRETTY !!!

 Yes, It is just sweet and simple with no name, other than,"Made in England". I do enjoy it’s nostalgic little rose pattern.

After tasting the tea ... "Hm-m-m-m- Good”.. I did a little research on the internet and found the‘Gournmet Tea” site, where I could explore more teas.

Look for:( elite-gourmet.com or just write in Saffron Tea and it should  pop up. 

  

Goodness,you can buy:

        Saffron Cinnamon Diet Chai,Saffron & Red Rooibos,

                Saffron & Orange Earl Grey,

              Saffron Pomegranate & Chamomile,

                 Saffron Cardamom Black Tea,

                    Saffron Mango Green Tea, 

             Assam Black Citrus Spice and Saffron.

              I even found a,“ Saffron Tea"recipe: 

                    4 strand of  Saffron

                      A little Honey

                          Water

Put the saffron in a cup of warm water for ten minutes.After ten minutes, pour hot boiling water over it, then add honey. 

That’s easy,but first you have to find the saffron,which I               believe is available in most health food stores.

                I’m winding down...I think !!!

Well, it looks like an end to my day. I really must change my clothes just incase I go shopping again.( Hee hee)

Want to come !!!

THANKS for a relaxing teatime LADIES !!!

 I am sharing with: Sandi: Rose Chintz Cottage
                                                                          Ruth:  Tuesday Cuppa Tea
                                                                          Bernideen: Teatime Blog
                                                                        
                        

“ TEATIME POETRY "

          

VALENTINE DAY is the second  largest holiday celebration  next to Christmas.  It is a time of brilliant symbolism, coloration and expressive  LOVE . 

Today, I am reading my favourite poem and would like to share a warm  teatime with you all. I hope that you  "feel the love" on  February 14th.

 Elizabeth Barrett Browning was an extraordinary, self taught woman, who became the first female poet ever to be considered for poet laureate ... though Tennyson was chosen to follow Wordsworth instead. 

Her, Sonnet 43  is the most famous love poem of all time. It was written during her courtship with Robert Browning.

                              " HOW DO I LOVE THEE”
                                             Written By:     
                               Elizabeth Barrett Browning 
                                           ( 1806 - 1861)

                              How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

      I love thee to the depth and breath and height

                    My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being  and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right.

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

I love thee with a passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood faith. 

I love thee with a love I seem to lose

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears of all my life; and , if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death. 

.

  Love  and  poetry in a teacup.

“ HAPPY VALENTINE DAY “

Sharing With : Rose Chintz Cottage

                      Tuesday Cuppa tea

                        Bernideen's Teatime

“MY CHAI"

B-R-R-R-R- ...  Heavy snow mixed with ice pellets and freezing rain means that I need an  invigorating tea blend to warm and spice up the temperatures ...  that’s why ....

I LOVE MY  “ CHAI ”.

Luckily, I had two bags stashed in the tea cupboard from the now, extinct " Teavana "  shop here in Fredericton... OOPS... I forgot that my daughter claimed the "Opera Winfrey Chai" ...  but fortunately, she didn’t find the the "Samurai Chai".  It is best described as a sweet and spicy infusionof cinnamon and citrus with soft undertones of papaya. 

H-m-m-m. It’s perfect on such a cold and wintry day? 

In Hebrew, ‘ Chai” means “ Life”  and  depending on the brew, there are various benefits to our health. 

“Chai” is a traditional Indian Tea that has been used for centuries in Eastern Medicine. I have heard, that it strengthens the immune system ... PLUS ... It tastes GOOD. 

I found this strange little celadon pottery teapot in Japan ... I believe that it is Korean in origin , but celadon pottery is highly attainable in Japanese Antique stores simply because it is Korean ( Ha Ha) I’m wondering if it may even be a saki vessel. Wouldn't that be a twist to our teatime!!!

Anyways , I’m making tea in it today. I do hope that you ENJOY it !!!

 T
 


To make eight  fluid ounces of tea, the merchants recommended 1.5 scoops into an infuser of boiling water,  then steeping it for five minutes.

 Unfortunately,  eight fluid ounces  is hardly enough for us all ...  Soooo .... Let’s be naughty and triple the recipe ... OK

One other oddity to our teatime is that the chosen cups are a little on the small side. So, by adjusting the recipe, we could probably have two cups each... which is PERFECT !!!!

Now, Ladies ... the daunting task, is to choose which cup that you want. YES ...  It is a very hard decision, since they are  all identical  !!!( Ha Ha)

I’m certain that you would enjoy drinking from these half sized vessels, because the tea set has been created from a very light weight porcelain, which means thin sipping rims ... MY FAVORITE.

When I lived in Japan, second hand items were very inexpensive, regardless of their original value. I noticed that most Japanese  people love new items, infact, they rarely keep old furniture and china ... THAT ...  is a great buying feature for tourists, however the attitude and markets may have changed since I was there.

Funnily enough, this particular teaset doesn’t have any markings, which I guess, isn’t all that unusual for antique items. I was just so attracted to the  artistic story board of the china which displayed three very exotic  geishas, meandering  in and about  the beautiful  garden scapes of this artisan ware. They
are  almost medieval style.

                      It is really quite an lovely pattern that just might have a special story to tell.

Maybe It is a story of unrequited love !!!!

I shall have to ponder  the cups while drinking my tea ... I ’m sure that you and I could all come up with a good story line since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner ...  In the meantime ... Here is a  “ Chai “ Tea recipe that you might want to try. Please know that for the black tea, you may use English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Earl Grey, Orange Pekoe or any other loose leaf tea for this recipe.


                                                   BASIC  “CHAI “ TEA RECIPE

                                                Boil in saucepan over medium heat.
                                                3 cups water
                                                5 green coriander pods( crushed )
                                                1/2 tsp. cinnamon
                                                3 pieces star anise
                                                2 tsp. fennel
                                                1/4 tsp ground  nutmeg
                                                1/4 tsp ground ginger
                                                1/4 tsp. ground cloves
                                                8 black peppercorns

                                               ADD,then return to boil
                                               1 1/2 cups milk

                                               ADD, then simmer for two minutes
                                               6 tsp  black  tea

                                              STRAIN, and serve with sugar
                                              cinnamon stick and star anise.

                                                    ENJOY YOUR TEA LADIES !!!!

                                           I am sharing with: Sandi: Rose Chintz Cottage
                                                                          Ruth:  Tuesday Cuppa Tea
                                                                          Bernideen: Teatime Blog
                                                                       
                       

“ NEW BEGINNINGS”

"NEW BEGINNINGS"

"TEA ,TEA."...  No time for me... How does one find the time to indulge in themselves.... and take  a ' tea break?

Well ...  I have just ' STOPPED" the clock and said ' ENOUGH"...  IT IS TEATIME!!!

I have missed all my teatime Friends ... so now... Instead of pouring the transpired pools of stale tea leaves down the drain, it is time to make a fresh pot .

"Who would have known”, that the realities of living could actually dry up the soulful teabags within a persons' soul.

Loss, reflection and repentance are just a few of the passing  years’ flurries that we all experience some time or another ... Life is  a journey that  is now bringing me  full circle, to warm my hands, upon a  teacup. Tea is a comforting old soul  !!!!

Today, I am looking into my tea cabinet, with renewed  faith, revelling in the possibilities of a happy and  rejuvenating year. Funnily enough , even the climate  seems to be  heralding, ' NEW BEGINNINGS”.

I started this page  after looking at some old pressed  leaves in a book. I  am just now finding the courage to move forward ... AH-h-h-h-h-h-h- ... It was a blessing to breathe in the mustiness of the autumn scents and to enjoy the colourful beauty of Mother Nature .

Now, in the cool January temperatures , it feels soothing to illuminate my hands around the radiating warmth of a  fresh Jasmine brew.  It is that ‘ amazing grace’ factor of  being lost and now found in a rejuvenating sense of self.  Yes even the humbleness of tea can transport  and inspire your heart.

Do you have a tea that heals your heart and rekindles a flame of peace in your memory ?

Alas ...  It seems that all my teacups need a washing since the dust has definitely settled over the past year ... It will be like awakening‘ Sleeping Beauty’ with a sip instead of a kiss.( Ha Ha) I just hope that the prince is handsome !!!

Today, I'm rekindling  the ‘ JOY" of the Season ' with you and  maybe that will make, "ALL" the difference ... TEATIME AT IT'S BEST ... WITH OLD and NEW  FRIENDS.


Sharing with: Rose Chintz Cottage and Kitty’s Kosy Kitchen