Tea-Time Tips

The Teapot Shoppe has started a  Blog for sharing our favorite thoughts and ideas about tea and tea-related products.  Click here to join our Tea Lover's blog.  Read about your favorite ideas for tea party themes and tea party accessories from our tea-loving friends.. Tea parties have become popular again and we are constantly receiving questions about tea party accessories, tea party themes, tea china patterns, tea recipes, care of bone china and porcelain teapots, and tea party etiquette. So, here is your chance to share your thoughts, ideas, memories, and experiences with others who love tea....Enjoy!

APPROXIMATE CAFFEINE CONTENT OF TEA (5 oz cup)
1 minute brew - 10-35 mg
3 minute brew - 20-45 mg
Instant Tea  - 12-30 mg

 TEA BAGS

Invented in 1904 by Thomas Sullivan of New York City, first using them to send samples to his customers instead of sealing it in more expensive tins.

TEA ETIQUETTE

At some Formal Afternoon Teas,
a guest is chosen by the host to act as a 'tea-pourer'.
This is considered an honor and their role is to serve the tea
to fellow guests.

TEA LIFE

Black Teas, if properly stored, may retain their flavor for up to 2 years from the time it was picked.

Green Teas are unfermented and are best consumed within 6 months.

TEAPOT CARE

It's best to rinse your teapot with warm water only. 

Using soap or any cleanser in the pot can affect the flavor of your tea.

Simply rinse the teapot using warm water and a sponge, then turn the teapot upside down on a towel to air dry. 

Teapots should never be placed in a dishwasher as abrasive scrubbing can ruin a teapot.

ICEY TEA TIP

After storing iced tea in the refrigerator,  it may turn cloudy.

Just add a small  amount of boiling water to clear it up before serving.

DARJEELING TEA

Darjeeling is called the champagne of teas and is grown in India's Himalayas

TEA PARTY DECOR

Use what you have on hand; familiar items that reflect your personal style.  Floral tablecloths, scented candles, special plates and cups you've collected over the years. Your guests will enjoy a variety of teapots, floral and whimsical......Add a vase of fresh spring flowers from the garden or use a collectible teapot as a vase.  Play music softly in the background.

REFRESHING PEPPERMINT LEMONADE TEA RECIPE

Makes 4 (10-oz) servings.

2 cups boiling water 
4 tsp.Peppermint Tea
2 cups cold water
1 container (6 oz.) frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed. Do not dilute.

In a teapot, pour boiling water over Peppermint Tea (in tea infuser).

Cover and Steep for 5 minutes.

Remove tea infusers.  Combine tea, cold water and lemonade concentrate in a pitcher.

Pour into ice-filled glasses and add a garnish of lemon slices. 

A CUP OF HOT MINT CHOCOLATE

Serves 1

1 Peppermint Tea Bag

1 Cup Milk

1 Tablespoon Hot Chocolate Mix

Add 1 peppermint tea bag to a cup with milk.  Heat to almost boiling.  Remove the tea bag.

Add 1 tablespoon of Hot Chocolate to cup and stir.

TEA IN AMERICA

USDA figures estimate that today's Americans consume more than 2.2 billion gallons of tea each year.

TEA STORAGE

Tea should be stored in an airtight, opaque container in a cool, dry place. Do not store in the refrigerator because condensation can ruin the tea. Many tea retailers sell tea in metal tins that close tightly, which  are probably best.  Clear glass jars are acceptable only if you can keep them in a closed cupboard away from light. If you reuse containers, avoid using materials that retain odors, such as plastic, as the tea will pick them up.

              MILK?                 

The most popular additions to tea are:  honey; milk; sugar; lemon; milk and sugar; lemon and sugar; lemon and honey.

Cream is too heavy for most teas and should be avoided in favor of milk.

Like cream, whole homogenized milk is too heavy and strong tasting for most people. Low-fat or skim milk seems to work best.

Milk and honey don't seem to go very well together.

Do not add milk and lemon. The acidic lemon juice instantly curdles the milk.

Do NOT add anything to green or oolong tea; they are meant to be drunk straight.

TEA PARTY IDEA

Have a Tea Party for Moms and Daughters. 

Give favors!  Give a Teapot to each Mom and matching Mugs or Cups and Saucers to each daughter. 

They'll love it!

REMOVE CAFFEINE FROM TEA

Put tea leaves into a teapot and pour boiling water over the tea leaves. Let it sit for 35 to 40 seconds.

Pour off the water and fill the teapot again with boiling water leaving the leaves in. This process removes 90% of the caffeine.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN TEAS TO GIVE YOU AN EXCELLENT CUPPA

By: Sandra Fierling
Website: http://www.tea-temptation.com

Tea can taste bitter, weak, strong or wonderful, aromatic, soothing and/or refreshing. It all depends on how to make your own teas. Pouring hot water over a tea bag in a mug and leaving it for a while to brew, will hardly give you an excellent cuppa.  It begins with treating tea with love and respect. Before the tea got to you, leaves were picked (sometimes by hand), sorted, dried, possibly fermented, packed and shipped all across the world until it ended up in your store.

If you don't like the taste of tea, that may well be because it was not brewed correctly. An excellent rule of thumb is one teaspoon of tea leaves to one cup of water. If you are using a teapot (and I hope you are), then pour a small quantity of very hot water into the teapot to warm it and discard it when you are ready to put in the tea leaves and the boiling water. Whilst boiling (212F) water is excellent for most teas, delicate teas (e.g. white tea) are better with 180F). Using good quality water is essential. Give tea leaves room to unfurl - up to 5 times their original size, so don't pack them in a tiny tea egg.

Whether your tea is expensive or cheap, brewing it correctly brings out the best taste. Steeping it too long makes the tea taste bitter. Most tea needs no more than 5 minutes - then take the tea or tea bag out. Delicate green teas only need about 3 minutes for best results. Once you know how to make your own teas, it becomes an absolute pleasure and you can always look forward to that perfect cuppa.

About The Author:  Sandra Fierling is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.tea-temptation.com.  Sandra has written many English text books for the Austrian education system.

Make Tea In Quality Tea Pots. 

A Teapot That Is Unique Makes A Statement. Have Your Tea With Flair And Your Tea Party Will Be A Great Success.

By: Sandra Fierling
Website: http://www.tea-temptation.com

To enhance the tea experience, a good ambiance is also important. This includes quality tea sets which contain a good teapot - you can even buy cat teapots which would also make great collectible gifts. Some tea sets have teapots with a built-in infuser which makes good cups of tea. Teapots, kettles (or electric tea kettle) and tea sets are crucial to the tea experience. An electric tea kettle, teapots with an infuser and collectible tea sets make great gifts.

If you don't want to dunk a tea bag in a mug when your mother-in-law comes to visit, pamper her and yourself by indulging in tea sets you like and can be proud to present. Perfect cups of tea - served with a great teapot (maybe with an infuser - cat teapots if she loves cats) from water boiled in high quality tea kettles or an electric tea kettle is a wonderful experience - just ask the Queen of England! Tea pots come in all shapes and sizes and are a collectible item for many - cat lovers love their cat teapots.

Enjoy cups of tea with great tea sets. These tea sets make great gifts. There are excellent choices of teapots, with or without an infuser, collectible cat teapots, tea kettles, electric tea kettle and tea sets online. Have a look at all the tea websites and you will be pleasantly surprised.

The Best Cup of Tea Is Made In English Teapots

By: Sandra Fierling
Website: http://www.tea-temptation.com

If you want an excellent cup of tea, then make it in English teapots. You will enjoy the tea so much more if it is served from an English teapot. They come in so many varieties, colours, shapes and sizes.

If you are not a real tea fan yet, then try a cup of organic black tea or herbal rooibos tea from a teapot. Take your time to brew it correctly, warming the teapot first. Pouring it into your cup, you will smell its wonderful aroma and then discover how great it tastes. There are many English teapots: from the English Betty Brown to the Japanese cast iron teapots. Teapots are also available in glass, stainless steel, silver, china , for example. You can order teapots online. It's very easy and they will be delivered to your door. They come in all sizes from one-cup to ten-cup teapots.

You will enjoy your cup of tea so much more, when it is served in style from an teapot. English teapots are available all over the world. Treat yourself to one.

Tea Parties Take the Cake

Renewed interest in social graces and longing for a gentler time is spurring a huge demand for social tea drinking and all its accoutrements.  As tea sales increase in the U.S. as never before, the social aspect of tea drinking along with the endless assortment of teaware is flourishing in the form of tea parties and luncheons with unending themes.

Atlanta, Ga (PR Web) April 20, 2005-- Taking cues from a favored English past time, tea-party themes range from Victorian elegance to purely whimsical, appealing to a broad age range as well.  Tea Rooms have appeared throughout the U.S. giving us a guide to the ways of cozy ambience, dress-up, quiet conversation, etiquette, and elegant decor.  You don�t need to spend hours in the kitchen to host a memorable tea party.  Prepare small sandwiches with simple flavors like cream cheese and prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato, tuna salad, or ham and apple.  Simply spread a thin coat of mayonnaise, butter, or cream cheese on the bread to keep it from getting soggy.  Add your favorite filling and cut off the edges with a serrated knife. Then cut with cookie cutter, or cut into simple square shapes.  Add a few pastries from your local bakery such as scones, muffins, and danishes in assorted flavors.  Keep the party to around 2 hours.  Any longer will require a light lunch.

 Tea Party Ideas

Mother/Daughter Club

Start a Mother/Daughter Tea Club � Gather together once a month and use special teacups, teapots, and linens along with several types of tea and finger foods.  Introduce a different theme each month that interests women of all ages: fashion, health, gardening, etc.  It�s a beautiful time to enjoy each other.

 Tea Break at Work

Surprise your co-workers with a tea break.  Bring sandwiches, cookies, scones and a special teapot for a special break from the ordinary

 Tea and Cookies

Have everyone bring their favorite batch of cookies and display them on fine china platters.

 Preparation

Start with innovative invitations.  For a girls� birthday tea party, cut out invitations shaped as teapots or send each guest a small teacup with an invitation attached or painted on the cup. Or use floral note cards or postcards.

Purchase or borrow the necessary items for your tea gatherings.  You�ll need 1 or more china teapots for intimate gatherings.  Cups and saucers may be matching, but create interest with a variety of patterns.  For sugar, always use cubes in a sugar bowl with sugar tongs for serving.  Serve milk, not cream.  Have teaspoons, lemon slices in a dish with a small fork, serving utensils for cake, forks, and knives for jam.  Use pedestal cake stands for serving pastries and cakes to create different levels to your tablescape.

Don�t forget the music:  classical or vintage

 Use candles to create ambience.

 Serve a colorful variety of petit fours, scones, sugar cookies, and of course, chocolate.

 Set out bouquets of pink and white flowers.

Take Polaroid snapshots of guests to add to the fun and chatter.

 Ask guests to dress up complete with heels, hats, and gloves

 Favors

Surprise your guests with tea party favors such as lace handkerchiefs, flavored tea, teapot cozies, , teacups, porcelain teabag holders, demitasse spoons with teapot handles, or your favorite recipes printed on floral stationary.

 Tea Party Etiquette:

This is a great time to teach young ladies about etiquette.  To stir your tea, swish the tea back and forth, never hitting the sides of the cup.  Never leave the spoon in the cup, but gently rest the spoon on the saucer, behind the cup on the right side under the cup handle.  Drink your tea by lifting the saucer and cup together, with the saucer in one hand, and cup in the other.

 Tea Preparation

Fill a tea kettle with purified water and set on stove to boil. Warm up your china teapot by running hot water thru it from the faucet.  This will keep your tea warmer for a bit longer.  To keep tea warm for about 3 hours, set your teapot on top of a teapot warmer.  Add your teabags or tea-filled infuser to the teapot using 2-3 tea bags for 4 guests. Pour the boiling water carefully into your teapot and wait 5 minutes, then remove teabags. China Teapots are best at keeping tea warm.  Surround teapot with a stylish tea cozy for extra insulation.

For a wide variety of teapots, tea party accessories by Royal Patrician, Kaldun & Bogle, Kensington, Roy Kirkham and more, visit The Teapot Shoppe on line at www.theteapotshoppe.com  

                                                            Tea Party Ideas For Showers

You would love to give a special shower but you can�t think of a theme. This article will contain several tea party ideas 
that could be used for a variety of showers.

Tea party ideas are almost unending and they can be used for a small intimate baby shower or for an elegant bridal shower for 30 guests. Choose a time for your tea party, either morning or afternoon, and begin your search for tea party recipes and decorations.

Choose a decorative theme and use it throughout the planning process. For example, if you love pink roses, find or create 
invitations with pink roses. Then, follow thru with napkins, tablecloths and centerpieces featuring pink roses. 
Create your own creative tea party invitations using your computer or rubber stamps, embellishments and ribbons. You can also purchase whimsical or fancy invitations at a stationery store, party store, or retail online site. Be sure to mail them 
at least 2 weeks ahead of the party date to give your guests plenty of notice.

Your tea party should include some lovely decorations to coordinate with your invitations. Use small flower pots with 
beautiful blooming flowers or small vases combined with candles. Teacups filled with a small bouquet also make lovely table decor. Bone china teapots are always charming table decorations and be sure to include your beautiful china teacups when you serve tea or coffee. An especially fun idea is to have each guest bring a special vintage teacup. During the shower have each person explain why the teacup is meaningful to them. Use varied heights on your table with tiered cake stands and serving pieces along with votive candle and lace linens. This will make a truly elegant tablescape.

Favors always make parties extra special. When your guests are ready to leave, give each a fresh or silk pink rose or a 
candle-shaped rose. Keeping with your theme, purchase party favors online to match your tea party decor. Party favors are 
available now in many themes such as candles, coasters, seashell favors, candy, and much more. Another important aspect of a successful tea party is music. Play a CD of classical music, Sinatra, or 40's style music for a perfect ambience. 

Whether you decide on a morning tea or afternoon tea party, use tea party recipes that are easy and yet delicious. Make all 
the tea party recipes yourself or if you are short on time, it is fine to use pre-made items. Include a variety of cream 
puffs or scones presented on a tiered dessert server. Other tea party ideas for food include frozen fruit cups, fruit 
platters, cheese straws, cupcakes, biscuits with jam, mini muffins or tiny quiches. There are many cookies that are perfect 
for tea parties or you may want to serve a variety of bars and brownies. Include food that is not on the sweet side such as 
scoops of chicken salad in a dessert dish, nuts, or unsweetened breads and rolls. Don't forget to bring out your punch bowl and fill with a refreshing drink in addition to tea. And finally, the most important part of the tea party is the tea; Earl 
Grey, English Breakast, Green Tea, or any of the fruit flavored teas are the perfect addition to your party. Serve them in 
Porcelain or Bone China teapots on top of a teapot warmer to keep them hot for about 3 hours. 

These are just a few tea party ideas for your next baby or bridal shower. Be creative and think of your guests when 
organizing your own tea party ideas. 

What's Better for You: Coffee or Tea? 

Studies Have Shown Coffee and Tea Have Several Health Benefits

Article from ABC News

June 27, 2006 � When you reach for that mug in the morning, you may get more benefits than a jump-start to the day.

Daily cups of coffee have been linked to a reduced risk of Parkinson's disease, liver cancer, gallstones and type 2 diabetes. In addition, green tea and white tea have been touted for their health benefits.

"What's interesting really is for years we were beating up on coffee. � And now study after study is suggesting benefits," said "Good Morning America" medical contributor David Katz.

So given the choice between coffee and tea, what's the healthiest thing you can reach for in the morning?

You can find Katz's advice below. Full disclosure: He's a coffee drinker.

How Much to Have?
The maximum recommended amount of coffee is four 8-ounce cups a day, although it depends on the individual in terms of body size, among other factors. Because caffeine has been shown to raise blood pressure, you should limit your intake if you have any blood pressure abnormalities. More than four cups is never recommended.

Antioxidants
There is the strong suggestion that the antioxidants in tea � whether it's black, green or white � have health benefits. Antioxidants can prevent inflammation of the blood vessels, and it has been linked to reduced risk for cancer. In terms of antioxidants, white tea has the most, followed by green tea, black tea and coffee. Green and white teas are made from different parts of the tea leaves, but both are minimally processed, unlike black tea, which is fermented. It appears the process of fermentation reduces the antioxidants in the final product.

Caffeine
Caffeine is associated with enhanced alertness, increased productivity and concentration when you're driving, and enhanced athletic performances. In terms of caffeine, coffee has the most followed by black tea, green tea and white tea.

Tea Vs. Tea Beverages
Because the health benefits of tea has become more recognized by the public, some manufacturers are putting a small amount of it in a product, then adding ingredients that are bad for you, such as sugar. For instance, a Snapple Green Tea has 46 grams of sugar in it � the equivalent of about 11 sugar cubes. That's more than twice as much sugar as you get in a Hershey chocolate bar, which as 22 grams of sugar. Just because the label says white tea doesn't make it a healthy drink.

"Our green teas provide consumers with functional benefits � and great taste," Snapple said in a statement on its product. "We offer a lime green tea in both a diet and regular version, giving consumers different choice and calorie options."

Coffee or Tea?
If you have a choice between coffee or tea, Katz says tea is better. If coffee is part of your morning routine, you have nothing to worry about.

America's Baby-Boomers Are Embracing Tea For Its Health Benefits

�PROFIT is not our basic motive,� says David Bigelow. He is referring to his tea plantation outside Charleston, South Carolina, which his family company bought in 2003. Its American Classic brand is sold only locally, though Mr Bigelow hopes to extend distribution throughout the South. His 127-acre farm, where bendy old oaks give way to neat rows of waist-high tea bushes, is the only place in America that produces tea commercially. Even though the climate is suitable, tea-growing is simply too costly, since the process is labour-intensive and resists automation. Mr Bigelow hopes to break even eventually through tourism: public tours kicked off earlier this year.

But although tea production in America is minuscule, consumption is booming. Sales have more than tripled in the past 15 years, exceeding $6 billion last year. Some 85% of the tea drunk in America is served iced�for easy sipping on sleepy summer days. Lately, sales of �ready to drink� bottled teas have been growing particularly fast. Mike Harney of Harney & Sons, a tea firm based in New York, calls the United States �the most dynamic tea market in the world".  Americans' growing enthusiasm for tea can be explained in large part by its health benefits. Tea contains less caffeine than coffee, and the industry touts studies that suggest it can help with heart problems, blood pressure and even cancer. This explains tea's particular appeal to the ageing baby-boom generation, suggests Brian Keating of Sage Group, a market-research firm, in a recent report on the industry. Green tea is perceived to be especially healthy, though white teas, which have undergone minimal processing, are also popular, says Karen Dunlap, a �tea sommelier� based in New York. Tea-based soft drinks are doing well, too.

Tea still trails far behind coffee, of course. The Sage Group estimates that tea sales in America will reach at most one-third the level of coffee sales by 2010. Yet the relationship between the two drinks is oddly collaborative. Starbucks, the dominant coffee chain, bought Tazo, a fast-growing brand of speciality tea, in 1999. Just last week the chain rolled out tangerine and pomegranate frappuccino juice blends, which mix Tazo tea with other fruity flavours. Also on sale, since the spring, has been Starbucks's blackberry green-tea frappuccino. Other chains have also turned to tea-based drinks. Jamba Juice, known for its smoothies, offers a �Matcha Green Tea Blast�, with green-tea powder, soya milk, sorbet and frozen yogurt.

That may not be how they drink tea in traditional China or staid English drawing-rooms. But in the land of the Boston Tea Party, the drink has a certain unconventional history to live up to.

Interesting Articles 

Parties That Fit Them to a Tea - An article you'll enjoy about how children and tea parties go together to make beautiful memories.

Tea Party Planning and Recipes - Study this article by Diana Rosen.  She gives an overview of planning a lovely tea party that will be remembered by all.

Come to Tea - An overview of tea party planning for girls of all ages�.

Tea Party Etiquette - Review this article about Tea Etiquette by Rochelle Valasek.  It will help make your Tea Party a memorable one.