More road trip teas from Teavana

I've been in Texas all week with my sister, and as we were arriving on Sunday, just outside of Fort Worth, we stopped at the convenience store to top all convenience stores, the incredible Buc-ee's.

I wondered whether they would have some more of those delicious Teavana teas like I got on my last road trip, and boy, did they — any flavor I could have wanted!

I had good luck with the unsweetened green tea I got on my last road trip, so this time, I got the Peach Nectarine Green Tea. Only, when we got to the car, I realized I had just purchased *sparkling* green tea! It was quite delicious, and although it wasn't exactly what I thought I was getting (because it was, frankly, even better), I was pleased. I sure wish I had a Buc-ee's near me so that I could try all the Teavana teas on their display! (And coming next week: a few places where I unexpectedly found tea in Texas.)

A treasured teapot turns up in "Tea Time"

Many years ago, I was coming back from a magazine assignment in LaGrange, Georgia, when I stopped by an antique store there and spotted this lovely old Sadler teapot. I'd been searching for a pretty pink teapot, and I bought this teapot because I thought it was one of the prettiest teapots I had ever seen. I still do!

Fast-forward to 2019, and I'm innocently flipping through the charming pages of the new issue of Tea Time when I say …

Hey, that's like my teapot! I knew mine was a Sadler, but that was almost all I knew about it, and then I read this: "Over time, the company evolved its products, creating whimsical and ornate pieces, such as the Sadler 1562 teapot. From the unique apple shape of its body to the classic floral design to the gold scrollwork and trim, this is an eye-catching piece to feature at your summertime tea party!" So thank you, Tea Time, for sharing some new information about my teapot's pedigree. Do any of you happen to have a Sadler 1562 teapot? I'd sure like to see any others that were made!

Careen's Cups and the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum

It's such a pleasure to hear from old friends I haven't seen in years. One of them, Delana, was a girlhood friend that I went to church with for many years, and several months ago, we reconnected on Facebook, and she suggested we meet at the Gone With the Wind Museum in Marietta and then have lunch on the Square. Delana is the girlfriend who spent the night with me before Charles and Diana's wedding so that we could wake up early and watch it together the next morning, so I think that shows you how far we go back!

I've been to the GWTW Museum before, but not in its new home at Brumby Hall, so I enjoyed seeing the new space as well as some new items from their collection. Delana's wedding dress was a recreation of the white dress Scarlett O'Hara wore in the movie's opening scene (replica at upper right), so it was fun to see her checking out all the gowns.

But what caught my eye this time? A demitasse set that belonged to Ann Rutherford, the movie's Careen O'Hara!

Here's what the letter accompanying this set says: "Dearest Chris, Your birthday gift is not only woefully late, but it is a puzzlement. Even Herb Brooks hasn't ever heard of one of these demi tasse sets of service for twelve, he has only tracked down one of eight! I'm sure I received it in about 1952 and it was probably a gift from Atlanta's mayor. I'm not even sure of that. I do know that many of the cups have a historic reference, which is the reason I stuck a card around those so you don't have to read the bottom of the cups to see what that cup is honoring. There is one little girl on a cup. Her last name is 'Lumpkin.'  I was so happy it wasn't 'Marietta.' Anyway, I trust everything arrived as whole as they were sent. Looking forward to Kent State and you. Big love to your mom and Paul, and more love to you on your extra special day. Ask for more meatloaf! XOXOXO Ann."

I'm guessing the aforementioned little girl is the one pictured behind this teacup, right? (I didn't fully read the letter until I got home and enlarged the photo on the computer. If I'd read it before leaving, I would have been on a mission to track down the "little girl cup.")

I love that Atlanta's mayor "maybe" gave this set to Ann Rutherford all those years ago, and I quite enjoyed seeing it at the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum. And because I'm including a GWTW reference in all of my "Junkin' Jewelry" mysteries, this visit also served as research for my future books!

Taking "tea" on the road

Scrolling through my iPhone photos this week, I realized I'd taken a couple of tea photos on my recent trip to North Carolina that I meant to share here. First, I wasn't hungry for a full lunch while at the mall in Cary, North Carolina, one day, so instead I decided to just treat myself to a chai frappuccino, which I believe I got at Jet's Coffee. I wasn't sure about having cold chai, but this was delicious and definitely served as my sweet treat for the day!

Alex and I also like to check out the nice new gas station/convenience store centers along the way when we need a snack or drink. This time, I found a new Teavana bottled tea, this unsweetened Strawberry Apple Green Tea. I've tried lots of bottled teas over the years, and this one tasted like tea that I make for myself at home. I think it helped that there were no wonky-tasting sweeteners. Lesson learned, and I'll be looking for this tea again.

I know tea lovers like to try new tearooms when they travel, but do any of you like to try new teas and tea treats on road trips? I sure do, and I've got another road trip planned soon, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for more new teas along the way.

Courtyard Tea from Palais des Thés

I'm still quite enjoying the Palais des Thés Garden Tea they were kind enough to share with me recently, and this week, I tried the elegant tea bags of another Thé du Louvre, the Courtyard Tea.

This tea is another blend that pays tribute to the Louvre, and it was released just as the museum celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Louvre Pyramid.

This tea smells so divine from the moment you open the package, and the delicious scent was, I'm happy to say, matched by the delicious taste. This black tea is flavored with citrus and blackberry, and the taste is distinctive in that it's a very sophisticated pairing, as if the citrus and blackberry flavors were carefully selected to balance each other and not compete. It doesn't remind me of hot lemonade, as some citrus teas do, and it doesn't make me pucker, as some berry teas do. And I'm still quite smitten by the gorgeous packaging on these teas. You can check out this new one on the Palais des Thés website here.

"The Vintage Baker" by Jessie Sheehan

I was in more of "reading" mood than a "cooking" mood this weekend, and my reading included a new cookbook I had recently ordered, The Vintage Baker by Jessie Sheehan. This isn't a tea cookbook, but I shouldn't have been surprised that I came across a few tea-inspired recipes in the book.


When I opened it, I discovered a lovely surprise, a cute little facsimile cookbook of Vintage Recipes. In the intro, Sheehan explains that she got interested in all things related to sweets and baking when she went to work at a bakery in Brooklyn, New York, more than a decade ago and began collecting recipe booklets.

The recipes in this book are "revamped" versions of some old ones, and I enjoyed seeing where she got the originals. Here, for instance, is her recipe for Chai Banana Fritters. The chai spices are part of her "update" to the recipe, and this sounds quite delicious.

And have you ever heard of Swedish Tea Rolls? I had not, but Sheehan says they taste like "the best mini cinnamon-sugar toaster pastry you've ever had," and she also says they're perfect with an afternoon cup of tea. (I'm sold!) The Vintage Baker is one of the most fun, unique cookbooks I've come across in a while, and if you're into vintage recipes yourself, I definitely recommend that you take a look. 

I've been collecting vintage recipe booklets as well for the past few years, especially looking for anything suitable for teatime, so I love her idea of updating some of these recipes. Do you collect (or have saved) vintage recipe booklets? If so, got any recommendations?

Tea recipes from Food Network

For some reason, I started getting a free subscription to Food Network magazine last year, and I have really enjoyed it. And I'm enjoying the June issue even more because …

They have recipes for Iced Tea Mocktails and Cocktails! So if you're a Food Network fan, you might want to pick up this issue if you don't subscribe. I recently ordered an unsweet Arnold Palmer at Chick-fil-A (no problem, my friendly server said), so I am very interested in making the Green Tea Arnold Palmer (at far left). I need some fresh lemons first, though, so I'll be experimenting after I make a trip to the grocery store!

The "Running for Good" book goes to …

Susan K.! And I've just sent you an email so I can get this signed copy headed your way. Congrats!

Tin Roof Teas' Orange Creamsicle Tea

They say we eat with our eyes first, and I would like to offer a variation on that theme: we sip with our eyes first. Doesn't this tea with bits of orange peel and white chocolate look good enough to, well, eat?

It's one of my souvenirs from last week's trip to Raleigh, North Carolina, to attend my publisher's annual party. My four days in Raleigh were packed, with a bit of shopping, a lot of socializing, and much fun and games with my fellow authors. And once again, Alex and I made time for a side excursion to Tin Roof Teas, a tea shop I've visited for five years in a row. It's been ages since I had the pleasure of simply going in a tea shop and sniffing all those glorious samples of tea, so I certainly enjoyed myself. And this time, I came home with their Orange Creamsicle blend, which you can read about here.

When I was a little girl, those orange creamsicle ice creams on a stick were one of my favorite treats, and this tea captures the flavor beautifully and is my new favorite "dessert tea." It's a seasonal blend at Tin Roof Teas, so if you want to try it, you might want to act quickly. (And with their Priority Mail shipping being just $5, I've realized I need to be buying teas from them more than once a year!)

In honor of Memorial Day

A different kind of Tea With Friends giveaway!

 

Are you familiar with the Chicken Soup for the Soul books? Well, I have an essay coming out in this one, Running for Good, which will be published June 4. You'll note that the subtitle says "101 Stories for Runners & Walkers to Get You Going!" I am one of the walkers, and they have published my story about a little boy I met while walking in my neighborhood, Ethan, who helped me meet some of my neighbors who remain my walking buddies to this day.

This isn't a tea book, but at least one tea drinker (me!) appears in the book, so perhaps one of you would like an advance copy? Or maybe you have a runner or walker friend who would enjoy a signed copy? If so, just leave an "Enter me" to this post between now and 7 a.m. on Wednesday, May 29, making sure I have a way to contact you if you're the winner, and you'll be entered to win. Good luck!

A mystery in the new issue of Tea Time …

I always find so much to admire in a new Tea Time magazine, and the May/June 2019 issue has so many fun things … as well as a bit of mystery.

One mystery is the cozy mystery Chocolate Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke, whose cozies I've read and enjoyed. I like how Tea Time is partnering with the book's publisher on "The Cozy Corner." That is just smart marketing for everyone.

But the mystery I'm most interested in? Where did they find the verrine glasses (a term I'd never heard before) on the second tier of this tea tray? I've looked on the resources page at the back of the magazine, but it doesn't list them. They'd have to be small to fit on the second tier of a tea tray, right? Have any of you heard of verrine glasses before?

And finally, I'll probably never have a tea for Cinco de Mayo, but I love these cute little seven-layer dips served in small glasses. Would you serve these at a fiesta tea?

A gift of tea & chocolate from afar

This teacup featuring Gustav Klimt's famous The Kiss comes from a totally unexpected source. You see, my husband has been ghostwriting a lot of books in recent years, and one of his current clients is an amazing woman from the Czech Republic. After they'd had a few meetings to discuss the book, he decided I should join them as well, and she and I hit it off over tea and coffee at an Atlanta café. She's got quite a story to tell, and part of it involves regular trips back home. When Alex and I met with her last week, she had this surprise for me!

This is definitely a teacup and saucer I didn't have in my collection, and I am fascinated that famous artwork is featured on it. It's got a nice large cup that I've been sipping from all weekend, and I'm enjoying this set so much. (Also, it reminds me of that Helen Mirren movie I saw a while back, Woman in Gold, which focuses on another famous Klimt painting that was stolen by the Nazis. Did any of you see it? I will always be fascinated by art and the mystique surrounding it.)

I'm even saving the satin-lined box the teacup and saucer came in, as I can't think of anything more appropriate for storing the art supplies I'm assembling as I get back into cardmaking and papercrafting.

And did you know that "Praha" is Czech for "Prague"? This new friend also brought back two large chocolate bars for Alex and me, and I claimed the white one, which is just so decadent and delicious. I'm again reminded of how incredibly blessed I am, and I marvel that tea (and chocolate!) is a love language spoken all over the world.

A thrifty new infuser mug for the office

Yesterday was a "book homework" day for me, one in which I sat at my computer, participated in a marketing webinar recommended by my publisher, and generally worked on the behind-the-scenes stuff that is required of authors these days. Necessary but not particularly fun stuff, in other words. You know what makes it better? A new tea mug! Downstairs, I generally sip out of bone china. But upstairs in my office, where desk space is valuable real estate, I don't need a saucer taking up space and instead use tea mugs. I found a new one (or perhaps a new "old" one) over the weekend at Goodwill. 

I couldn't quibble with the price. And hasn't Goodwill gotten fancy with their stickers! I just realized that I bought this tea mug the very day it is dated, so perhaps I got to it just before someone else did.

The two-piece set caught my eye immediately, and I love both the pretty seafoam-green color and the crackling, which I'm guessing is a design feature and not necessarily the result of age. And isn't that handle pretty? I love a handle like this because one finger can comfortably grip the inside while another perches on that little curve beneath it. 

The infuser appeared to be in great shape, and when I got it home and untaped the set, I was happy to find the infuser intact, since I always wonder whether the tape and stickers might be covering some flaw. I made a cup of oolong tea in this new mug and enjoyed several steepings of it thanks to the mug, which did a fine job of steeping my tea and made my day of work much more enjoyable than it might have otherwise been.

Do you suppose this is a Chinese or Japanese character? I have no idea, but I'd sure love to know who made my pretty and efficient little tea mug!

Brown Betty gets a makeover!

I have two Brown Betty teapots, a large one and a baby one, and thanks to sharp-eyed reader Diane, I have just learned that Brown Betty is getting a makeover!

After she sent me a link to an article on Brown Betty's redesign, I started to list all the things I learned, but honestly, I found so much new and intriguing information that I believe it's worth your while to read the full article. I won't spoil it for you by listing which of the teapot's new features I like best, but I'll bet you can guess, because they're probably the things you would like as well. Enjoy!

Read the article here on Atlas Obscura.

"Growing Your Own Tea Garden" by Jodi Helmer

It rained all weekend and I didn't get to play outside as I'd hoped, but I did take advantage of the rain to read a review copy of a new book I got from NetGalley, Growing Your Own Tea Garden by Jodi Helmer, and this is one of the first tea gardening books I've read that I believe would be useful even to those who have no intention of gardening but simply want to educate themselves.

The book opens with a brief history of tea, then it gives a good overview of selecting all the plants for the tea garden, from true tea plants (Camellia sinensis) to those "teas" made with leaves, flowers, fruits, and roots. "Some of the most popular 'teas' are not tea at all," Helmer notes. "True tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant; herbal teas, including popular brews such as chamomile and peppermint, are considered tisanes. Tisanes are made from ingredients such as herbs, flowers, fruits, bark, and roots but no white, green, black, or oolong teas."

The distinction is an important one to make, so even someone new to teatime will be clear about what is and isn't truly "tea" in the tea garden. I enjoy drinking tisanes as well as teas, and I learned a lot about the plants used to make tisanes (and flavor my Camellia sinensis) by reading this book. For instance, Helmer writes that "although bee balm smells like Earl Grey tea and was even used as a replacement for black tea after the Boston Tea Party, the essential oil used in the iconic tea is from a different plant." Doesn't that make you want to run out and get a bee balm plant?

Quite a few mints are featured in the book (along with the advice to plant them in pots so they don't overtake the garden), and readers will learn fun things like the fact that pineapple mint is a subspecies of apple mint, chocolate mint is a cultivar of peppermint, and 'Kentucky Colonel' mint is the cultivar preferred for mint juleps because of its large and attractive leaves.

For those of us who like the idea of making our own tisanes, Helmer has helpfully included lots of potential benefits as well as cautions for these plants. St. John's wort, for instance, is believed to be a natural antidepressant, yet it has been banned from products in France because of its potential interactions with certain medications, she says. Similarly, burdock is a plant which "might inhibit tumor growth," she notes, but it's also a diuretic and should be used carefully. The section on these plants was one of the most useful parts of the whole book and makes an excellent starting point for anyone who does wish to use tisanes to benefit their health.

The book also includes tips for harvesting plants, recipes for blending them, some suggestions for tea garden designs, and a resource list for further study. A quick, entertaining, and highly useful read, Growing Your Own Tea Garden is sure to get lots of tea drinkers reaching for their spades and shovels.

An unexpected teacup collector

Occasionally, I find articles pertaining to teatime when I'm not even looking for them, and that was the case when I sat in bed the other night and perused the new issue of Country Gardens.

Inside was a feature called "His & Her Anthology, about a husband-and-wife team who serve as historic interpreters at Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts, which I've not visited but have certainly heard of. One of them collects teacups, and one of them collects antique garden tools. But can you guess who collects what?

I was intrigued to learn that Bruce Craven collects antique transferware, especially those teacups with an agricultural motif. His wife, Christie Higginbottom, collects the garden tools. I'd never thought of "agricultural motifs" as something to look for, and I love knowing that a man in Massachusetts has this particular teacup-gathering interest, resulting in a collection of some 200 teacups. Other than a few tea wares with handwriting on them, I can't think of any particular "motif" I collect. Do you have a specialty?

A Shabby Chic Tea Time Table

A few years ago, a dear friend who shares my passion for all things Rachel Ashwell recorded and shared episodes of Rachel's Shabby Chic program on the Style Network, which I couldn't access through my cable provider. I so enjoyed those old videos, though the only ones I ever saw were the ones my friend thoughtfully shared.

I follow Rachel Ashwell on Instagram, and I recently learned there that her old TV programs are now available on YouTube. Naturally, I trotted right on over there to check them out, and I was delighted to find one about teatime! Since so many of us who love tea also love the Shabby Chic look, I wanted to be sure you knew about her programs on YouTube, and this brief segment from one episode is a fine place to start.

Enjoy!

Some things that are vintage …

No, this teacup isn't vintage, but it sure looks it, doesn't it? It's one of the things I bought with the T.J. Maxx gift card my sister gave me for my birthday. (And wow, how did she know I love T.J. Maxx?) Speaking of things that are vintage, I turned 55 on Saturday, and I am looking forward to seeing a few of those senior discounts kick in. If you know of a good one, please share!

This saucer is so pretty, it would even look nice hanging on the wall.

And like the truly vintage teacup I found last weekend, this one features flowers inside the cup as well as on the saucer. I absolutely loved this teacup from the moment I spotted it, and my only decision was whether I wanted the exterior to be this aqua color or a salmon pink (which was a close second). They also had versions with bubblegum pink and yellow exteriors, and for a ridiculous moment, I thought about getting all four with my gift card, but I decided that would be overkill.

So now I'm happily enjoying my tea in this lovely cup and saucer, which has a nice wide handle and is a pleasure to sip from.

And while I've noted that Grace's Teaware has made lots of teacups at T.J. Maxx in recent years, I was surprised that this one  truly feels like old bone china. 

When I got home from shopping, I sent my sister a cellphone picture of what she bought me, representing what I consider the three major retail food groups: clothes, jewelry, and tea wares!