Tea Time
Jan
30
Written by:
1/30/2012 2:55 PM
Do you have tea time at your house? If not, I’d like to encourage you to try it. Our family is over-the-top crazy about coffee. One son-in-law is a barista and has roasted commercially. My husband roasts coffee beans which he buys green on-line. Yet tea has also had a special role.
A teapot and teacup are symbols of comfort and cozy conversation. The Brits in particular tend to reach for the tea kettle whenever trouble strikes. I took my cue from them, and when our daughter had a disappointment or a trauma, I put the kettle on. We also had a tradition of sharing a pot, as we shared our days, when she got home from school. A thermos of tea once accompanied us to the ER.
Little girls love tea parties, even with only their dollies or teddy bears as guests. Our daughters and granddaughters started with plastic tea sets, and enjoyed graduating to china. If a brother is interested in joining the party, just give him a cup or mug that doesn’t require him to extend his pinky finger.
Inviting a friend for tea is an opportunity to pull out some pretty things and to bake some yummy goodies. There is a teapot and tea cups for every style. I’ve sewed assorted print tea napkins. We bake tender tasty scones.
Brewing a proper pot of tea is not difficult, but it’s also not difficult to produce a bitter concoction. Here are some simplified guidelines:
Start with fresh cold water in your kettle or pan, preferably filtered or spring water. Most teacups hold approximately 8 ounces.
Use one teabag or one teaspoon per person and one for the pot.
Put the kettle on. When the water is close to boiling, pour some in the teapot and swirl it to warm the pot.
When the water is boiling (or close, depending on the tea), pour it in the pot over the teabag or leaves. Brew for 3-5 minutes. Remove the teabags, or pour promptly using a strainer. Tea brewed for too long or at too low a temperature will be bitter.
Serve the tea black, with milk, sugar, or lemon. Try it without sugar. Some people believe you should pour the milk in first. This will prevent crazing or fine cracks, a possibility with some china. Some believe flavor is affected.
Emily Barnes is a Christian author who is full of enthusiasm for tea and tea parties. For inspiration read her book, If Teacups Could Talk.
For your time with the Lord, brew yourself some tea. Use a pretty cup, and a pretty napkin. Enjoy His comfort and the comfort of tea.
Tips:
Buy some good tea, loose leaf or bags. One of our favorites is Bigelow’s English Teatime.
Brew yourself a cup. Experiment with times.
For children, use de-caf tea with plenty of milk. You might heat the milk a bit.
Tea from a preheated pot can be hot. Be careful. Sip, don’t gulp.
Tea cozies are useful for a large pot. Again the tea can be hot.
Invite one friend, or more. This is an easy way to practice hospitality.
Consider asking each Christian friend what special thing the Lord is doing in her life.
Experiment with some baked goodies. No energy? Store-bought are fine, too.
If you make scones, try Rumford’s baking powder. It has no aluminum, and is not bitter as are some brands. Try marionberry jam or jelly. It’s available at the grocery store.
Invite your husband to join you for a cup.
If you have daughters in school, consider tea time with them when they come home.
Emily Barnes’ books are available on abebooks.com starting at $1.00.
There are over 50,000 tea pots and 50,000 teacups on ebay.com. Too many? Try Tuesday Morning or Marshall’s.
“Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” (I Peter 4:9)
No need to grumble over tea time. It’s easy.