National Hot Tea Month

Y'all know I love to celebrate every occasion and since January is National Hot Tea Month, I'll be sippin' hot tea every chance I get.  After the rush of the holidays, I'm ready to relax, organize my stuff, and plan for the new year.

To sit and have a cup of tea is one of the most relaxing things that you can do.  It's not the actual drinking of the tea, but the ritual of boiling the water, preparing the tea, and patiently waiting and anticipating quiet time.  It slows you down from your hectic pace and gives you a chance to take a deep breath and relax.

I do love to visit tearooms when I travel or when I'm at home.  In the past I've been able to locate lots of tearooms on Tea Map and The Tea House Times.  Unfortunately, it seems as though proper tearooms are becoming a thing of the past and that's a shame.  Taking tea in a tearoom is so relaxing and gives us a chance to practice proper etiquette.

If you are taking tea at home, you may serve at the dining table.  This is the correct place setting...The hostess pours the tea for each guest and serves them individually from the right-hand side.  Teacups and saucers are never passed around the table.  After all the guests have been served tea, the hostess serves herself and the tea begins.

If you choose to take your tea at the coffee table, it is called a "Low Tea" and this is the proper setting.  Remember when taking tea at a coffee table, pick up the teacup and saucer together.  The teacup should never be more than 12" away from the saucer.

Yes, there is tea etiquette to be followed.  My favorite books are by one of my favorite etiquette teachers, Ms. Dorothea Johnson.  These books are must-reads for those who take tea for business or pleasure and to teach children about the etiquette rules observed at afternoon tea...from the invitations to the thank-you notes.  You can order these books at my "Miss Janice Recommends" page.

"At tea, as in any other interaction, we are not free to act merely as we please, but we must act with mutual consideration, as befits our independence."  ~Dorothy Johnson

Today it is so cold here in Georgia and I'm only going to leave the house to go to the gym.  Right now I'm enjoying an "Elevenses Tea"...tea with a little treat.  Harney Tea is my absolute favorite and I steeped their "Florence" tea and am nibbling on shortbread while I'm piddling around the house.

Awaiting Downton Abbey

What a fabulous way to kick off the start of National Hot Tea Month!  9 pm ET is the premiere of the 4th season of Downton Abbey!  I am hoping that there won't be any more sadness on the show this season.  

No football for me tonight...and I better not be interrupted!

Oh how I love the British-style wait staff servers.

The posh life...dining with others who have impeccable table manners and seated at a table with exquisite place settings.  They are so very proper!

I'm patiently awaiting the lovely costume designs.

 For those of you who might be having a "Proper tea," this is the correct place setting for taking tea at the dining table.  The hostess pours the tea for each guest and serves them individually from the right-hand side.  Teacups & saucers are never passed around the table.  After all the guest have been served tea, the hostess serves herself and the tea begins.

If you chose to take your tea at the coffee table while viewing the show, this "Low tea" place setting that I featured during last year's premier show would be appropriate.

I have already set up the coffee table for my "Low tea" tonight.  I'll be having a decadent chocolate croissant and the "Florence" tea from Harney and Sons.  This a wonderful black tea with nut and chocolate flavors...one my favorite teas.  I will also be having a bit of champagne!

Y'all have a wonderful week!

Downton Abbey

Put the kettle on y'all!  It's time for Downton Abbey.  Tonight is the premiere of season 3 with the Crawley family and I'll be ready at 9:00 p.m. {ET} sharp!

I'm gonna get comfy and cozy and watch from my sofa with some hot tea and scones.  Tonight I'll be sippin' Harney and Sons' Jasmine Fairy Maidens.  This is a tisane...a caffeine-free infusion--not from the tea plant, but made from bark, flower, and seeds. 

My coffee table is set for a "Low Tea" with a scone, lemon curd, double devon creme, and Jasmine Tisane.

I am an avid lover of tea and yesterday I really overindulged!  I had tea in the morning with a small amount of fruit and tons of vitamins.  Then, I went out to do some errands and shopping and stopped at Chick-fil-A and got an iced tea...still no solid food.  By the time I arrived back home, I was shaking like a leaf from the caffeine on an empty stomach!  So tonight, I'm taking it easy on the caffeine, but still getting that wonderful tea flavor.

Tea Tip:  Who should not drink tea?

~Children under the age of two.

~Do not drink tea on an empty stomach, if you have a stomach ailment.

~Do not drink tea one hour before and after taking medications.

~Do not drink tea if you have a kidney problem; consult with your Doctor first.

~Do not drink tea before bedtime if you are a diabetic, elderly, or sick.

If you are a Downton Abbey fan, enjoy the show!

January is National Hot Tea Month

I'm stepping back away from the Starbucks cups for now and sippin' some hot tea.  January is National Hot Tea month and even though I'm in warm, sunny Florida, I still enjoy tea in the morning.    I'm definitely getting back on my "Clean Living Diet" and tea is the perfect beverage to add to a healthy meal, whether it's hot tea or iced tea. Tea has so many health benefits...it's high in polyphenols, a type of anti-oxidant that may protect our cells from the DNA damage that can cause many diseases. Harney Tea is by far my favorite tea and this morning I'm enjoying some of their Florence tea.  It's a flavored black tea, with hazlenut and chocolate flavors.   

Back in 2009, I blogged all about tea during the entire month of January.  If you search my archives, you will find blog posts about The History of Tea, The Health Benefits of Tea, Steeping Tea, Times for Tea, Tea Accoutrements, Styles of Tea Service, Tips to Remember at the Tea Table, and Tea and Dining Etiquette.

Now is the perfect time to have tea with children and teach them how to behave at the table.

"Children's Tea and Etiquette" by Dorothea Johnson, John Harney, and Ann Noyes is the perfect book for those want to breed good manners in young minds...You'll find everything you need to know about children's tea and etiquette...from the invitations...to the thank-you notes!

Ms. Johnson has also written another book...with Bruce Richardson, "Tea and Etiquette."  This book is a must-read for those who take tea for business or pleasure.  It includes chapters on tea history, tea and health information, hosting an afternoon tea at home, tea faux pas, guest duties at a social tea, going out to tea, business tea etiquette, finessing the food at tea, tea types, steeping guides, and recipes.

Please join me and lift your teacups during January to toast National Hot Tea month.  Remember, tea is considered the beverage of hospitality...so go steep some tea!

Teatime for Children

National Hot Tea Month is the perfect time to have tea with children. Teatime is the perfect opportunity to teach children how to behave at the the table.
The secretary is set today for a Children's Tea.
"Children's Tea & Etiquette," by Dorothea Johnson, John Harney, and Ann Noyes is the perfect little book for those who want to breed good manners in young minds! This book is available on my sidebar under: "Miss Janice Recommends."From the invitations...to the thank-you notes, Ms. Johnson takes the reader through Introductions at Tea, Taking Your Chair, Napkin Etiquette, Drinking Tea, Eating the Tea Foods, Leaving the Table, Using Magical Words, The History of Tea, and Recipes for the Adults.

Children should be taught how to sit at the table...Sit up straight, with the hands resting on the lap. The tea napkin {serviette} is picked up and unfolded on the lap, not above the table. A tea serviette is opened completely. Children should be taught to blot their lips with their serviette...no wiping!

For children ages 3-5, serve a beverage like pink lemonade. It's important at this age that they learn how to hold the teacup and how to sip a beverage. For 6-8 year old children, you might serve a fruited tea at room temperature. For children 9 and up, you may serve a light hot tea.

Handling the Teacup:
Place the index finger through the handle, with the thumb placed on top of the handle to support the grip, and the second finger below the handle for added security. The next two fingers naturally follow the curve of the other fingers. It is considered an affection to raise the pinkie finger while sipping tea or any other beverage. Look into the teacup while sipping the beverage.
Savories, scones, and tea cakes are not necessary for 3-5 year-old children. It's best to serve them cookies/ cupcakes. For 6-8 year-old children, tea cakes, PBJ's, and fruit are more appropriate. For children ages 9 and up, a full course Afternoon Tea is de rigueur.

I placed a tea knife and fork at the setting, as this is the perfect time to teach children how to eat a cupcake with a knife and fork {we don't want to be messy, especially at teatime}.

There are two basic methods of handling & using table utensils at tea--the American style or the Continental style. You may teach your children one or both of the styles, but I believe it's easier for young children to learn the American style.

In both American & Continental style you cut your cupcake the same way. The fork is held in the left hand to secure the cake, and the knife is held in the right hand to cut the cake. Cut at the most one or two bites at a time.

In the American style, after you cut your cake, you then lay the knife on the tea plate, near the upper right edge with the cutting edge facing the center of the plate, and switch the fork to your right hand. Your left hand should remain in your lap unless you are cutting food. Holding the fork with the thumb over the end and the index finger underneath and the tines up, you then pick up the cake with the tines or slipping the cake onto tines and eat!

Be sure to rest your fork with tines at the 10 o'clock position and the handle at the 4 o'clock position when you are sipping your beverage. The knife rests on the upper right edge of your plate.

Remember to use the three-finger rule {use the thumb, middle, and index fingers} when picking up food with the fingers {cookies and cream puffs}:

Y'all have a tea-lite-ful day!!!

Celebrating National Hot Tea Month!

Today starts my month-long celebration of National Hot Tea Month! What's not to like about tea? It's tasty, easy to make, and affordable.

My love of tea started very early in my life. Like most Southerners, I was introduced to iced tea at a young age. But I didn't begin my love affair with hot tea until about the year 2000. At that time, I began researching and studying all about tea and etiquette. The more I read about world's SECOND most popular beverage, the more I wanted to know about it.

This afternoon I was happy to sit down a rest a bit after the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's rush. I'm looking over one of very favorite tea books..."Tea & Etiquette," by Dorothea Johnson & Bruce Richardson. Ms. Johnson, founder of The Protocol School of Washington, was one of my etiquette teachers years ago and she has teamed up with Bruce Richardson, owner of Elmwood Fine Teas and the author of twelve other tea books to write this richly-illustrated book.

This book is a must-read those who take tea for business or pleasure. It includes chapters on tea history, tea & health information, hosting an afternoon tea at home, tea faux pas, guest duties at a social tea, going out to tea, business tea etiquette, finessing the food at tea, tea types, steeping guides, and recipes. This book is available to order on the sidebar of my blog under "Miss Janice Recommends!"
"At tea, as in any other interaction, we are not free to act merely as we please; but we must act with mutual consideration, as befits our interdependence."
~Dorothea Johnson

My secretary is set with all the proper tea accoutrements needed for Tea for One!

Today I'm using my 'Blue Willow' teaware by Johnson Brothers. I steeped Pomegranate Oolong tea and made delicious Cashew Caramel scones.
A white battenburg lace tea serviette...placed to the left of the plate with the napkin fold facing the tea plate.

A tea knife {I used a luncheon knife} is used to slice through the scone horizontally. Place small dallops of the cream onto your tea plate...never spooning directly onto the scone. Break off a bite-size piece with your fingers and use your knife to dab a bite-size piece with cream.

A votive candle is used inside the silver teapot warmer to keep the beverage hot.

The teacup, is filled 3/4 full and sat on a doily on the tea saucer...with the handle always at 4 o'clock! The Pomegranate Oolong tea is available at Harney Teas. The leaves of Ti Quan Yin Oolong are infused with tangy pomegranate. This is a wonderful tea y'all..try it, you will love it!

A traditional English scone...

The Devonshire cream is placed on a butter pan plate and then served onto the tea plate...Remember, do not spoon the cream directly from the pat plate to the scone!

To sit and have a cup of tea is one of the most relaxing things that you can do. It is not the actual drinking of the tea, but the ritual of boiling the water, preparing the tea, and patiently waiting and anticipating some quiet time. It slows you down from your hectic pace and gives you a chance to take a deep breath and relax.

Thank you so much for visiting with me today. Remember, tea is considered the beverage of hospitality--so go steep some tea and...Make it Southern!

Let's Celebrate National Hot Tea Month!

Please join me and lift your teacups during January to toast National Hot Tea month. I love tea! What's not to like? It's tasty, easy to make, and affordable.

My love of tea started very early in my life. Like most Southerners, I was introduced to iced tea at a young age. Over the years, I have experimented with various flavors of iced tea. It wasn't until about ten years ago that I began my love affair with hot tea. I began researching and studying all about tea and etiquette. The more I read about the world's SECOND most popular beverage, the more I wanted to know about it. My interest in tea turned into the dream of someday being able to have a tea business. The dream has slowly become a reality. I am a Certified Level 1 Tea Professional and conduct tea and etiquette programs for children and adults.

Today I am relaxing while reading the January/February issue of Tea Time Magazine and sipping some Pomegranate Oolong Tea. This wonderful tea is available at Harney Teas--the leaves of Ti Quan Yin Oolong are infused with tangy pomegranate. Try it, y'all will love it!

During the month of January, I will be posting about all about tea--the history of tea and where it is produced, the varieties of tea and the stages of processing, the health benefits of tea, how to prepare tea, special times of the day for tea, tea accoutrements, and tea etiquette--from the invitations to the thank-you notes. I will also include some interesting tea-related websites, books about tea, and programs available for those who are interested in becoming a Tea Consultant or maybe opening a Tearoom.

Thank you so much for visiting with me today. Remember, tea is considered the beverage of hospitality--so go steep some tea and...Make it Southern.