The Mote Spoon

I love to collect tea accoutrements.  All the dainty pieces serve a purpose and also are pretty to look at during teatime. The mote spoon is an elegant accessory to use while serving tea.  The spoon end is pierced to skim stray tea leaves from the cup.  The pointed end is used to stick into the spout of the teapot to scoop out tea leaves.  With its long handle, it is also a convenient utensil to stir the loose tea after the hot water has been added.

In this photo the silver tea strainer is placed on top of the tea cup to catch the stray tea leaves while pouring the tea.

If there are any stray leaves in the teacup after straining the tea, the mote spoon can be used. The silver mote spoon is placed on a teaspoon rest after each use.

The mote spoon is from the Victorian and Edwardian era and a must-have teatime accoutrement. 


"But indeed I would rather have nothing but tea."
~Jane Austen, Mansfield Park

I love starting my morning with a good pot of tea...planning my outfit, writing my to-do list, and relaxing.  Thank you for visiting with me today.

Lemon Etiquette at Teatime

Lemon is a delightful addition to hot tea and of course there is etiquette to be followed at teatime.  Tea pairs exceptionally well with Anne of Green Gables and today I'm sipping a Darjeeling tea from Harney Tea.  Darjeeling is a black tea--"The Queen of Teas," a blend of First Flush and Autumnal teas from the best tea gardens.  I would only add a lemon slice to a black tea.  Be sure to pour the tea in first, then add sugar, then the lemon.  Lemon is offered thinly sliced (never in wedges!).



A lemon fork (with splayed tines) should be provided.  The tea pourer or the tea drinker can then put a slice directly into the poured cup of tea.  Should you desire another cup of tea, the pourer will remove the slice of lemon from your cup, place it into the tea slop bowl (shown on the right), and pour your tea.  The tea pourer or you may add a fresh lemon slice.  You may also be offered a fresh cup, depending on availability.  Remember that milk and lemon are never used together in tea.  The citric acid of the lemon causes the milk to curdle


Etiquette tip--These are a few lemon faux pas you do not want to commit at teatime:

~Putting the lemon slice into the cup before pouring the tea.  Tea is always poured in the cup first.
~Placing a lemon slice on the edge of the saucer in anticipation of adding it to the cup later.
~Transferring the lemon slice from the cup to the saucer.  You will end up with your cup resting in a puddle of tea.
~Removing the cloves from the lemon slice before placing in the teacup.  The cloves are placed in the lemon slices to add flavor.
~Using the spoon to press the lemon slice after you place it in the cup.  The oil from the peel and the juice from the fruit will provide the desired essence.

"Of course I'll stay to tea, said Anne gaily.  I was dying to be asked."
Anne of Green Gables

Royal Tea

Since it is National Afternoon Tea Week in the U.K., I decided to enjoy a tea here in Georgia today.  Actually, I am having a "Royal Tea."  What is the difference between an "Afternoon Tea" and a "Royal Tea?"  A "Royal Tea" is also served in the afternoon and in addition to serving savories, scones, and sweets, a special dessert is also offered.  A glass of champagne is offered along with hot tea.

This book "Tea Fit for a Queen" was my inspiration for the tea, as I'm sure Queen Elizabeth II serves a "Royal Tea" to visitors at Buckingham Palace.

"Tea Fit for a Queen" is published by the people at Historic Royal Palaces, with narratives by Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator of the charity.  Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity that manages some of the United Kingdom's unoccupied royal palaces; i.e., Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Banqueting House, Kew Palace, and Hillsborough Castle. 

This pretty little book reveals how the tradition of afternoon tea started in royal Britain.  Recipes for finger sandwiches, Victoria sponge cake, Chelsea Buns, and a Champagne Cocktail are some of the royal recipes included.  Naturally, the recipes are beautifully photographed, but the measurement quantities are U.K. based.  So, if you are in the USA, you will need to convert the measurements.



I decided to use my Franciscan 'Desert Rose' dinner and tea ware for this tea.  I think any china pattern with a rose motif is so pretty at teatime.

Menu
Savories, Scones, and Sweets
Apple Cobbler
Champagne Cocktail
Royal Palace Tea

{I used the book's recipes for Cucumber and Mint Sandwiches, Egg Mayonnaise Sandwiches, and Champagne Cocktails}

Etiquette Tip:  The savories {sandwiches} are always placed on the bottom tier and eaten first; followed by the scones eaten next from the middle tier; and the sweets from the top tier.  Don't forget to take dainty bites!  Take small bites, sip a little tea, and make pleasant conversation.

The Royal Palace Tea may be purchased at Harney Tea...it is delightful, as one would expect!


I hope you have enjoyed your visit today.  Tomorrow, I will be back with a very sad post.  "What Happens When the Queen Dies?"

Magnolia and Ivy

Does anyone recognize these two ladies?  Well, the lady on the left is Terri Eager and her sister Kay Snipes is on the right.  They owned the South's most fabulous tearooms--my favorite one being Magnolia and Ivy Tearoom, in Destin, Florida...back in the 90's.  Both ladies are fellow Tea and Etiquette and Children's Etiquette Consultants from the Protocol School of Washington.  I remember having tea at Magnolia and Ivy several times back in the day and it was THE place for Southern ladies to enjoy a proper tea!  After a hiatus from tearoom operations, they are back as the owners of Kingdom Teas.  At Kingdom Teas, they offer a luxury line of specialty loose-leaf teas, some teapots, and their cookbook.

I have the cookbook from their tearoom and love the recipes for "Southern Teatime Made Easy."


I decided to prepare their recipe for *Strawberry Butter and it was the perfect topping to my crumpets yesterday morning.  Crumpets are the perfect bread for breakfast.  They should be toasted on both sides, the smooth side first, the holey side last.



The recipe made enough to store some in the frig for later. Probably not a good idea for me!



Remember to use the spreader to transfer the butter from the butter dome to your plate.  Then use the spreader at your setting to add the butter to your crumpet.  I had to control myself with just ONE crumpet!  I purchase the multi-pack crumpets and freeze them individually in zip lock bags.  After thawing out and toasting, they are still fresh!




*Recipe for Strawberry Butter

1 lb. softened butter
1/3 cup strawberry jam or fresh ripe strawberries
1 cup powdered sugar

Whip butter, berries, and sugar until light and fluffy.  Store in frig until ready to serve.  (I let the butter soften a bit before serving).

Come, let us have tea and talk about happy things.

Tea With Miss Janice, Post #5

Today I am featuring photos of "Tea Accoutrements," items needed to host a tea event--tea for one or a large group of guests. Let's take a look at what you might need...

Tea service, with a coffee pot or hot water pot, teapot, sugar bowl with tongs, a waste bowl (also called a slop bowl--oh yes it is!) for the tea dregs, and a creamer for the milk.

Sugar cubes are used at tea and may also be placed in a sugar scuttle, or you may use those tiny packets of artificial sweetener and place them in a sugar caddy.

If you are steeping loose tea in a teapot, use a tea strainer when pouring the tea into the teacup. Then carefully place the strainer back on to it's base cup.

A tea sachet is placed into the teacup, hot water added, steeped, and then placed on the tea sachet caddy

After the tea has steeped, it is proper to place the sachet onto the caddy.

A teabag is placed into the teacup, hot water added, steeped, and then placed onto the teabag caddy.

After the tea has steeped, it is proper to place the teabag onto the caddy.

Your tea in the pot may be kept warm using a teapot warmer.

Or, you may use a teapot trivit and...

Cover the teapot with a quilted tea cozy to keep the tea hot.

If you want to serve toast, place the toasted bread in a pretty toast rack. Use a pretty crystal serving piece for your jam, clotted cream, and lemon curd. Do you like honey with your tea? This pretty little crystal honey server is just perfect for an afternoon tea!

A silver muffineer is great to use if you like to add powered sugar to those yummy scones.

Make sure you use tea serviettes at tea--they are 12-inch square cloth napkins. In this photo I placed the serviettes in a teapot-motif napkin ring. You may use a small plate (dessert/salad) or any size you want. You will need a dessert fork and a luncheon/tea fork. Of course, you need and teacup and saucer and teaspoon. I always like to place a doiley underneath the teacup--just in case--even proper Southern ladies spill tea sometime!

You might also prefer to use a butter spreader at tea--shown in the front of the setting.

Here's the tea food tray which will contain all the goodies..use doilies on each plate and provide a pastry server for each plate. The savories will be placed on the bottom, the scones in the middle, and the sweets on the top plate. The foods are eaten in that order: savories, scones, and sweets.

If you will be serving iced tea, place your goblet on a doiley and provide iced teaspoons and rests. You may also place your iced tea goblet on a saucer with the doiley.
Here are two little silver pieces that are very nice to have at tea. A mote spoon is used to stir the tea beverage in the pot during the steeping process. It also has a pointed end, which may be used to unclog tea leaves in the tea spout. The dainty little fork is a lemon fork and used to serve the sliced lemons at your tea.

Perhaps you haven't had a tea party because you feel you don't have the proper place, tea accoutrements, or skills to host a tea party. That shouldn't stop you. Remember, it's your hospitality and how special you make someone feel that will leave a lasting impression, not your surroundings, china, etc. It is the ritual of sharing that is important!

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you are learning some new information about tea that you did not know. I will be posting about Tea & Etiquette--from the invitations to the thank-you notes, in next few posts. Please stop by!