Teacup Tales

Hello Tea Friends, I have been so excited to share this post with you. For the third time, I participated in sweet Stephanie's teacup exchange through her blog  The Enchanting Rose . Once again I'm overwhelmed with the creativity and generosity of my exchange partner. Sandy of  Simply Sandy  certainly spoiled me. Please, come take a look. Even with Hurricane Matthew raging, Sandy delivered an amazing assortment of tea related treasures.  She expertly managed to place all of the items in this pretty fall themed box~ a perfect storage for fall themed teacups. Orange is my favorite color and Sandy gifted me with a set of these pretty orange/white napkins which will be used for afternoon tea. So dainty! I love them. When I'm out at a restaurant and forget my tea, I always regret it. The selection is always so limited. Now I have this wonderful teabag holder from Stephanie's Etsy Shop  to hold my favorite teas. Love the lace pockets and f

Hello Tea Friends, There are so many wonderful things about autumn!  One of them being pumpkins! (The pumpkin display to the left is from a local quilt show I attended at a garden nursery.) I love decorating with pumpkins and of course cooking with them. They seem to embody the "taste" of autumn. This year I decided I needed to bring the taste of pumpkin to my actual tea. While ordering more masala chai from adagio tea, I decided to try their pumpkin spice tea after reading positive online reviews. I don't know if I actually taste pumpkin, but there is a sweetness similar to one found in rooibis. It makes for a nice autumn tea and will complement many spiced baked treats. (Sorry for the rather blah photos.) Last week I baked chocolate chip pumpkin bread using a recipe I found on Pinterest. My family liked it, but I felt it was just "okay." The chocolate overshadowed the pumpkin taste in my opinion. So this weekend, I baked my tried and t

"I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished and the pomegranates budded."                           ~Song of Solomon 6:11 When we moved into our home six years ago, I was so happy to learn that the pretty tree with the poppy colored flower buds was indeed a pomegranate tree.   Last Thursday, I took this photo as I planned for a pomegranate post. This year's tree had the most pomegranates on it and the fruits formed early. Usually I pick them in November, but seems to get earlier each year.   Sometime during the night on Friday, half of the tree fell over from being too top heavy with fruit. I was so surprised to wake up and see this. I cut the pomegranates from the fallen branches and hope they will be ripe enough to eat. This is partly my fault. We should have trimmed the tree last spring. I'm just hoping the remainder of the tree will survive. There are so many health benefits a

Probably like many of you, I'm trying to hold back time and grasp any summer delight before it's too late. Granted, I love autumn. It's just that this summer seem to go by way too quickly. Last weekend I was given two very large crooked neck squash. They were so large; I was concerned they would be a bit dry for sauteing or grilling. Since baking bread is a favorite of mine, I decided to bake squash bread. I couldn't find a recipe specifically for crooked neck squash so I used a green or yellow squash recipe from the internet. (I have a nice recipe for zucchini bread but wanted to try something different.) I made a huge loaf and was quite happy with the results. Come join me outside for a cup of tea and a slice or two of squash bread. (The cushion on my chair is getting a bit flat. Too much reading!) Today's featured teacup is Strawberry Ripe.   It's an English bone china produced by Hammersley and Co. which was part o

"The very sight of a teapot puts a smile on the face of most people. One cannot help but think of more serene and genteel times. From a whimsical child's teapot to an elegant English Teapot, to collectible teapots that adorn some homes, they are a subtle reminder of all that is good in this world."                                                                     ~Barbara Roberts This week I want to simply share about some teapots I use on a regular basis. While they are not vintage English teapots, they're durable, aesthetically pleasing and hold temperature well. They're called Beehouse Teapots and Zero Japan is the manufacturer. Zero Japan was established in 1992 and its products can be purchased on Amazon and the  Beehouse Teapot website . Their organic shape appealed and still appeals to me. My first teapot is the 12 oz banana one which I use almost daily. I just keep refilling the teapot with hot water. The carrot one is 22 oz and I use it when a

Hello Tea Friends, Hope your summer days are bringing you happiness and health. I'm trying to take advantage of the cooler mornings and early afternoons with tea time in the garden. Nothing is more relaxing than reading a good book with a glass of iced tea in the afternoon or a cup of tea in the morning. Come join me for a simple tea in the garden. I was planning on making a peach crisp to go with my peach teacup but life got in the way. I do plan on making the crisp and will share the recipe with all of you soon. Today's featured teacup is a demitasse one by Royal Crown Derby. There is something so sweet about a demitasse teacup. I adore designs in the inner cup! Embossed gold "bands" on the edge Demitasse teacups pack a lot of pattern and design into a small area. Circa 1921-1940 Realistically it was a tad too hot for tea so I made some Constant Comment by Bigelow iced tea and was happily surprised by the subtle orange taste.

Hello everyone, Spending time with my friends and family over a cup of tea is something I always cherish. I'm sure you agree. Tea has a way of welcoming and extending conversations, and I love to chat! This summer I've been reevaluating and prioritizing things. I definitely need to dedicate more time with friends and put work priorities on the back burner for a bit. I decided tea time with friends was long over due. With soaring summer temperatures and a broken air conditioner, afternoon tea isn't ideal, but I was determined to still host a tiny tea party. Last week I hosted two very early morning cream teas in the garden. What a wonderful way to start the day! What is a cream tea? According to Wikipedia: A   cream tea  (also known as a Devonshire  tea , Devon cream tea  or Cornish  cream tea ) is a form of afternoon tea  light meal, consisting of  tea  taken with a combination of scones, clotted  cream , and jam. As you can see, there are no scones, clotted cr