Tea Party on a Tray
Retail
Photo courtesy of Tea Party on a Tray

All my friends and family (and quite a few strangers!) know that I am something of a tea fanatic. Consequently, I often receive gifts of teas, teapots and teacups of all kinds, tea-making accessories, and anything and everything tea-themed. I have to admit that I’ve got more tea “stuff” than most people, but I also admit that I enjoy it all.

I’ve never received anything like the Tea Party on a Tray that arrived here recently. It’s impossible to open the rather sizable shipping carton, look inside, and not feel a smile starting to spread on your face.

TPOT (please forgive the abbreviation!) is a cross between a gift basket and serving tea in your own tea room. Arranged on a gold catering/bakery round, pretty as you please, are all the fixings for your own tea party. As their slogan goes, you “just add hot water.”

First I removed the charming gift card and the tea-and-teapots ribbon, and peeled away the sturdy cellophane wrapping. (At this point, with all the crinkling, the kitties — depending on their personalities — either ran off in fear or came over for a peek.)

A teapot sat in the middle of the “tray,” surrounded by an assortment of teatime goodies. As I was a tea “party” of one, the teapot was actually a tea-for-one, comprising teapot, teacup, and saucer.

With the kettle whistling in the kitchen, I placed the tea sachet (Harney & Sons‘ Paris — does tea get any more elegant?) into the pot and poured the water.

While the tea steeped, I arranged the goodies on a plate: flavoured roasted pecans; dainty little cheese crackers; and Moravian lemon cookies — each package containing enough for my party, and then some. A rock candy stirrer and a package of lemon drops completed the “party.”

So here I was, on a gloomy afternoon, with the wind raging in wild gusts outside, cozy as could be with my pretty teapot, yummy treats, and comforting tea. TPOT even included a booklet describing tea customs, and another with poetry by Earlene Grey. I read through both of these, peacefully, while I sipped.

The pot (and the sachet) yielded enough for a second cupful, which allowed me to sweeten it first with the stirrer and then with the lemon drops. I didn’t expect to care for the addition of lemon to this tea, with its fruity/caramel flavour, but it actually worked quite well.

I don’t think I have to tell anyone how delicious the paper-thin Moravian cookies are, and the tasty pecans perfectly complemented the Paris tea. Clearly some thought had gone into choosing the specific elements of this tea time. (I do have to admit that I don’t eat cheese, and so relied on DH’s review of the Sweetie’s cheese bits, which can be summed up as “mmmmm.”)

To order your Tea Party on a Tray, you first choose the type of “party” you want, then select your teapot by style, theme, or occasion. (They have holiday and children’s tea parties too.) Parties range from the small tea-for-one I enjoyed, to a tea-for-two in many, many styles, to a truly pampering luxury tea party. Individual teas, treats, and a wide assortment of gifts and serving items are also available.

Contents of each party varies, but you (or the person you’re sending it to) will receive enough tea and teatime treats for a tasty and tasteful tea party — whether solo or shared. And then your chosen teapot becomes a permanent, charming, and useful memento. (My tea-for-one is white with gold accents, decorated all over with butterflies. And I plan on using it again.)

I can’t imagine a nicer way to brighten someone’s day than to send them one of the wide variety of “parties” offered by TPOT — unless it’s to bring it to them yourself!

Contact us about reviewing your tea-related product or service.

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(We’ll get back to Georgia Teas Part 2 very soon — we’re waiting for one more tea to arrive.)

A semi-brief personal history with one of the lesser-known teas
Stock photos

Even if you aced geography in high school, you may need to consult a current map of Europe to find the source of these teas, because I’m not referring to Georgia USA but to Georgia FSU. The former soviet bloc state, located in the Caucasus Mountain region, is now an independent country, and they produce some very interesting and tasty teas.

My “love affair” with Georgia teas began several years ago. We were on our way home from a day down the shore in New Jersey, and stopped at Delicious Orchards farm market in Colts Neck. On the far side of their candy counter they had a display of loose-leaf teas. Packaged in clear plastic zipper bags, they were “sample” sized — about an ounce each — and priced at under a dollar each, so I figured I’d pick up a few. Along with the Darjeelings, senchas, fruit flavours, and English breakfast blends I discovered what they had labeled “Russian Georgian Tea.”

Of course I had sampled tea imported from Russia — various Kousmichoff and “czar” blends, as well as Wissotzky teas (the company originated in Moscow and is now located in Israel). But these were all China and India teas that had been re-packaged in Russia. I’d never heard of teas actually produced in Russia or Georgia. So I did some research and discovered that tea has been grown in Georgia since the mid-1800s!

That first cup of “Russian Georgian” tea (a misnomer, of course; Georgia is not part of Russia) was surprisingly good. Because we couldn’t get to Delicious Orchards very often, I began ordering the tea from them by the half-pound and then by the pound — that’s how much I liked it.

A short time later I found another Georgia tea in the Stash Tea catalogue, so I ordered a few ounces. The tea, I believe, was called Guria Long Leaf, and was listed under black teas. I don’t know if it was that particular sample of tea, or perhaps something in the shipping or storage, but I was disappointed with its rather flat taste. I later learned that Guria teas were the first to be produced in Georgia and had won awards in the late 1800s. Unfortunately this particular sample was simply not very good. (It appears that Stash stopped offering this, or any other, Georgia tea, so I’m guessing it was not a customer favourite.)

Fast-forward a couple of years — still sipping my “Russian” Georgian tea — when DH, on a trip to Sweden, stopped in at Tea Centre of Stockholm and brought home a few of their teas. The teas were clearly of a very good quality, so I took a look at their website: one of the teas they carry is Georgia tea! Tea Centre lists it as Grusinien, which I presume is the name either in Swedish or in one of the Caucasian languages of Georgia.

On his next trip to Sweden, DH brought back a few ounces of Grusinien — and again, wow! I liked it even better than the one from Delicious Orchards, and again I’ve been buying it by the half-kilo.

More recently, via the Teamail discussion group, we learned of a British company, Teacraft Ltd, that was working with Georgia growers and processors to market their teas. So far I’ve sampled four of those teas.

And that will take us to Part 2 of this rambling review, to be published next week.

Contact us about reviewing your tea-related product or service.

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Granny’s Tea Cozies
Retail and wholesale
Photo courtesy of Granny’s Tea Cozies

Let’s face it: If you make your tea in a traditional English style teapot, you’ve got to have a good cozy to keep the tea in the pot hot until you drink it. Not to mention that an elegant cozy that complements your tea ware adds so much to the tea table.

This company’s slogan is “We Specialize in Pretty,” and they’re not kidding. The shape, the fabrics, and the festive ribbon ties all really are very pretty.

Generally at home I like a popover cozy, but when space is tight — whether at home or especially in a tea room — these “snuggle” or “bachelor” cozies make so much more sense. And extra credit, of course, when they look good doing it.

These cozies can be adjusted to fit almost any teapot, so even if you have different sized pots you won’t really need more than one — although you’ll want more anyway. But …surprise! Each cozy is reversible, so you actually get two cozies for the price of one. My cozy is a gorgeous dark red botanical design reversing to a complementary toile pattern similar to the one pictured above.

Now here’s the proverbial icing on the cake: each cozy is available (at a slight additional charge) with a matching — and yes, reversible — scented hot pad. Wrap up your teapot with the cozy, then set it onto the hot pad; the heat from the pot coaxes out a delightful scent of fresh baking. The four-channeled pad is not over-filled, so your pot sinks in just enough to keep it stable.

Well-made and washable, they’ll keep your tea hot, and they’re just plain pretty. What more could you ask for?

Granny’s Tea Cozies also carries a selection of teapots, tea serving ware and accessories, and elegant little teapot-shaped night lights. Online retail ordering; resellers and tea room owners need to sign up for an account to access the site’s wholesale pages.

Contact us about reviewing your tea-related product or service.

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Tea Business School — Tea Advice
Consumers and B2B
Stock photos

I’m almost willing to bet that at some point every tea drinker entertains the idea of getting into a tea business. Hey, you love the stuff, so why not find a way to make money with it? For some this is just a daydream, but plenty of people have turned their daydreams into reality.

A few tea lovers are fortunate to have worked for or apprenticed at a successful tea business, giving them a head start to setting up their own businesses — but there’s always more to learn. Maybe you’ve just decided to move from teacup meditations to exploring tea house ownership, and you want to know how to start turning your lifestyle into a livelihood. Or perhaps you’re a current tea business owner looking to expand your offerings or keep up with the newest tea trends.

In other words, you need some tea education. And in 2007, where do you turn first? The Web!

Recently I was invited to sit in on a tele-seminar offered by Tea Business School. Based in Vancouver, Washington, owner Jennifer Peterson has been consulting, training, teaching, and speaking at seminars for a number of years. (I actually met Jennifer for the first time when we were both speakers at TakeMe2Tea Expo in Las Vegas.) Earlier this year she entered the high-tech world of online classes.Having designed off-line and online computer courseware in a previous life, I was delighted to have the opportunity to participate.

The skill-building seminar, on blending and flavouring teas, took the form of a slide show presentation and talk by Wolfgang Boehmer of Flavor Dynamics, Inc. My own background is quite limited in this area, and I was very interested to see the actual step-by-step on a professional level.

Interactive voice and chat allows Q&A — you’ll need a telephone connection to dial the toll-free number to hear and to ask questions. I used Yahoo Messenger’s call system, and it worked just fine with computer speakers and mic.

Tea Business School offers a wide variety of seminars ranging from focus on different tea-growing regions, to various types of skills to enhance your business offerings, to universal and tea-specific business skills. Some seminars are suitable for everyone, from tea professional to interested consumer, while others are clearly targeted to current or aspiring tea business owners.

In addition to a telephone line, you’ll need software to play the presentation, so get to the “classroom” early to make sure your system is properly set up. Some seminars are also available on CD. And Jennifer offers a number of other educational and consulting services. If tea is your business, or your passion — or both! — check it out.

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Tips and recipes for cooking and baking with tea

Many years ago, our old Italian neighbour gave me one of the best pieces of cooking advice I’ve ever received: She told me that I should never cook with water if I could possibly avoid it.

Of course she didn’t mean never to cook with liquids — just that I should use some liquid other than water, to improve both the taste and texture of whatever I was preparing.

Although it’s not always possible to substitute for plain old water, I did take her advice (she was a smashing good cook!) and generally try to come up with alternative liquids whenever I’m cooking or baking.

The obvious choices for savoury cooking are broth and tomato or mixed vegetable juice. With sweet dishes I’ve dabbled in various types of fruit juices, milks, and on one or two occasions even gave soda pop a go (highly not recommended except in the punch bowl!).

When I “discovered” tea as a cooking and baking ingredient my whole life changed. Okay, maybe not my whole life, but certainly my whole culinary repertoire.

At my Cat-Tea Corner website, which features a 400-plus recipe collection, there’s a good-sized section for Cooking with tea and teatime treats. You’re invited to take a look, browse through, choose a recipe or two, and give it a go in your own kitchen.

You’ll also find some general tips for incorporating tea into your own dishes. Here are a few more that I’ve developed after experimenting with the original recipes, which have been published over the past ten years:

• If you’re cooking rice for a Mexican/Spanish rice dish, try using Lapsang Souchong tea for part of the liquid to add a smoked flavour. Works with millet, too. (Actually a lot of savoury dishes, including soups, are enhanced with LS’s smokiness. But if it comprises more than a third of the required liquid it may overpower the rest of the dish, so don’t overdo it.)
• Over the years I’ve used a number of teas for holiday cranberry sauce. Formosa oolong, with its inherent spiced/baked peach quality, works really well. But even better was the tea I used this year: Fortnum & Mason’s Wild Strawberry. Now that was some good cranberry sauce!
• Cold Sesame Noodles are good with black tea, but a non-grassy green tea (Gunpowder, for example) and a “neutral” type of dark-roasted oolong (like Ti Kuan Yin) are also excellent.
• When strawberries are in season, puree a pint or two (sweeten to taste if necessary) and freeze the puree in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the “strawberry cubes” to a plastic bag or container. Keep them in the freezer and drop one or two into your glass of iced tea. Adds a nice flavour but doesn’t water down the tea like … well, water ice! (Good in lemonade, too.)
• If you’re baking a cake from a mix, always substitute tea for at least part of the liquid. The lighter the cake, the lighter the tea you should use. For a white cake, for example, use white tea (that was kind of a no-brainer, huh?); for yellow cake try a second-flush Darjeeling or a Nilgiri; and maybe a rich Assam or Breakfast Blend for chocolate cakes. For spice cake or apple cake? I’d go with chai!

Got a good tip for cooking or baking with tea? Want to share it with other readers? Send it as a Comment using the form below.

Whether it’s in your cup or on your plate, happy tea-ing!

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Favourite vendors of teas and accessories
Retail and wholesale

Shortly after I started this Reviews and Ramblings website I was contacted by several people who wanted to know which are my favourite suppliers of teas, teapots, etc. At the moment I’m testing and sampling a few products but haven’t finished, so I have the time to accommodate these requests before starting new reviews. (I guess this is the rambling part of this site …)

For what it’s worth, here are my current faves. My choices may change over time. There are a lot of good vendors of teas and tea paraphernalia. There are also, unfortunately, a lot of not-so-good ones. I much prefer to deal with people who truly love tea and figured out a way to make a living at it than with people who truly love money and figured out that tea is “hot” and jumped on the trend bandwagon — these latter are people who have no souls, and I think their teas reflect that lack.

My three top all-time tea sources (in the order in which I “discovered” them) are Harney & Sons, Simpson & Vail, and Capital Tea. The reasons are simple: their teas are of the highest quality, they offer good variety, their prices are reasonable, shipping is speedy, and they are run by people who know and love tea and have been in the tea business for a long time.

Beyond that, I credit John Harney for teaching me to appreciate Darjeelings; Joan at Simpson & Vail for showing me the best way to steep white teas; and Joel at Capital Tea for his ability to recommend teas that he knows will suit my tastes (and I just adore those black sacks carefully nestled into bright red tissue paper!). The Harneys, the Harrons, and Joel are simply a pleasure to talk to, to learn from, and to do business with. I consider myself fortunate to have found all of them.

Here, in no particular order except as I happen to think of them, are some of my other favourite tea and tea ware resources:

Camellia Sinensis — Kevin Gascoyne, formerly of Kyela Teas, is arguably the most knowledgeable Darjeeling tea man. His annual visits to India yield some of the best teas I’ve ever tasted. Kevin taught me to better appreciate the nuances of different types of Darjeeling teas, and his guidance through the joys of tea-tasting quite literally made my husband a tea drinker.

Tea Centre of Stockholm — Although I’ve never been there (phooey), Amanda Hemmingsson provides excellent and gracious service. This is where we get my husband’s favourite tea, Soderblandning, and one of my favourite teas, Grusinien, among many others. Always very good quality. I look forward to one day meeting Amanda in person and sampling a few more of Tea Centre’s teas, especially the ones that cannot be shipped to the USA.

Stash Tea — Surprised ya, huh? Well, before you start scratching your head, let me make it clear that I’m not a big fan of Stash teas. Tried several and was somewhat disappointed with quality. I’ve heard that their newest teas are much better than they used to be, but I’m not quite ready to try them again. What I do like about Stash is their selection of teapots, teacups, and tea sets. I always find wonderful gifts for friends, and there’s always something Stash on my Xmas Want List (and usually in my stocking as well). The catalogue is very lush, but check out their website for some excellent close-out items.

Chinese Teapot Gallery Tea Culture — Apparently this guy sells on eBay only, but he does a lot of store and Buy it Now sales in addition to auctions. This is probably the best online resource for good quality and reasonably priced Yixing (clay) tea ware. Teapots run the gamut from inexpensive little cuties to artisan and vintage pots. He’s also got everything else you might need: tea sinks, jars, warmers, tea ceremony equipage, washing bowls, gaiwans — you name it, it’s more than likely here. Nice selection of tea sets that make great gifts for tea gong-fu newbies, and some beautiful glassware. Definitely worth a look-see.

I’ll be adding to this list periodically whenever I deem a supplier worthy of inclusion!

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The Tea House Times
Retail and wholesale
Cover photo courtesy of The Tea House Times; WTE booth photo by the author

A few years ago I was contacted through my Cat-Tea Corner and TeaGuide websites by someone starting up a new tea-oriented newsletter. That’s not unusual: people contact me all the time with requests, suggestions, and proposals — some good, some not.

The idea for the newsletter was not only to sell subscriptions to individuals, but to provide personalized issues for distribution by tea rooms and shops. It sounded like a good idea.

I met with the editor/publisher, and we negotiated some cross-promotional devices. It seemed natural to want to support a new start-up, especially when the owner was a fellow New Jerseyan.

I have to admit that the first time I saw the actual newsletter, though, I had a few doubts about its viability. Back then it was just a few pages long, in black and white only — and, frankly, mostly white (space). The articles were skimpy in both number and content, and I usually buzzed through each issue in less than ten minutes. A pleasant enough read, but it didn’t hold my interest for very long.

Fortunately, times — and The Tea House Times – have changed.

TTHT has evolved into a sixteen-plus page, full-colour publication printed on high-quality glossy paper. Each issue features crafts, recipes, tea rooms, poetry, etiquette, travel, and a variety of articles about teas, tea businesses, past and upcoming tea events, Victoriana, and book or product reviews. Their latest feature is the Red Hat Society page, with news, reviews, and “Purple Perks” discounts on various products.

Lady Gayle, as the editor/publisher prefers to be known, has branched out far past her signature newsletter. TTHT now offers tea tours and cruises, along with an ever-growing variety of products ranging from tea ribbon to gift bags to jewelry to greeting cards to scone mixes and beyond.

When I stopped by her booth at the 2007 World Tea Expo, I found Lady Gayle surrounded by a huge assortment of tea time goodies and gifts (and lots of customers!). What started out as a small newsletter has grown into a true enterprise under Lady Gayle’s stewardship.

If you’re looking for good reading with a breezy editorial style, sources for just about anything tea you can think of, or a fun destination for your next vacation, visit The Tea House Times. There’s lots of information and shopping on the website, but subscribe to the newsletter too. I think you’ll enjoy it. (Contact Lady Gayle direct for details about bulk ordering for your tea room or shop.)

And maybe I’ll see you at TTHT’s next tour of the Charleston Tea Plantation!

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Victorian House Scones
Retail and wholesale
Photo courtesy of Victorian House Scones

I think the world is divided into two kinds of English-style tea drinkers: the ones who like tea and crumpets, and the ones who prefer their tea with scones. Crumpets — what we here in the USA know as “English muffins” — are tasty little treats, especially with buttery spreads or jams. But the fact is that scones — those fat, crispy/fluffy, high-calorie treats — are far more fun!

While I’m a big fan of crumpets, a lot of the tea drinkers I know could take them or leave them. But no one can resist warm, freshly-baked, sweet-smelling scones. And who can resist baking their own scones from delicious, easy-to-use mixes? (Crumpets are definitely not this easy to bake.)

My favourite scone mixes are from Victorian House Scones. I’ve already sampled three of their eight flavours — plus a few variations on the basics.

Original is a traditional scone, yummy as is, even better with a handful of finely chopped nuts mixed in. The Oatmeal — wow, it’s so delicious that we couldn’t stop eating them. Seriously, we had a fight over who would get the last one! They’re especially good with a generous smear of chestnut/rum spread.

Both mixes have just the right amount of sweetener — you know you’re eating a scone and not a cupcake. If you’d like to, though, “dessertify” either mix by tossing in fresh or dried fruit, nuts, coconut, chocolate chips, or whatever else you can dream up.

The unusual — but very apropos — Indian Chai flavour appeals to anyone who enjoys a little sweet and spicy in their life (and their tea time treats). These are wonderful spread with apple butter — the plain kind, without all the cloves and other spices, which I think would be overdoing it. And I bet they’d be really good accompanied by the season’s fresh apple cider.

Ground up black tea and Indian spices are mixed into the mix, giving the finished product a somewhat speckled appearance. I served these to someone who expected them to be lemon poppyseed, and they took a bite before I could tell them otherwise. After their initial surprise (okay, closer to shock — they were not expecting it to be spicy!), they quite liked these unusual treats. Me too. I wouldn’t mind if the tea and spices were ground up just a little finer so the scones weren’t quite as crunchy, but you do get used to the texture, and the flavour is spot on. (Victorian House offers a Lemon Poppyseed flavour for those who prefer it.)

Each package of mix makes a dozen generously-sized scones. Although you can freeze half the dough and bake it another time — the method works quite well — more often I bake all of them at once and freeze in an airtight sack any that I won’t be using right away. Then when I’m in the mood for “a little something” with my afternoon tea, I just take a baked scone out of the freezer, pop it in the micro on low for about 45 seconds, and my delectable afternoon snack is ready (if not quite as crispy as it was when fresh-baked).

I should mention that I prepared all of my scones using the vegan alternative method outlined on the Victorian House website. None of my guests ever guessed — they were all rich and flavourful (I mean the scones, of course!).

Order direct from Victorian House Scones. In addition to the one-dozen size consumer packages, they are also available in larger quantity packaging for commercial service. Online ordering is not yet available so you’ll need to give them a call, but all the information you need — including flavours, nutritional stats, and detailed preparation instructions — is right on their website. (Update: Wholesalers can now order online — see website for details.)

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to my iced second-flush Darjeeling and my Indian Chai scone!

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And Then It Was Teatime
Compiled by Laurie Nienhaus
Retail and wholesale
Photo courtesy of Gilded Lily Publishing

Do I like this book? Well, within a week of opening up my copy I had already ordered another, to be sent as a gift to a friend. Who, by the way, loves it.

Imagine sharing teatime with dozens of literature’s most eloquent authors and captivating characters! And Then It Was Teatime is a thoughtful — and comprehensive — anthology of both well-known and obscure writings about that wonderful custom of taking tea.

Nearly 100 pages are filled with the most fascinating passages in literature and poetry, dating from late 18th century to late 20th. Text is complemented by charming old black-and-white prints (and a couple of modern photos). Format is paperback, so it’s small enough to carry with you if you’re headed out to your favourite tea room.

While a few excerpts are from “tea books,” most have their source in tales where tea is just a bit player — and the origins of some of these may surprise you. (Quick! Do you remember a teatime scene in Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo?)

Should you read it from start to finish in one sitting? Maybe. But I’d rather find a cozy nook, curl up with a good cuppa, then let it open to any page and begin. Then on to another page, and another … It’s pure pampering for the soul.

I’m already looking forward to Volume 2, but there is one feature I’d like to see in future editions: an index of authors and book titles. While I enjoy the random format when I’m simply reading and contemplating, I’d also like to be able to quickly locate and reference a particular entry from time to time.

Laurie Nienhaus is founder and director of The Ladies’ Tea Guild, as well as a playwright, author, and designer. Visit The Gilded Lily to order individual copies, or to order wholesale for your tea room or shop.

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I admit it: I’m not a diarist. I don’t keep journals. In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m probably the last person over the age of nine to set up a blog — and I don’t really blog, I use the format for product and book reviews in conjunction with the TeaGuide website. I much prefer function over form.

And I also admit that I envy people who have the patience and organization to keep journals of their travels through the world of tea, even if they travel no further than their own kitchen.

For all you patient, organized journal-keepers, I’ve come across three tea journals that you may find to be of interest. I did — in fact, they’re so tempting they may even turn me into a tea diarist!

. . . . . .

Tea Taster’s Journal — A Primer for Those New to the Journey Into Tea
by Elaine E. Terman
Retail and wholesale
Photo courtesy of Wild Orchid Teas

I think a more appropriate tag line would have been “For each new journey into tea.” After all, why should tea newcomers be the only ones enjoying this tasting journal? Each new tea one samples is in itself a journey.

Okay, semantic quibbling aside, this is a very well-done journal. Terman starts by outlining a brief history of tea, describes some common estate and blend teas in her Tea Basics 101 section, touches on health benefits, presents preparation guidelines, suggests appropriate vessels, and provides a comprehensive section on tasting and describing teas. (The tasting part is easy — it’s expressing what you’re tasting in actual words that makes tea-tasting more art than science.)

Following these introductory pages, the rest of the journal is simplicity itself. Each double page is dedicated to documenting exhaustive details about each particular tea you choose to sample. There’s plenty of room to enter the type of tea, source, preparation factors, and extensive tasting notes. No extra doodads, just wide open spaces beckoning you to fill them up!

There are sufficient pages for about a hundred teas. How quickly you fill it up depends on how frequently you sample new teas — and how frequently you keep notes on them in your Journal.

Visually the Journal is appealing, with an elegant cup and saucer on the soft cover, protected from errant tea stains by a clear overleaf. The spiral binding allows it to lay flat on tabletop, or to fold back if you’re inclined to lean it on your knee while writing. The size is just right for popping into your purse, tote, or briefcase if you’re doing your tasting away from home.

In addition to running her popular tea room in Ohio, the author is proprietor of Wild Orchid Teas, where she creates unique blends of teas and tisanes for tea lovers anywhere. Visit her website to purchase her Tea Taster’s Journal for yourself, for a gift, or wholesale for your tea shop.

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Tea Journal for Tea Room Enthusiasts
by Archana Pyatt
Retail and wholesale
Photo courtesy of Gable Wing Press

Unlike the previous Journal, this diary is designed to keep track of your visits to tea rooms and teahouses. A graceful tea set adorns the cover, and visually stunning photographs are interspersed throughout the journal pages. Introductory pages provide spots to record your favourite tea memories, keepsakes, and tea merchants, along with a general outline of steeping instructions. There’s also a list of translations for saying “tea” in various languages, helpful if you’re planning to travel abroad (although I was disappointed to see that if you visit Romania or Israel you’re on your own; Romanian and Hebrew languages are not included).

Two facing pages are allotted to each tea room visit. One page provides space to record information about the tea room, with entries ranging from the tea room’s name and date of visit, to menu details, your companions, and finally your ratings of the various aspects of your experience. The opposite page, labeled Scrapbook, can be used to attach photos, menu clips, or tea tags, or to write additional notes. There are sufficient pages to chronicle about fifty tea room visits.

Adding to the charm of this Journal are the memories contributed by a dozen or so tea lovers, including a number whose names you’ll recognize instantly if you keep up with the world of tea. As much as I like the author’s reproduction of the handwritten reminiscences, I found a few of them to be a tad difficult to read (clear evidence that tea, with its many positive attributes, does not improve one’s penmanship!). On the other hand, the writings and signatures are of particular interest to me. Most people don’t know that I’ve studied two schools of handwriting analysis, and received multiple certifications in this field. So I’m particularly enjoying these glimpses into some very interesting personalities.

Sized just right to slip into your purse, but unlike the Tea Journal above, this (paperback) book is perfect-bound, so it opens only so far, making it somewhat awkward to write in it. The journal-entry page is on the left, adding to the awkwardness for right-handers (perhaps — like so many creative people — the author is left-handed?). Maybe the next printing will take this into account.

All in all, if you keep up this Journal it will surely become a treasured keepsake.

Ms. Pyatt owns and operates a successful tea room in Texas. Visit her Serenitea Tea Room website to purchase online and for a list of walk-in shops that carry the Journal (contact the author direct if you’d like to carry the book in your retail shop).

. . . . . .

Linen and Tea Journal
by Bonnie L. Line
Retail and wholesale
Photo courtesy of Linen and Tea

This too is a diary for recording tea room visits. I like the simple, homey quality of this Journal — it’s not as polished-looking as the two previous books, but there is an inviting warmth about it.

Included is the obligatory basic tea information — steeping chart, tasting terms, a brief history — and even a scone recipe. (Be sure to ignore the instructions for the urban-legend method for “decaf-ing” your tea.)

The Journal comprises about thirty double-page spreads: tea room details to be entered on the left, and a Photos page on the right — although, of course, you can use this space for additional notes if you prefer.Spiral binding, along with the book’s size and slimness, make it easy to carry and to write in.

Order online at Linen and Tea, or look through the list of retail outlets to see if there’s one near you. Contact the author — a tea speaker, teacher, and consultant — direct for wholesale information.

Now, fellow tea lovers, go out there with the journal of your choice and enjoy some tea!

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