London is not quite Blair's cup of tea
By Joe Murphyand Nicholas Cecil, Evening Standard
London: Tony Blair had London cafe owners steaming - after claiming they cannot make a good cup of tea.
The Prime Minister landed in hot water by moaning that it was impossible to find a decent cuppa in the capital any more. "I fear you may be right," he said when asked if he agreed that good mugs of tea were impossible to track down. "It's got to be properly strong, it's got to have the right colour. The trouble is, not many people do it like that."
"This is a British tradition that must not be lost. If I were running for office again, I'd make it a major part of any platform," he said.
But a spokesman for The Ritz, where afternoon tea costs £36 (Dh261) a head, said: "We are confident the several hundred cups of tea we serve a day are great."
A Downing Street spokeswoman declined to reveal who made the tea for Blair at No 10, but insisted: "It's always tea in his tea mug."
How to make the perfect brew
The Tea Council's official guide to the perfect cuppa:
Use a good quality loose leaf or bagged tea, stored in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Use freshly drawn boiling water - the water needs to contain oxygen to draw the best flavour from the tea. Let the tea brew for two to four minutes.
It does not matter if milk is poured first or last when using a pot. But milk must be poured last if brewing from a bag in a mug or it will cool the water too quickly.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Saturday, May 12, 2007
TEA: Nontraditional Tea Parties
Host a nontraditional tea party
by Beth J. Harpaz, The Associated Press
published May 12, 2007 12:15 am
NEW YORK — You’d expect a book called “Tea Party” to provide instructions for a proper afternoon tea, complete with white linen napkins, polished silver and tiered trays of scones, finger sandwiches and petits fours.
But Tracy Stern’s book also provides inspiration for plenty of parties that stray from that cliche, including one for men with black-tea martinis and sausage sandwiches.
Advertisement
Or a zany Mad Hatter-style tea party (a very merry unbirthday) with mismatched plates and cups, ham-banana sandwiches and cherry tarts. And a fall harvest dinner with chai tea, squash soup and an apple-cranberry crisp.
Stern’s “Tea Party” (Clarkson Potter, $27.50) offers recipes and ideas for 20 such themed events. And that’s just the start of her repertoire.
“I could have written five books,” said Stern, whose company, Tracy Stern SALONTEA, sells specialty teas and tea-infused beauty products. “My head is filled with the fantasy of creating tea parties for adults.”
As a child, Stern collected teacups and was obsessed with giving tea parties. As an adult, she turned that passion into a business. In addition to her book, published in April, and her products, she’s lined up investors for a chain of stores called Tea Party, with plans to open the first store later this year in Manhattan.
Stern’s ventures come at a time when the tea industry is booming. Ten years ago, there were 200 specialty tea rooms and retail shops; today there are 2,200, according to the Tea Association of the USA. Statistics from the Tea Association also show that consumer purchases of tea have increased for 15 straight years, with away-from-home consumption increasing 10 percent annually for a decade. Strong growth is anticipated for the next five years.
“Tea is undergoing a renaissance,” said Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Association. Simrany said reasons include increasing awareness and popularity of specialty teas; ready-to-drink teas; and health benefits. (Tea is high in antioxidants.)
In creating her book, Stern, a married mother of two in her late 30s, drew on her experiences as a tea maven. After studying art at the University of Tampa in Florida, she opened the Royal Tea Room in Tampa, with handpainted tea cozies and her own blends of tea. She later sold the business and moved to New York, where she hosted formal teas at a hotel and organized tea parties for charities and corporate events, including creating drinks mixing tea and alcohol to launch liquor products.
The stores she envisions opening will sell her teas and beauty products, along with teacups and teapots she’s designed using antique china for inspiration. The stores also will serve tea and sweets.
“This is the place you’re going to want to be that will be a respite from the crazy city,” said Lauren Freedman-Bolton, CEO of Tracy Stern Inc., who helped Stern devise a business plan and secure financing for the stores. “It will stimulate your senses, but it will also be very calming.”
The same could be said of the tea parties Stern outlines in her book, which include gatherings celebrating New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, engagements, baby showers and bridal showers. In addition to recipes, each theme includes ideas for invitations, decor and activities.
For a bridal shower tea, Stern suggests a spa theme, with little plastic tubs for foot soaks in mineral salts and chilled eye masks. Guests even could chip in and hire a manicurist, pedicurist or massage therapist to come. The menu includes serve-yourself buffets: a sophisticated salad bar and a frozen yogurt and sorbet bar.
While her menus and themes are unorthodox, Stern is a purist when it comes to actually making the tea.
“I’m not doing the tea bag,” she declared. “I feel the tea leaf needs to open and unfurl to get the full flavor.” And microwaving a cup of water for tea is a no-no as well. Stern wants the water boiled, then steeped with loose tea.
She added that inviting friends for tea always “makes them feel special,” whether it’s in your home, a fancy hotel or a cozy cafe. “Grabbing a cup of coffee,” she said, “doesn’t have that same special cachet.”
Some easy tea party ideas from Stern:
• For a beach theme, make the table pretty using seashells filled with salt or sequins. Stick a flower in a conch shell.
• For an elegant centerpiece, decorate a branch with crystal teardrops and uplight it with candles.
• Fill clear glasses with the colored aquarium stones sold in pet stores.
• Use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into bite-size shapes, such as hearts.
• If you own a variety of teacups but not a complete set, use glass plates to mix and match for a modern-vintage look.
• For place settings, put two glass plates together and press a pansy or palm frond between them. If it’s a birthday or shower party, insert a photo of the guest of honor between the plates.
• Use chilled brewed tea to create interesting cocktails. Stern’s black-tea martinis, recommended for a “Gentlemen’s Tea,” are made from 2 ounces of vodka, 2 ounces of chilled brewed black tea and ice. (Dip the moistened rim of the glass in chopped tea leaves and sugar before you pour.)
• Make edible place settings using canned, refrigerated soft breadsticks, which you can shape into your guests’ initials before baking.
• Set the tone for your party with creative invitations. For a garden party, enclose a small packet of flower seeds with each invitation. For a French-themed soiree, use postcards of Paris.
by Beth J. Harpaz, The Associated Press
published May 12, 2007 12:15 am
NEW YORK — You’d expect a book called “Tea Party” to provide instructions for a proper afternoon tea, complete with white linen napkins, polished silver and tiered trays of scones, finger sandwiches and petits fours.
But Tracy Stern’s book also provides inspiration for plenty of parties that stray from that cliche, including one for men with black-tea martinis and sausage sandwiches.
Or a zany Mad Hatter-style tea party (a very merry unbirthday) with mismatched plates and cups, ham-banana sandwiches and cherry tarts. And a fall harvest dinner with chai tea, squash soup and an apple-cranberry crisp.
Stern’s “Tea Party” (Clarkson Potter, $27.50) offers recipes and ideas for 20 such themed events. And that’s just the start of her repertoire.
“I could have written five books,” said Stern, whose company, Tracy Stern SALONTEA, sells specialty teas and tea-infused beauty products. “My head is filled with the fantasy of creating tea parties for adults.”
As a child, Stern collected teacups and was obsessed with giving tea parties. As an adult, she turned that passion into a business. In addition to her book, published in April, and her products, she’s lined up investors for a chain of stores called Tea Party, with plans to open the first store later this year in Manhattan.
Stern’s ventures come at a time when the tea industry is booming. Ten years ago, there were 200 specialty tea rooms and retail shops; today there are 2,200, according to the Tea Association of the USA. Statistics from the Tea Association also show that consumer purchases of tea have increased for 15 straight years, with away-from-home consumption increasing 10 percent annually for a decade. Strong growth is anticipated for the next five years.
“Tea is undergoing a renaissance,” said Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Association. Simrany said reasons include increasing awareness and popularity of specialty teas; ready-to-drink teas; and health benefits. (Tea is high in antioxidants.)
In creating her book, Stern, a married mother of two in her late 30s, drew on her experiences as a tea maven. After studying art at the University of Tampa in Florida, she opened the Royal Tea Room in Tampa, with handpainted tea cozies and her own blends of tea. She later sold the business and moved to New York, where she hosted formal teas at a hotel and organized tea parties for charities and corporate events, including creating drinks mixing tea and alcohol to launch liquor products.
The stores she envisions opening will sell her teas and beauty products, along with teacups and teapots she’s designed using antique china for inspiration. The stores also will serve tea and sweets.
“This is the place you’re going to want to be that will be a respite from the crazy city,” said Lauren Freedman-Bolton, CEO of Tracy Stern Inc., who helped Stern devise a business plan and secure financing for the stores. “It will stimulate your senses, but it will also be very calming.”
The same could be said of the tea parties Stern outlines in her book, which include gatherings celebrating New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, engagements, baby showers and bridal showers. In addition to recipes, each theme includes ideas for invitations, decor and activities.
For a bridal shower tea, Stern suggests a spa theme, with little plastic tubs for foot soaks in mineral salts and chilled eye masks. Guests even could chip in and hire a manicurist, pedicurist or massage therapist to come. The menu includes serve-yourself buffets: a sophisticated salad bar and a frozen yogurt and sorbet bar.
While her menus and themes are unorthodox, Stern is a purist when it comes to actually making the tea.
“I’m not doing the tea bag,” she declared. “I feel the tea leaf needs to open and unfurl to get the full flavor.” And microwaving a cup of water for tea is a no-no as well. Stern wants the water boiled, then steeped with loose tea.
She added that inviting friends for tea always “makes them feel special,” whether it’s in your home, a fancy hotel or a cozy cafe. “Grabbing a cup of coffee,” she said, “doesn’t have that same special cachet.”
Some easy tea party ideas from Stern:
• For a beach theme, make the table pretty using seashells filled with salt or sequins. Stick a flower in a conch shell.
• For an elegant centerpiece, decorate a branch with crystal teardrops and uplight it with candles.
• Fill clear glasses with the colored aquarium stones sold in pet stores.
• Use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into bite-size shapes, such as hearts.
• If you own a variety of teacups but not a complete set, use glass plates to mix and match for a modern-vintage look.
• For place settings, put two glass plates together and press a pansy or palm frond between them. If it’s a birthday or shower party, insert a photo of the guest of honor between the plates.
• Use chilled brewed tea to create interesting cocktails. Stern’s black-tea martinis, recommended for a “Gentlemen’s Tea,” are made from 2 ounces of vodka, 2 ounces of chilled brewed black tea and ice. (Dip the moistened rim of the glass in chopped tea leaves and sugar before you pour.)
• Make edible place settings using canned, refrigerated soft breadsticks, which you can shape into your guests’ initials before baking.
• Set the tone for your party with creative invitations. For a garden party, enclose a small packet of flower seeds with each invitation. For a French-themed soiree, use postcards of Paris.
by Beth J. Harpaz, The Associated Press
published May 12, 2007 12:15 am
NEW YORK — You’d expect a book called “Tea Party” to provide instructions for a proper afternoon tea, complete with white linen napkins, polished silver and tiered trays of scones, finger sandwiches and petits fours.
But Tracy Stern’s book also provides inspiration for plenty of parties that stray from that cliche, including one for men with black-tea martinis and sausage sandwiches.
Advertisement
Or a zany Mad Hatter-style tea party (a very merry unbirthday) with mismatched plates and cups, ham-banana sandwiches and cherry tarts. And a fall harvest dinner with chai tea, squash soup and an apple-cranberry crisp.
Stern’s “Tea Party” (Clarkson Potter, $27.50) offers recipes and ideas for 20 such themed events. And that’s just the start of her repertoire.
“I could have written five books,” said Stern, whose company, Tracy Stern SALONTEA, sells specialty teas and tea-infused beauty products. “My head is filled with the fantasy of creating tea parties for adults.”
As a child, Stern collected teacups and was obsessed with giving tea parties. As an adult, she turned that passion into a business. In addition to her book, published in April, and her products, she’s lined up investors for a chain of stores called Tea Party, with plans to open the first store later this year in Manhattan.
Stern’s ventures come at a time when the tea industry is booming. Ten years ago, there were 200 specialty tea rooms and retail shops; today there are 2,200, according to the Tea Association of the USA. Statistics from the Tea Association also show that consumer purchases of tea have increased for 15 straight years, with away-from-home consumption increasing 10 percent annually for a decade. Strong growth is anticipated for the next five years.
“Tea is undergoing a renaissance,” said Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Association. Simrany said reasons include increasing awareness and popularity of specialty teas; ready-to-drink teas; and health benefits. (Tea is high in antioxidants.)
In creating her book, Stern, a married mother of two in her late 30s, drew on her experiences as a tea maven. After studying art at the University of Tampa in Florida, she opened the Royal Tea Room in Tampa, with handpainted tea cozies and her own blends of tea. She later sold the business and moved to New York, where she hosted formal teas at a hotel and organized tea parties for charities and corporate events, including creating drinks mixing tea and alcohol to launch liquor products.
The stores she envisions opening will sell her teas and beauty products, along with teacups and teapots she’s designed using antique china for inspiration. The stores also will serve tea and sweets.
“This is the place you’re going to want to be that will be a respite from the crazy city,” said Lauren Freedman-Bolton, CEO of Tracy Stern Inc., who helped Stern devise a business plan and secure financing for the stores. “It will stimulate your senses, but it will also be very calming.”
The same could be said of the tea parties Stern outlines in her book, which include gatherings celebrating New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, engagements, baby showers and bridal showers. In addition to recipes, each theme includes ideas for invitations, decor and activities.
For a bridal shower tea, Stern suggests a spa theme, with little plastic tubs for foot soaks in mineral salts and chilled eye masks. Guests even could chip in and hire a manicurist, pedicurist or massage therapist to come. The menu includes serve-yourself buffets: a sophisticated salad bar and a frozen yogurt and sorbet bar.
While her menus and themes are unorthodox, Stern is a purist when it comes to actually making the tea.
“I’m not doing the tea bag,” she declared. “I feel the tea leaf needs to open and unfurl to get the full flavor.” And microwaving a cup of water for tea is a no-no as well. Stern wants the water boiled, then steeped with loose tea.
She added that inviting friends for tea always “makes them feel special,” whether it’s in your home, a fancy hotel or a cozy cafe. “Grabbing a cup of coffee,” she said, “doesn’t have that same special cachet.”
Some easy tea party ideas from Stern:
• For a beach theme, make the table pretty using seashells filled with salt or sequins. Stick a flower in a conch shell.
• For an elegant centerpiece, decorate a branch with crystal teardrops and uplight it with candles.
• Fill clear glasses with the colored aquarium stones sold in pet stores.
• Use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into bite-size shapes, such as hearts.
• If you own a variety of teacups but not a complete set, use glass plates to mix and match for a modern-vintage look.
• For place settings, put two glass plates together and press a pansy or palm frond between them. If it’s a birthday or shower party, insert a photo of the guest of honor between the plates.
• Use chilled brewed tea to create interesting cocktails. Stern’s black-tea martinis, recommended for a “Gentlemen’s Tea,” are made from 2 ounces of vodka, 2 ounces of chilled brewed black tea and ice. (Dip the moistened rim of the glass in chopped tea leaves and sugar before you pour.)
• Make edible place settings using canned, refrigerated soft breadsticks, which you can shape into your guests’ initials before baking.
• Set the tone for your party with creative invitations. For a garden party, enclose a small packet of flower seeds with each invitation. For a French-themed soiree, use postcards of Paris.
by Beth J. Harpaz, The Associated Press
published May 12, 2007 12:15 am
NEW YORK — You’d expect a book called “Tea Party” to provide instructions for a proper afternoon tea, complete with white linen napkins, polished silver and tiered trays of scones, finger sandwiches and petits fours.
But Tracy Stern’s book also provides inspiration for plenty of parties that stray from that cliche, including one for men with black-tea martinis and sausage sandwiches.
Or a zany Mad Hatter-style tea party (a very merry unbirthday) with mismatched plates and cups, ham-banana sandwiches and cherry tarts. And a fall harvest dinner with chai tea, squash soup and an apple-cranberry crisp.
Stern’s “Tea Party” (Clarkson Potter, $27.50) offers recipes and ideas for 20 such themed events. And that’s just the start of her repertoire.
“I could have written five books,” said Stern, whose company, Tracy Stern SALONTEA, sells specialty teas and tea-infused beauty products. “My head is filled with the fantasy of creating tea parties for adults.”
As a child, Stern collected teacups and was obsessed with giving tea parties. As an adult, she turned that passion into a business. In addition to her book, published in April, and her products, she’s lined up investors for a chain of stores called Tea Party, with plans to open the first store later this year in Manhattan.
Stern’s ventures come at a time when the tea industry is booming. Ten years ago, there were 200 specialty tea rooms and retail shops; today there are 2,200, according to the Tea Association of the USA. Statistics from the Tea Association also show that consumer purchases of tea have increased for 15 straight years, with away-from-home consumption increasing 10 percent annually for a decade. Strong growth is anticipated for the next five years.
“Tea is undergoing a renaissance,” said Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Association. Simrany said reasons include increasing awareness and popularity of specialty teas; ready-to-drink teas; and health benefits. (Tea is high in antioxidants.)
In creating her book, Stern, a married mother of two in her late 30s, drew on her experiences as a tea maven. After studying art at the University of Tampa in Florida, she opened the Royal Tea Room in Tampa, with handpainted tea cozies and her own blends of tea. She later sold the business and moved to New York, where she hosted formal teas at a hotel and organized tea parties for charities and corporate events, including creating drinks mixing tea and alcohol to launch liquor products.
The stores she envisions opening will sell her teas and beauty products, along with teacups and teapots she’s designed using antique china for inspiration. The stores also will serve tea and sweets.
“This is the place you’re going to want to be that will be a respite from the crazy city,” said Lauren Freedman-Bolton, CEO of Tracy Stern Inc., who helped Stern devise a business plan and secure financing for the stores. “It will stimulate your senses, but it will also be very calming.”
The same could be said of the tea parties Stern outlines in her book, which include gatherings celebrating New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, engagements, baby showers and bridal showers. In addition to recipes, each theme includes ideas for invitations, decor and activities.
For a bridal shower tea, Stern suggests a spa theme, with little plastic tubs for foot soaks in mineral salts and chilled eye masks. Guests even could chip in and hire a manicurist, pedicurist or massage therapist to come. The menu includes serve-yourself buffets: a sophisticated salad bar and a frozen yogurt and sorbet bar.
While her menus and themes are unorthodox, Stern is a purist when it comes to actually making the tea.
“I’m not doing the tea bag,” she declared. “I feel the tea leaf needs to open and unfurl to get the full flavor.” And microwaving a cup of water for tea is a no-no as well. Stern wants the water boiled, then steeped with loose tea.
She added that inviting friends for tea always “makes them feel special,” whether it’s in your home, a fancy hotel or a cozy cafe. “Grabbing a cup of coffee,” she said, “doesn’t have that same special cachet.”
Some easy tea party ideas from Stern:
• For a beach theme, make the table pretty using seashells filled with salt or sequins. Stick a flower in a conch shell.
• For an elegant centerpiece, decorate a branch with crystal teardrops and uplight it with candles.
• Fill clear glasses with the colored aquarium stones sold in pet stores.
• Use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into bite-size shapes, such as hearts.
• If you own a variety of teacups but not a complete set, use glass plates to mix and match for a modern-vintage look.
• For place settings, put two glass plates together and press a pansy or palm frond between them. If it’s a birthday or shower party, insert a photo of the guest of honor between the plates.
• Use chilled brewed tea to create interesting cocktails. Stern’s black-tea martinis, recommended for a “Gentlemen’s Tea,” are made from 2 ounces of vodka, 2 ounces of chilled brewed black tea and ice. (Dip the moistened rim of the glass in chopped tea leaves and sugar before you pour.)
• Make edible place settings using canned, refrigerated soft breadsticks, which you can shape into your guests’ initials before baking.
• Set the tone for your party with creative invitations. For a garden party, enclose a small packet of flower seeds with each invitation. For a French-themed soiree, use postcards of Paris.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
TEA: Reagan and Prince of Wales and tea
An excerpt from a newspaper called the Scotsman:
Ronald Reagan's private diaries reveal that he also managed to fret about a social faux pas, such as when the Prince of Wales - "a most likeable person" - visited the White House and his tea was served American-style.
"The ushers brought him tea - horror of horrors, they served it our way with a tea bag still in the cup. It finally dawned on me that he was just holding the cup and then finally put down on a table. The prince said: 'I didn't know what to do with the little bag'."
Ronald Reagan's private diaries reveal that he also managed to fret about a social faux pas, such as when the Prince of Wales - "a most likeable person" - visited the White House and his tea was served American-style.
"The ushers brought him tea - horror of horrors, they served it our way with a tea bag still in the cup. It finally dawned on me that he was just holding the cup and then finally put down on a table. The prince said: 'I didn't know what to do with the little bag'."
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