Tea sampling from a samovar

I'm just catching up on some activities of the past weeks. I follow Jolie Tea Company on Facebook and recently they posted that they were having a tea tasting of their Doctor Zhivago blend. They were pouring the tea from a samovar. Unfortunately, I only found out about the event the day before and I had a few things to do the day of the tasting. I had to miss it.

A few weeks later, they posted that they were going to have a tasting of their Russian Caravan tea from a samovar in honor of the Sochi Olympics. I made a point to visit the shop for that sampling.

I met the shop's owner and she was delightful. I love her enthusiasm and passion for tea. I told her I wished I could have been there for the Doctor Zhivago blend sampling but I had been busy that day and there was also a snow storm that day.  She said yes, it had snowed and it was magical and so perfect to have a snowfall during the tea tasting.

I really enjoyed my cup of Russian Caravan. It was not as strong or smoky as I anticipated.

My trip to the shop was right before Valentine's Day so there were many romance related items for sale. I bought a hostess gift for the Cupid's tea here.

I love all the little pretties in the shop. It is all so beautifully displayed and there is always something new that catches my eye. The staff is attentive but not intrusive. You could say they let you drink it all in at your leisure.

I bought a small pouch of Dr. Zhivago blend. I have a non working samovar, perhaps I will take a photo of it with the tea and a favorite teacup.

It's fun to see all the different blends they offer. Some have such nice names. I want to try them all!

I think next time I will buy a sample size of the Winter Solstice. I have a feeling Winter is not leaving these parts anytime soon.

I love browsing the tea book section. I have a few of the Vintage Tea Party books. They have such adorable illustrations in them.

I always have such a nice time when I go to Jolie Tea Company. If you're in the area, stop by. Maybe you'll get to drink from the samovar too!

Cupid's Tea

A pretty invitation arrived in the mail recently. A Cupid's Tea.  My friend who has a lovely home was having a lunch/tea. I, of course, accepted.

The home is spectacular.  This is the music room. The settees were reupholstered to fit the room's colors.

Another view of the music room. The piano is a real beauty! My friend's son has entertained with his musical talent on many occasions.

 

Not many homes can accommodate a full size antique sleigh. 

The tablescape was so pretty. Some of us sat in this room, the dining room, and others sat at a table in the kitchen.

I do like this pattern of china. My friends collects it and it is perfect for Valentine's Day.

Here's the tablescape for the second table.

 

A view from the family room looking towards the kitchen. Before we ate, Deborah thanked us for coming and read us a quote from Susan Branch's newest book, "A Fine Romance". We all love Susan and her books. Did I tell you we had tea with her once? We (my tea group) did, in Plymouth in November 2007 after a booksigning and sadly before I started my blog.

 

We were offered two kinds of soup, butternut squash with crème fraiche or potato leek. And then, three kinds of sandwiches, roasted turkey, roasted chicken, or country ham on brioche with all sorts of toppings. Also, arugula with goat cheese and walnuts and a quinoa dish.

 

We were served a tea from Harney called Valentine's blend. It was a black tea with chocolate and pink rosebuds.

 

There were plenty of choices for dessert as well. Petit fours, lemon squares, and brownies.

White chocolate and milk chocolate dipped strawberries were popular. So pretty on a tray.

Scones were served with lemon curd, strawberry jam, and cream.

Everything was so attractively displayed and equally delicious!

After our bellies were full, we went back to the dining room to craft some Valentines. We had a quick class from an instructor on stamping, embossing, etc.

Here's the Valentine I made. I did not go too crazy with embellishments because I am lazy. I made an envelope out a doily and used a heart my sister had discarded. A bow, a word and a little bling. Presto, simple Valentine.

I think I will need to create a vignette around this masterpiece. So far, I have not decorated for Valentine's Day. Actually I don't usually decorate for the holiday.

Thank you Deborah for inviting me to your beautiful home. I loved it all, especially spending time with my good friends.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day? Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear what you have planned.

Jolie Tea Company, Hamilton

The day we saw the coaches, we decided to explore downtown Hamilton. We ate at the Black Cow Restaurant and then we went to the tea shop next door.

Jolie Tea Company is a lovely shop located at 26 Bay Road in Hamilton. The exterior was inviting and when we entered the store we were given a free tea sample. As you can see, there were many varieties of tea to purchase.

I almost opted for the Autumn Cranberry but decided to stick with my fave, Earl Grey. I also bought a canister of Lavender Earl Grey for a friend.

The store was well merchandised, neat and clean, and very easy to navigate. Books in one area, tea canisters in another, etc.

I loved these tea towels but I wanted to buy a book so the tea towels will have to wait for another visit. Sweet, aren't they?

This is Kyra, the store manager. She was very professional and knowledgeable. She answered by many questions about the shop. The store has been open for three years. And I honestly don't know how this gem slipped by me.

There were some very pretty cups and teapots for purchase.  This display had a museum quality to it.

I could have purchased so many Christmas gifts at this shop. I know my friends would have loved it. Jolie Tea offers tea tastings and tea classes and I may sign up for one in the future.

Next time you visit Hamilton stop by Jolie Tea Company and say hi to Kyra and Liz. If you can't visit in person click here to visit their website.

Wimbledon Breakfast- An annual affair

Every year I host a Wimbledon breakfast for my friends and family. We start at 10 AM and we have coffee and tea, crackers, cheese, and fruit, scones, frittata, and dessert. Occasionally, the menu varies.

I always have my favorite trophy filled with purple and green flowers. This serves as the centerpiece on the dining room table.  Pondview Florist did a great job with the flowers. I picked up the flowers the day before and placed it on the mantel so the kitties couldn't get at it. Percy of course, was able to jump up and take a nibble so I moved it to atop of the china cabinet. He gave up.

Here is a closer look at the centerpiece. I love it. It looks so elegant and I love the little tendrils of ivy.

We started with a fruit plate and lemonade with mint. When I went to the cheese shop in Winchester, a woman offered me a taste of stilton cheese with mango and ginger. It was so delicious I bought some for the party. We also had Wensleydale cranberry cheese and brie plus crackers and red grapes.

For tea, I went with a Lady Grey followed by Harney's Earl Grey Supreme loose tea. It was very nice. The Harrod's teapot always makes an appearance at the Wimbledon breakfast.

Here's an aerial view of the table. I took all of the photos with my phone. It's so much easier than lugging out the big camera.

My sister made a cold cucumber and dill soup. It was nice and refreshing for a hot and humid day. I got to use my pretty soup tureen.

Mary made plain scones. They were still warm from the oven, heavenly! I prefer plain scones so I can....

..do this to them. My sister made the mock Devonshire cream. I had the cream and strawberry preserves on one half and cream and lemon curd on the other half.  So good!

Mary also made a frittata of bacon and baked potatoes. It was surprisingly light. Mary bakes the potatoes first then shreds them before adding them to the frittata. Did you know my friend Mary is a TV star? She debuted on local cable in Wilmington around Easter time. She made her famous Easter bread on the big screen.

Now for the desserts, Debbi brought a cinnamon coffeecake from Kane's Donuts in Saugus.  It was too die for. I got the leftovers and believe me, it is decadent.

The cupcakes pictured above were from Cupcake City in Reading. They make the best cupcakes bar none and I am a connoisseur. I am partial to the signature chocolate but I also served the lemon curd and strawberry flavors. They are all spectacular.

Mini fruit tarts were also on the menu. They came from Roche Brothers because I like them the best.

I was prepared to make some tea sandwiches as well but we had so much food it wasn't necessary.

So there you have it, another Wimbledon breakfast put to rest. The tennis was great and the food and company was even better!

A Chocolate Tea in Harvard Square

An invitation for a Chocolate Tea with friends?  Harvard Square? A warm, cozy eatery on a brutally cold day?  Yes, please!

So today I went to Harvard Square with my friend Kim to enjoy a chocolate tea. The location? Upstairs on the Square. We met our friend Jill there.

I liked the colors on the outside of the building. Purple is a favorite color of mine.

This was the scene when we entered the restaurant. How fun! I loved all the colors, the checkboard floor, and funky lights.

Zebra fabric on the benches, pink tables, a couple of fantastic fireplaces. What a feast for the eyes and the tummy!

These ladies were here for lunch, not afternoon tea.  Can you see the cool fireplace in the background and a balcony to the right? What an architectural wonder!

The tea was part of Harvard Square's Chocolate Festival.  Some of the businesses in Harvard Square were giving away free samples today. We did not go for the samples since we were going to the tea.

Isn't the zebra logo cute? The Winter Events include dinners as well. I might just have to make a return visit!

While Kim and Jill conversed, I got a better look at the place through my lens. It looks like lots of women were relaxing with their friends.

This mobile was interesting. Looked liked a collection of art works. And upon closer inspection....

it was a mobile made from children's drawings and handwritten notes. Too cute!

There were some very interesting light fixtures. Do these lightbulbs have wings? Yes, they do, they are angel lightbulbs.

Another interesting light. Bottles tied together and illuminated within. Fantastic!

That is one fabulous mirror! And yes, that is yours truly catching her reflection in this shot.

And it's teatime! Our tray was filled with so many delights! Gruyere cheese tarts, blue cheese crackers, a chocolate chip scone. Then egg salad, ham salad, chicken salad, and salmon tea sandwiches.  The lower tier was for desserts. Chocolate eclairs, chocolate cupcakes, fudge, date bread and chocolate dipped strawberries. All of it so delicious!

Did I say chocolate dipped strawberries? Yes! One of my personal favorites. I make 'em at home sometimes. I think it is a healthy snack if I have some strawberries with my dark chocolate.

The tea flowed freely. Jill and I shared a pot of earl grey. Make that two pots, we got a refill. And Kim went with English breakfast tea.

Here's a view from the upstairs. A better shot of the amazing fireplace. It would have been nice to sit in front of that fire.  Upstairs on the Square was a 10 minute walk from where we parked so we were chilled. Kim works at Harvard so we parked for free! Quite the coup. Parking in Cambridge and especially Harvard Square can be a challenge.

There's another room in the back that we haven't even explored! Let's see what's back there.

I do love that floor and the pinks in this room. A very festive vibe in this room.

It's adorable isn't it? And look at the zebras on the wall. They are too cute!

A closer look at the crowd. Young Harvard students no doubt!  Since Upstairs on the Square is within walking distance of Harvard University I would imagine this is a student hangout.

Tea was over and we walked down Winthrop Street. The light on the building ahead was fantastic! It was still freezing, well more than freezing. The high temperature was 22 degrees and the low was 10 but that was without the wind chill!

This is the other side of Upstairs on the Square. Another restaurant is downstairs.

We had a little snow this morning but most of it is gone now. Still pretty though.

And at 4:41 PM, the sun was starting to set on this bitter cold day. Light traffic, some runners out for a jog ( yikes!) and me standing there taking it all in through my lens. It was a great day!