Tea Towels and Cinnamon Coffee Cake

We like to serve something a little special on Sundays in parlor. Sundays are meant to be days to relax, and what better way to relax than over a leisurely read of  the newspaper, accompanied by a hot cup of tea and something delicious. This morning we served a cinnamon coffee cake loaf. It immediately fell apart when transferred to a serving plate after it had cooled; the entire loaf split horizontally. But it's still delicious, even if messy!

Recently, a coworker passed on an initial embroidered tea towel that had come into her possession. The parlor doesn't have any other dedicated tea towels, but we certainly do like this one, especially since it's embroidered in our favorite color. We are afraid we see a new obsession looming over the horizon.

Quichelets

This week, breakfast in the parlor has been mini quiches (broccoli, onion, and cheddar cheese) and turkey bacon, served with the last of a box of Tazo Awake and Lipton Loose Leaf. The parlor is making inroads on the stash in the tea cupboard, and I've already begun perusing what teas will be tried in the future. The parlor is partial to black teas, and not green tea or tisanes.

Dainty Tea Cup Cover, Revolution Earl Grey Lavender

 

The dainty tea cup cover by lullabiesandlace. I realized I needed to make it larger too late, and so the increase I added made it curl. No matter. Dainty and frilly go hand in hand. 

This afternoon we will be reading Agatha Christie's 4:50 From Paddington while drinking Revolution Earl Grey Lavender Tea. An interesting play on a regular Earl Grey, the hint of lavender makes this a more dainty tea. Tradition with a twist--a digital novel and a tea one note off its classic taste. It may be a parlor, but that doesn't mean it has to be stuffy.

Cranberry Apple Winter Tea

This morning we are serving Cranberry Apple Winter Tea. There is no trade name associated with the packet of tea, which was included in a gift basket of cheeses, crackers, and scone mix sent to the Mossy Nest for Christmas by Little Sister. It's a Ceylon black tea with cranberry apple flavor, but the apple is a far more prevalent note, making the tea quite sweet. It's probably more appropriate for afternoon or even after dinner, because of its sweet note.

The pups in the parlor, meanwhile, were served sardines in water as part of their dinner. They graciously shared the sardines with their feline housemates.

Litpon Black Pearl, Girl Scout Trefoils

Tea in the cubicle is not as leisurely as tea in the parlor, but that doesn't mean one shouldn't enjoy an afternoon pick-me-up. Today in the cubicle we enjoyed Lipton Black Pearl (in the cute pyramid bags) and Girl Scouts Trefoils shortbread cookies. Because in the parlor, we can resist neither puppies nor kittens nor adorable, bright-eyed girls asking, oh-so-politely, if we'd like to buy some cookies.

Trader Joe's Organic Black Decaffeinated

Tonight we are sipping Trader's Joe's Fair Trade Organic Black Tea Decaffeinated, a Nilgiri black from southern India. I usually find decaffeinated black teas too weak for me, and this is no exception, but I support the fair trade aspect of the tea, and at a Trader Joe's price, one doesn't expect a roaring strong tea.

Adagio Valentine's Tea

Today we are serving Adagio Valentine's Tea with date bread and cantaloupe with vanilla yogurt in the parlor. The Adagio is a delicious blend of chocolate and strawberry with black tea, which produces a heady, chocolate-y aroma--delicious! This is the last of the 2009 cantaloupe crop that was frozen in August. It's a delicious, sweet burst of summer to tantalize the tastebuds during the dead of winter.

Tazo Awake, Stash English Breakfast

Breakfast included Tazo Awake. Morning tea was Stash English Breakfast and Trader Joe's Almond Snowman Cookies (which are quite buttery and yummy).

Last year, I started a goal to drink up some of the tea I've amassed, some given as gifts, others bought by me. I know that tea does have a shelf life, and decided I was pushing it with such a large tea cupboard. The Welsh Tetley from Fiona was finished yesterday morning (with McCann's Irish Oatmeal). It's a more robust tea, and seems slightly different than what I remember Tetley as tasting from when I was a little girl and Mom still drank tea. But I remember how cute I thought those little round tea bags were the first time I went to England, so every time I drank it, it conjured up happy memories.

Numi Chinese Breakfast, Assam

Today in the parlor we served Tania's Assam with organic blueberry waffles and tofu bacon. Afternoon tea was Numi Organic Chinese Breakfast Yunnan Black Tea.

And the rain tapped on the windows and roof, and the steam curled lazily into the air, and tea was sipped in quiet joy.