Tea Quote

"Sitting down at the the window with a cup of tea is a deep pleasure, one of those moments when I simultaneously feel basic needs--for warmth and sustenance--and find them met."

Between Urban and Wild: Reflections from Colorado by Andrea M. Jones, University of Iowa Press (2013).

Today's Tea Quote

"It will make us late for Aunt Alice's tea-party. I hate tea-parties."

Daisy in Daisy's Aunt by E. F. Benton, 1910.

We hope Daisy is joking.

Sarabeth English Breakfast Tea

We discovered another small tea vendor in an unusual store. Sarabeth's Tea is produced by Sarabeth's in New York City. It's a smooth, mild blended Ceylon that is bright and strong enough for breakfast, and quiet enough for afternoon tea. We enjoyed it over the recent holiday with our family's special French toast recipe and tofu bacon for a delicious, sweet and savory breakfast.

Afternoon Tea shawl

Sipping tea on the patio is our favorite thing to do. Sipping tea while reading or crocheting or knitting makes for a sublime pastime. Add what better than the Afternoon Tea shawl, or a wonderful cozy for your tea pot? Hmm, might be time to make a new cozy...

Tea Quote

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”

C. S. Lewis

Trader Joe's Original Irish Breakfast Tea

Irish breakfast tea is a favorite in the parlor--full-bodied, malty, a blend of strong teas that should set the tea drinker up for a full day of work.

We love Trader Joe's products, from the organic, grain-fed beef to the eggs and produce--all are superior to the products in the grocery store and, organic meats aside, cheaper, too. However, we are not great fans of their tea. It's always weak and tastes rather uninspiring. Despite that experience with other TJ teas, we gave their new Original Irish Breakfast Tea a try, and sadly must report that it, too, is weak and rather blah. This is to be expected, given the price point of the tea, but it never fails to confound us that TJ's can offer so many tasty and delicious food options, but their black teas, both regular and decaffeinated, fall flat.

This holiday weekend, we served it with mango smoothies and croissants on the patio, watching the backyard birds flit about, showering in the sprinkler.

Harney and Sons Classic English Breakfast Tea

Harney and Sons are well known for their excellent teas, and this is a good one with which to start as an introduction to their line. Bold, crisp, strong, smooth--this keemun is everything it should be. This weekend we served it with pancakes and tofu bacon, enjoying a late spring morning on the patio. We'll confess we really like the classic collection tin.