The Art and Proper Etiquette of Afternoon Tea Book

The Art and Proper Etiquette of Afternoon Tea Book

From the book:

Making A Perfect Pot Of Tea

The round shape of the teapot was designed by the Chinese who used a muskmelon as a model.  The shape is different from a coffee or chocolate pot.  The rounded lower portion or body of the teapot is rounded to insure the tea leaves have the proper room for expansion during the infusion process.  The lower placement of the spout on the vessel allows for the tea to be poured without interfering with the leaves.

The make a perfect pot of tea, boil fresh cold water in a kettle.  Cold water is essential because it has more oxygen content and gives the tea a fuller flavor.  While the water is boiling, warm the teapot with hot water.  Once the teapot is warmed, pour out the water and put in the tea leaves.  Use one teaspoon of tea leaves or one tea bag per cup of tea.  Place measured amount of tea in a tea sock, a basket infuser, or a disposable paper tea filter.  Metal should not be used.  No metal should touch the tea while it is brewing.  Once the water has reached its desired temperature, bring the teapot over to the kettle and pour the water into the teapot immediately.  (Boiling water drops in temperature the moment you lift it from the flame).  Cover the teapot with a tea cozy or place the teapot on a hotplate that is heated by a candle.

Always brew by the clock, not by the color.  Every tea has its own distinct character.  Different teas and herbal infusions require different steeping or infusion times.  White, green, and oolong teas steep for about one to two minutes while black and chai teas and herbal infusions steep for about three to seven minutes.  Steeping time also depends on several factors such as the tea family, the leaf size, and the amount of twist or roll in the leaf.  Most tea merchants include brewing instructions on their labels.  Every tea will taste better if it is "brewed rather than stewed."

Enjoy a fabulous cuppa,

Last four Seasonal Essentials!

12 Seasonal Essentials

THE FESTIVE SCENTS #9

THE QUEEN'S SPEECH #10

THE NATIVITY #11

THE CAROLS #12

Christmas simply would not be Christmas 

without these traditional accompaniments.

#9 - THE FESTIVE SCENTS

Of all our senses, it is our sense of smell that is believed to be the most powerful in activating memories of bygone times.  Little wonder, then, that many enjoy filling their homes with the scents of past childhood Christmases.  From generation to generation, we pass down a tradition of using clove-studded oranges, bundles of cinnamon, eucalyptus and the fresh smell of pine to set a magical olfactory ambience.

#10 - THE QUEEN'S SPEECH

On Christmas Day, people across the land stop their activities to tune into HM The Queen's traditional annual message to her subjects.  The time was chosen because in 1932 when King George V began the tradition, this was deemed to be the best time to reach most of the countries in the Empire live by shortwave radio from the transmitters in Britain.  Today, the speech is pre-recorded and shown on television, but the importance of tuning in remains as strong as ever for most.

#11 - THE NATIVITY

As a charming re-enactment of the birth of Christ, this event reminds everyone of the origins of this most important of Christian celebrations.  Earnest children dressed in makeshift costumes stumble through memorized lines, whilst adults hold their breath to catch every word, and parents smile or even shed a tear of pride.

#12 - THE CAROLS

Lilting lyrics are sung with gusto from door to door, around the piano or in church at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.  The compositions bring people together in musical nostalgia, and everyone has their favorite carol, be it We Three Kings, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen or Silent Night.

Thank you English Home!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

THE PUDDING

12 Seasonal Essentials

THE PUDDING - #8

Christmas simply would not be Christmas 

without these traditional accompaniments.

This rich concoction of alcohol-soaked dried fruits, citrus peel, nuts, suet and spices has long been the grand finale to the Christmas feast.  Home-made on Stir-up Sunday (the last Sunday before Advent), the pudding often conceals a silver coin (traditionally a sixpence), which is said to endow good fortune upon the diner who finds it within their portion.  The pudding is usually doused with brandy, whisky or rum, which is set alight to create a flaming spectacle before serving.

Thank you English Home!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

THE MULLED WINE

12 Seasonal Essentials

THE MULLED WINE - #7

Christmas simply would not be Christmas 

without these traditional accompaniments.

Many of the comforting, warming drinks that our ancestors would have known have fallen out of favor.  As author Jane Strutters reveals in The Book of Christmas, winter was the time of great experimentation with hot drinks from Bishop to Posset to Het Pint, which are rarely known today.  

Yet mulled wine continues to be served.  We are intrigued to try a fabulous recipe and the advice is to use a good quality wine when making it.  And don't forget to top with a little freshly-grated nutmeg!

Thank you English Home!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

Polite Society School of Etiquette: THE GIVING OF PRESENTS

Polite Society School of Etiquette: THE GIVING OF PRESENTS: 12 Seasonal Essentials THE GIVING OF PRESENTS - #6 Christmas simply would not be Christmas  without these traditional accompaniment...

THE GIVING OF PRESENTS

12 Seasonal Essentials

THE GIVING OF PRESENTS - #6

Christmas simply would not be Christmas 

without these traditional accompaniments.

To give is more pleasurable than to receive, our grandparents would often say.  For many, this still holds true, at Christmas in particular.

Despite concerns of commercialization, it is the thoughtful and the hand-made and the time-consumingly sourced presents that still warm hearts the most - echoing, too, the giving of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  In England these offerings are more correctly known as presents, whereas in American it is referred to as gifts.  

Thank you English Home!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

THE LAVISH FEAST - 12 Seasonal Essentials

12 Seasonal Essentials

THE LAVISH FEAST - #5

Christmas simply would not be Christmas 

without these traditional accompaniments.

Christmas dinner is really little more than an expansion on a tradional Sunday roast, yet certain key extras elevate the meal into a ritual of expectation that everyone relishes.

A golden turkey replaced roast goose as the preferred centerpiece during Victorian times and sausage meat, chestnut stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, sprouts and 'pigs in blankets' (chipolatas wrapped in bacon) are the usual accompaniments.  Pulling crackers and wearing paper crowns whilst eating is an unwritten rule in many households - the hats, once an emblem of the three kings, have now become a symbol of the British need to not take themselves too seriously.

Thank you English Home!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.