Time for Tea!

By Cheri Scolari

When America declared independence from England a couple of centuries ago, in our eagerness to leave the old behind and embrace the new, we made one unfortunate mistake. Instead of just dumping the tea overboard during the Boston Tea Party, we ditched the whole tea time tradition: tea, scones, jam, the whole works. You still find formal tea service in large cities at landmarks such as the Russian Tea Room or Palm Court in New York City, or at an occasional shop like NovelTeas in Red Bank, but it is a rare find nowadays. A few years back, my daughter and I experienced an afternoon tea at the Georgian Restaurant at Harrods in London and that’s when I really fell in love with the whole notion of tea time. The room was grand and the table impeccably set with bone china and silver. A three-tiered serving piece filled with delicate sandwiches and pastries appeared, and we devoured everything with as much proper tea etiquette as we could manage while listening to gentle strains of classical piano music in the background. It was a delightful and memorable way to spend an afternoon.

Since then, I love to take a few minutes out of my busy day for a cup of hot tea in the afternoon. It’s even more enjoyable to invite a few friends to an afternoon tea. A tea time held between 2:00pm and 5:00pm is considered a “low” tea. Scones and other pastries, as well as delicate finger sandwiches, are normally served. “High tea” is actually an early supper between 5:00pm and 8:00pm and is served at a high dinner table (hence the name). In addition to the sweets and sandwiches, meat pies and cheeses are often added. Whichever tea time you choose, be sure to treat yourself to a high quality tea that is prepared well. Use loose tea leaves in a tea pot with fresh, boiling water. When you re-boil water or let it stand for a long time, the water loses oxygen and does not extract the full flavor from the tea leaves. Brew your tea for no more than 3-5 minutes. If you leave the tea leaves in the water much longer the tea will taste bitter, as tannins are released.

Harrods Tea Room

The choices are limitless when it comes to selecting teas. English Breakfast and Assam are stronger black teas with higher caffeine levels and are normally served with milk. Earl Gray is imbued with the citrus oil of Bergamot and is pairs well with lemon. Darjeeling is considered “the champagne of teas” with its lush, flowery notes and smooth finish. An excellent option in the afternoon is green tea, which has a small amount of caffeine but a rejuvenating effect on the mind and body. The Republic of Tea’s Big Green Hojicha is made from roasted Japanese green tea leaves and has an earthy aroma and lightly roasted flavor. White tea is another low caffeine option that lifts your spirits in the afternoon. The Republic of Tea’s Silver Rain from China’s Fujian province is one of the rarest of all teas. It is a high grown, white tea with floral overtones and a sweet, lingering finish.

Whatever tea tickles your fancy, you may want to sweeten it up with a little honey. I have recently discovered Aiva, a multi-floral raw honey from the mountains of Armenia. The bees gather honey from wild herbs and flowers in the pure mountain air at elevations of 5300 feet. Agave nectar from Mexico is another alternative to sugar. It is very low on the glycemic index and it only takes a small amount to sweeten your tea. Spice blended and flavored teas are also a very appealing option. Blue Lotus Chai is one of my favorite afternoon teas. The finest Indian black tea and organic spices are combined to create a traditional Masala Chai that you mix with hot water and milk. It is so spicy and satisfying! SerendipiTea is a Fair Trade company that creates organic flavored tea combinations such as Buccaneer, an African rooibos tea with coconut, chocolate and vanilla.

Afternoon tea wouldn’t be complete without something sweet to nibble on. Lark Salted Rosemary Shortbread is savory and sweet with a lovely herbal aroma that is perfect with a cup of tea. Caffe Dolcetti from Bath, England offers a Stem Ginger Sultana biscuit that pairs nicely with tea as well. For a traditional afternoon low tea, Sickles Bakery offers an array of scones from The Scone Shoppe, including Pear Pecan, Oatmeal Cranberry and Apple Cinnamon. The company’s miniature quick breads (I’m a fan of the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip and the Sweet Potato Pecan) would also be an excellent choice, but they have been flying out the door as soon as they arrive, so you might have to order ahead! Add some Devonshire clotted cream and jam and you’ll have a tea time fit for a queen!

Cheri the Cheesemonger!