Mystery of tea

Iam learning so much about tea! I starting reading some tea forums on various websites. I soon discovered that many true tea lovers are not content with the teabags purchased at the local grocery store. They were ordering special teas and blends from different tea sources. They wrote with great passion about senchas and oolongs. They shared how long to steep various teas and worried about the temperature of the water. How long should the water boil? Should green tea steep longer than black?
Should you steep tea in a teapot with the cozy on or off? This last question led to a lengthy discussion, and several people performing tests.
The answers? Usually, water should just reach a boil. Green tea steeps for 3 minutes, black 5. Never cover a teapot while steeping tea. It "cooks" the tea and spoils the taste.

Box Luncheon tea party

This afternoon my Red Hat group enjoyed a Box Lunch. We each packed a lunch suitable for a tea party in a decorated box or basket. Each box had a number put on it, and then we all drew numbers. We then received the box that had our number on it. The boxes and baskets were all different, and very creative. Some were done in store bought hat boxes, some in big gift baskets, and one in a picnic basket with a Valentine Teddy Bear attached to it. (This was held on Feb. 12th)
My decorated box contained a wrap sandwich, candy, carrot cake, and a side dish of fruit and berries. The hostess provided drinks and a Watergate salad.
A fun and easy way to entertain!

Tea Party

Last Sunday I attended a tea party hosted by a lady in a wheelchair. My friend has MS, but she doesn't let that stop her from hosting a monthly tea party for about 20 women! She has a small house, and sets up tables in her dining room, den, kitchen and sun room. She does most of the cooking herself, occasionally asking someone to bring something to add to the menu. She appoints a hostess for each table, and they do the actual serving.
We all pitch in for the clean up, and don't leave until all the dishes are done and everything is put away.
She is an inspiration to me. I, too, have a small house, and it's easy to use that as an excuse not to entertain. When I think of all the work involved in putting on a tea party, I can easily talk myself out of hosting one. Then I think of my friend, and she inspires me to get out my cookbooks, and put up an extra table.
I hope this will inspire you, too, to bless your friends or family by hosting a tea party.
You can find recipes and ideas at www.mysteryteaparties.com.

Tea Sites you will enjoy

I've been doing alot of research lately for a new project, and have come upon some websites I'm sure you'd like to know about, too.
I found a source for free tea party invitations at www.hooverwebdesign.com. It takes abit of looking around in thier website, but they are there and worth searching for.
Looking for cute favors for your next tea party? Try www.beau-coup.com. They have many to choose from, some priced as low as .80.
Do you like to knit? You'll find kit's for knitting a tea cozy and a washcloth with a teapot design at www.teanroses.com.
Free tea party games and lots of tea party ideas are at www.teahousetimes.com.

Tea, WII and Me!

I've found another excuse to have a tea party! Today three friends are joing me for an informal time of tea and scones, then we are going to play WII bowling. I'm serving two kinds of scones, lemon curd, jam and devonshire cream. Since it's just the four of us, I'm going to use a loose tea, a blend of seven green teas from Let's Do Tea.

Woman's Club Mystery Party

I was so pleased to hear from the Country Woman's Club of Campbell, Ca. They are celebrating their 105th Birthday with a dinner and presentation of "Gone With the Breeze." It will be held on Feb. 22 at a Country Club.
This group has done several of my mystery tea party plans, and have been kind enough to invite me. Alas, it has not worked out for me to attend, but maybe one of these days! I love being invited to events, and when they are not too far away, I try my best to be there.

Mystery tea party for a wedding!

I'm always surprised and delighted to learn of the many different ways the mystery tea party plans are being used. They've been done in homes, tea rooms, restaurants, an herb farm, poolside, country club, churches, banquet halls. They've been used as entertainment for all types of womens events; ladies golf luncheon, PEO's, women's clubs, library clubs, doll clubs, girls night out, office parties, gosh, the list goes on and on. They've been used as fund-raisers for all sorts of events,too.
But today was a first. A wedding party wants to entertain thier guests at the reception with a mystery tea party! What fun!
Next time your club is looking for entertainment, take a look at the many mystery party plans at www.mysteryteaparties.com. (The plans work well without a tea party.)