the complete tea planner book

All About Afternoon Tea

Welcome to the Road Back to Civilization, the road that leads to Afternoon Tea, and far beyond. At Afternoon Tea, courteous, thoughtful people share elegant yet simple homemade food, drink tea together, and focus on the ordinary little details that make life both interesting and beautiful.
My Tea Planner is our gift to people who love and actively participate in afternoon tea. But it is also for all life-long learners as well as those who have a particular interest in cooking, entertaining, event planning, world cultures, art and self-improvement. Anyone who wants to explore family history, etiquette, poetry and philosophical values is welcome to our website. You might even want to form a Tea Club and use our website as a resource. This site is for anyone who longs for a more fulfilling, dignified and meaningful way of life.
We want to share this road with you, because as you will learn, nothing bad ever happens at Afternoon Tea, and everyone deserves a few hours of pure joy. Even if you have never attended a tea party, we will show you the way. You will discover that a tea party is about much more than tea. It is about generously donating our time and best effort to make our guests happy. It’s about paying attention to the subtle nuances in nature’s shifting seasons and learning to appreciate the foods that nature gives us throughout the year.

We will help you deepen your appreciation of the great home cooks of the past and the cooking of cultures that may not be familiar to you. We will give you permission to like every kind of fresh food there is. And we will encourage you to respect your own natural creativity and live with a profound sense of gratitude for the food we eat and the friends we have been given.

Come along. We’ll start at the beginning—with Tea.

Kathleen and Rose

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THE TEA BOOK
The Road Back to Civilization
A Brief History of Tea
  Philosophy of Tea
     Harmony
     Humility
     Respect
     Creativity

Guidelines for the Host/Hostess

  Gathering and Greeting
  Sharing Stories
  Sharing Food
  Sending the Guests Home

Guidelines for the Guest

  Respect your Hostess/Host
  Bring a Gift if You Wish
  Practice Humility
  Monitor Your Conversation
  Arrive With a Grateful Attitude
  Help if Help is Needed
  Do Not Criticize
  Leave Gracefully
  Send a Thank you Note

A Checklist for Planning a Tea Party
Teas of the World and How to Make Tea

  A Sampling of Teas
  Herbal Teas and Tisanes
  How to Make Tea
  Making Iced Tea
  Tea Concentrate
  Brewing Tea for a Crowd

Tea Utensils and Accessories

  Tea Kettle
  Tea Pot
  Tea Cozy
  Teacups
  Plates
  Silverware
  Teacart
  Tea Strainer
  Tea Infuser
  Three-Tiered Server
  Cream Pitcher and Sugar   Bowl
  Cake Pedestal
  Trifle Bowl
  Jam Pots
  Serving Dishes, Platters, and Trays
  Silver Tea Set or Silver Tray
  Linens
  Kitchen Equipment for Food Preparation

Tea Menu Basics

  Sandwiches and Savories
  Savory Spreads and Dips
  Scones and Tea Breads

About Lemons

  Afternoon Tea and the Four Seasons

     A Spring Tea
     An Outdoor Summer Tea
     A Winter Afternoon Tea
     An Autumn Afternoon Tea

A Calendar of Tea Parties

  January:A Japanese New Year’s Tea
  February:Valentine’s Day Tea
  March:A St. Patrick’s Day Irish Tea
  April:An Easter Tea
  May:Mother’s day Tea
  June:A Wedding Reception Tea

Lemon Yogurt Wedding Cake

  July:A Picnic Tea
  AUGUST:A FAMILY REUNION TEA

A North American Family Reunion Tea
  An Eastern Mediterranean Family Reunion Tea
  A Kosher Family Reunion Tea
  A Scandinavian Family Reunion Tea

  September:An Ozark Farm Harvest Tea
  October:A Tea to Honor   Our Ancestors(Dia de los Muertos)
  November:A Post Thanksgiving Tea
  December: A Christmas Tea

  In Defense of Fruitcake:Fruitcakes and Candied Fruit

A World of Tea Parties

  A Chinese Dim Sum Tea
  A Portuguese Tea
  A Classic British Afternoon Tea
  An Indian Chai Party
  A California Tea
  A Hawaiian Tea
  An Italian Tea
  An American Southern Tea
  A Russian Tea
  A French Afternoon Tea
  A Kosher Teawith  Traditional Jewish Foods

Afternoon Tea for Special Occasions

  An Afternoon Tea for  Children
  A Tea for Our Elders
  A Honey Bee Tea in the Garden
  An Urban Tea on the Go
  Tea for One
  Afternoon Tea For a Large Group
  A Vegan Tea
  A Rose Tea