Michele Henry
                                    Tea at 1024
                                Honolulu, Hawaii

Dear Mrs. Potts,
    On a recent trip to Canada, I visited the Blue Willow Tea Shop owned by Sue Barrett. It’s at Gravenhurst in northern Ontario’s cottage country. 
    The tea house is on Gravenhurst’s wharf, overlooking Lake Muskoka; boat activity can be watched through large picture windows while sipping tea. The decor of the room promoted a comfortable atmosphere with its English-style furniture and blue willow crockery.
    Looking over the menu’s selection of fourteen teas, I chose one I had never heard of, Lapsong Souchong; it’s a smoky tasting Chinese tea. The leaves are smoked over pine boughs before fermentation, unusual but pleasant.
    I thought of trying the formidable sounding Formosa Gunpowder! A green tea from Taiwan. The leaves are tightly rolled to give the appearance of gunpowder pellets ... next time!
    The tea listing also had Rooibos (ray-boss), another tea I’d never heard of. It’s from South Africa and it combines the benefits of antioxidants with a rich, bold flavor and it is caffeine free. 
    The Blue Willow sandwiches are almost a feast. Made with a choice of multi-grain, brown or rye bread, they are: egg salad and chopped bacon, tuna salad with sweet corn or cucumber, cucumber and cream cheese, shrimp and seafood sauce, grilled bacon and brie (delicious), grilled cheddar cheese and bacon and grilled tuna and cheddar cheese.
    In addition to tea-time, the Blue Willow serves an all-day breakfast and a Blue Willow high tea. Not forgetting the signature desserts: shortbread, lemon cake and a rich fudgy chocolate cake (also delicious), warmed ginger bread and more. 
    If you are in northern Ontario cottage country, drop in to the Blue Willow Tea Shop.
                        
                           Elizabeth McNeill Leicester
                           Author, "Taironian Gold"

Dear Mrs. Potts,
     On a recent crossing of the Atlantic from Fort Lauderdale to Madeira, the Galilio Lounge on the Regent Seven Seas Navigator was a daily meeting place for afternoon tea. Passengers could look out over the dark blue ocean and white stern wake through the floor-to-ceiling windows stretching across the ship from port to starboard.
     The small, but comfortable, lounge chairs were placed four to a small round wooden coffee table. A white napkin, plate, fork, and a cup and saucer invited guests to seat themselves.
     A choice of sixteen teas was offered, including: Twining’s Black Current, Herbal Chamomile, China Keemum, Decaf English Breakfast, Decaf Earl Grey, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Jasmine Green Tea, Lemon Scented tea bags, Ceylon Orange Pekoe, Herbal Peppermint and Peach. Then there was Lipton’s Yellow and Yamamotaya’s Japanese Green Tea.
     White gloved waiters moved around the room and, unless the guest made another selection, they served Earl Grey tea from a silver pot with a choice of cream or a slice of lemon. Other waiters made the rounds with their tray of small sandwiches and cakes, but on this day, with Fort Lauderdale six days behind us, a special "Chocoholic Teatime" had been prepared by Chef Niels Rathert’s galley staff.
     The display of wonderful brown/black high-calorie goodies included: Hazelnut biscotti, Chocolate mousse cup, Apricot chocolate cake with raspberry filling, Blackout cake, Zinger cake, Walnut chocolate tart, sugar free Chocolate pound cake and moist Chocolate cake.
     Guests moved slowly around the display table before making their selection. I noticed several people made more than one visit to the delectable items. The favorite was the chocolate fountain, where jumbo ripe strawberries were dipped into the soft, warm flowing chocolate.
     As the tea progressed, I heard several contented "Aaah’s" coming from guests!

                                        Elizabeth McNeill Leicester
                                        Author, "Taironian Gold"

 
Dear Mrs. Potts,
     I have a wonderful recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Muffins that I wanted to share. They’re perfect for diabetics, like myself. They’re made with whole wheat flour, oatmeal, apples, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts, and are a healthy alternative for anyone’s diet. Since the apples sweeten the muffins, Stevia is not required unless you like them extra sweet. These muffins contain approximately 30 grams of carbohydrates, and made without the raisins have only 20 grams. 
     In a large bowl, mix together: 1 cup whole-wheat flour, 1 cup oatmeal, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 2 packets Stevia (optional).
     In a food processor, chop up 2 peeled and cored apples. Then add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup olive oil. Mix well.
     In a separate large bowl, mix together: 1 cup water, 1/3 cup skim milk, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
     Combine all the liquid ingredients, then add the dry ingredients and mix well. Chop up 1/2 cup of walnuts and add them to the mixture. Then add 1/2 cup raisins.
     Fill muffin cups and bake at 400E for 25 minutes. 

                                                    Sylvia Douet
                                                   Syl’s Muffins

Dear Mrs. Potts,
     Recently a group of my Sweet Potato Queens decided to get together to have a Saint Patrick’s tea. Tea was good, and sandwiches tasty. However, the one everyone really enjoyed was the egg salad sandwich by chef Roy Pell from the Phoenician Resort that is featured in your newsletter on your FaciliTeas Page. The tabasco sauce just added that little punch to wake up your taste buds, but with a sip of champagne were cooled off a bit.
     We also took the challenge to try one of your crafts on your CrafTea Page, "A Rose By Any Other Name." The lovely roses were donated by our local florist, Riverside Floral Designs in Philadelphia. The ladies were charmed and delighted by how lovely they looked.
     Thank you for all the wonderful ideas you have on High-SocieTea.com on how to entertain, and help me in keeping my tea parties a success.

         Queen Ann Bailey
   www.phillyfunladiesinred.com

Hi Mrs. Potts,
     "I drink hot chocolate almost as much as I drink hot tea in the winter, but I don't like the instant mixes that are sold in grocery stores.  I finally found a wonderful recipe for homemade hot chocolate that I wanted to share.  Mix 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, 1 cup fat-free dry milk and 3/4 cup light brown sugar in an airtight container.  To make a cup of hot chocolate, stir in 3 tablespoons of the chocolate mixture to 1 cup cold milk.  Microwave on high for about 1-1/2 minutes.  And you can use skim milk or 1% milk to save even more calories.  This makes a great addition to afternoon tea, especially when children are there.  And if you want to add more flavor to the hot chocolate, you can stir in a dash of cinnamon or a few drops of vanilla.  And for the adults, you can add a dash of Irish Whiskey and top it with whipped cream, or add a dash of Amaretto to perk up your cup!"

                                                    Doris M., Wildwood, NJ


Mrs. Potts,
     This isn't exactly an afternoon tea story, but when a new neighbor moved in next door, I put together a tea basket for her to welcome her and her family to the neighborhood.  I found a nice wicker basket and wrapped a pretty ribbon around it tied into a bow.  Then I filled it with an assortment of loose and bag teas, a beautiful silver tea strainer that I found at an antique sale, a small teapot-for-two and some linen napkins that I purchased with a teacup and saucer motif on them.  Then, on my computer, I printed up some recipe cards of scone recipes and chocolate fudge and salmon mousse tea sandwiches and tucked them in the basket.  I sealed everything in a giant clear-wrap bag and tied it up with a bunch of curly ribbons on the top.  My new neighbor was so touched, that she's already invited me over for tea three times.  And, now we're talking about starting a tea gift basket business together!

                                                Grace K., Minneapolis, MN
 

     "A group of us girls started doing something fun and different a couple of months ago. Once a month, one of us hosts a tea party where we hold a “tea swap.” It’s like the cookie swaps that have been around for forever, but we share teas. We scour the Internet and hunt around local shops for unique and exotic teas and bring them to the party. The host provides the goodies to eat, and we all show up with our tea and teapots to brew it in. Then we sit around and taste the different teas and gorge ourselves on teacakes and sandwiches."
                                         Madeleine A., Newport, RI



Hello, High-SocieTea,  
     Here's a Cherry-Chocolate Chip Scone recipe I got from Betty Crocker.  They're made with Bisquick Mix and couldn't be easier.  The ingredients are:  2 cups Bisquick mix, 1/3 cup finely chopped dried cherries, 1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon mik, 1 tablespoon decorator sugar crystals.  Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Grease a cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, cherries, chocolate chips, granulated sugar, whipping cream and egg until a soft dough forms.  Place the dough on a surface sprinkled with Bisquick mix.  Gently roll in the Bisquick mix to coat.  Shape the dough into a ball.  Knead 10 times.  Pat the dough into an 8" circle on the cookie sheet.  Brush the dough with milk.  Sprinkle with sugar crystals.  Cut the dough into 8 wedges, but do not separate them.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Carefully separate wedges.  Serve warm. 
     I just love these scones and I know your readers will too.

                                           Terry M., San Francisco, CA


     "My girlfriends and I held a 'Progressive Tea Party' where we each served one course of a three-course afternoon tea.  We had a group of 14 who started out at the first home (mine) where I served four varieties of scones along with tea, of course.  Then we all went next door where my girlfriend served a nice assortment of tea sandwiches.  Finally, we all wound up at my other girlfriend's house and she served us the most delicious fruit tarts and mini cheesecakes and chocolate truffles.  It was one of the nicest afternoons I've spent in a long time, and we all had such fun.  You should try it!"                
                    
                                           Leslie E., Philadelphia, PA  


     "I saw decorated sugar cubes in a magazine once and wanted to use them for an afternoon tea I was having with some friends.  But I couldn't find them in the stores and I didn't want to order them from a catalog.  So I made them myself.  I bought a box of sugar cubes and tubes of cake decorating icing in different colors.  Using the icing, I made little flowers and designs on the tops of the cubes, and even put each of my guests' initials on some.  I served them on individual little plates at each placesetting.  My guests loved them.  They had never seen anything like them before, and my tea party was a big hit!"

                                               Rose D., New York, NY


     "I belong to a Birthday Club.  Once a month, we go to a member's home and celebrate everyone's birthday that month over afternoon tea.  Whoever is hostessing prepares the usual treats like scones and little sandwiches.  But instead of miniature sweets, a full-sized birthday cake is made and topped with lit candles so the 'birthday girls' can blow them out.  We rotate to a different member's home each month and if no one in the club is celebrating a birthday that month, we toast to any family members who are.  That way, we don't miss out on our monthly birthday parties."  

                                             Molly B., Atlanta, GA



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