The Tea Corner

Children like to emulate their parents by having a cup of tea; however, their idea of tea would be sodas or sugar laden drinks.  Parents know that these drinks may contain caffeine or large amounts of sugar that may cause hyperactive symptoms.  We want our children to drink something that is more healthy.

 The Tea Corner carries a variety of children’s teas that contain natural dried fruits and flavors.  Our kid’s tea is full of natural fruits that contain Vitamin C and other essential nutrients that are caffeine free.  These teas are enjoyed by children and adults and can be served hot or cold.  No need to add sugar because of the natural sugars in the fruits sweeten the tea when brewed.

Here are some examples of our children’s loose tea flavors:

Bubblegum Children's Tea

The Bubblegum Kid’s Tea combines caramel with strawberry and lemon character to create a taste sensation for the younger set.  It contains natural dried apple pieces, hibiscus, rosehip, naural dried orange, calendual petals, cornflower petals, bubblegum and natural flavors.  The bubblegum is removed before brewing.

The Bumblefruit Kid’s Tea is lively, bright and full of energy. Kid’s will have fun leaning the techniques of brewing loose tea. The loose tea comes in a foil 2 ounce pack for freshness and makes 25 cups of delicious tea.

The Tutti Fruite Kid’s Tea is a candy-like Caramel flavor with berries for depth and color.  It is rich in Vitamin C and contains natural dried apple pieces, hibiscus, rosehip, natural dried orange, elderberries, dried black currants, rose petals, calendula petals, cornflower petals, red thistle and natural flavors for a terrific tasting tea.

The Yummy Berry Kid’s Tea contains wildberry currant and fruity ingredients that give a sweet and slight tart character.  Ingredients include natural dried apple pieces, hibiscus, rosehip, cornflower petals, natural dried black currants, elderberries, and natural flavors.

If you prefer tea bags, we have Organic Children’s Tea.  This is a lovely, light caffeine-free herbal tea created just for children! Each teabag contains just under a teaspoon of real dried honey, which perfectly enhances the sprightly berry punch flavor.  Made with only organic herbs, with your children`s well-being in mind.

A few tips: 

–Keep a pitcher of Kid’s Tea in the refrigerator which can be enjoyed at anytime. 

Cold Tea:  (l quart) Place 12-15 tsps f tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher.  Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea.  Steep 5 minutes.  Quarter fill a serving itcher with cold water.  our ea into serving pitcher straining the leaves and add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water.  Garnish and sweeten to taste.

–Make popsicles from the Kid’s Tea for your children to enjoy outside with their friends. 

The weather is getting better so there is no better time to get outside and enjoy a Garden Tea Party with the kids!

Now that the Holiday rush is over it’s time to sit back in your comfortable chair and think about what your goals are for the new year while sipping on a cup of your favorite loose tea.

Relax with a cup of tea!

Ever find yourself opening the kitchen cupboard and reaching for the same mug, your favorite.  My favorite mug is like a child’s favorite blanket… it makes me happy and feels good to hold.

Mugs are widely popular and are collected based on personal likes and life experiences.  Mug designs are limited only by the designer’s imagination.  Generally, popular designs include floral patterns, geometric, solid-colored, and themed designs. Themes can vary from holidays, famous places, fictional and animal characters. 

Archaeologists found mugs carved from bones dating to the Stone Age.  In 1748, Britain banned coffee and all merchandise associated with it, including mugs. This led to a shortage of mugs, and the black market prices for mugs rose.
Mugs today are made from ceramic, pottery, porcelain to bone china, and come in a variety of sizes, patterns and designs.  A mug can be both useful and decorative.  A mug tree is a great way to display your mugs while providing useful storage.

Whether you purchase mugs for use or home decor, I’ve searched the market and have put together a variety of mugs to add to your collection.

Original Scone Mixes

What could be more enjoyable than sitting with a few friends and sipping cups of well-brewed tea and nibbling on the dainty morsels stacked up on plates lined with paper doilies?   Scones — that very English thing.

Scones, scrumptious as they sound, are among the easiest things to bake; and The Tea Corner has found a scone mix even amateur bakers can attempt without too much stress.  Enjoy the flavor and convenience of this easy to prepare mix.  No dry fruits or artificial ingredients.  Just add butter and buttermilk and bake.  Use your creativity to embellish as desired.  Choose from our savory  Lemon Poppyseed or our Original Scone Mix.

Scones are best served straight out of the oven. The plain ones are traditionally served split open and topped with clotted cream and fruit preserves.  Butter works equally well.  You can also serve plain scones with fresh fruit.   That’s the beauty of our scone mix, you can have the taste of homemade, the ease and convenience of a mix, and the freedom to create your own signature scone.  And best of all, if you have any left over you can freeze the dough as individual, ready-to-bake scones and bake as needed!

Here are a few scone facts:

Scones are most often thought of as British, but the fact is their origin is actually Scotland.  Pronounced both skon and skoan, these are light, buttery quick-breads made with flour, sugar, butter, milk or cream, and eggs, besides a leavening agent such as baking powder. What is important though is to mix the ingredients correctly, with a light hand to end up with scones that are light and soft.  Over-mixing will ruin the texture of your scones.

The original scone was round and flat, usually the size of a small plate.  It was made with unleavened oats and baked on a griddle then cut into triangle-like quadrants for serving. 

Visit The Tea Corner today and enjoy a fresh batch of scones and a cup of tea this afternoon!

A tea garden is not only practical, but alot of fun to design.  And what better way to enjoy a cup of tea..right out of your own garden!

Blooming Tea Garden

You can design your tea garden right in the ground or be creative and use old teacups and saucers for bird baths, feeders or grew plants in them.  Here is a list of easy-to grow herbs that are fragrant and make wonderful teas:

• Chamomile - (a delightful apple scented herb traditionally used to induce calm and sleep)  Small daisy-like flowers.  It tolerates full sun to semi-shade.
• Bergamot – (Adds a touch of orange flavor.  The plant produces gorgeous bright red, purple, or pink flowers and is happy in full sun or semi-shade. The leaves and flowers are suitable for steeping.
• Mints - (lemon or lime balm, peppermint)
• Scented Geraniums
• Lavender – (a softly fragrant tisane that is perfect for soothing.  Recommended for reducing tension and soothing headaches).  Lavender grows well in full sun, well-drained soil.  Lavender buds are the part of the plant used for tea.
• Lemon Verbena – (a refreshing and tangy lemony taste from the leaves.  It needs full sun and will not tolerate harsh winters, so you may want to keep it pot bound.  The leaves are used for tea.
• Marjoram – (this herb has a fruity, citrus flavor and an undertone of mint.  It grows well in full sun to semi-shade and the leaves and flowers are suitable for steeping)
• Rose Hips – (Rose hips are the seed cases for roses.  They are extremely high in vitamin C and are very good for you.  The rose hips should be deep orange before harvesting.  Clean the rose hips gently before steeping.)
• Thyme – (considered to be a good tea for soothing stomach troubles and sore throats.  It has a spicy taste.  Tolerates full sun and semi-shade and is an ideal container herb.  Use the leaves for tea – if flowers are present, they may also be added to the tea.
• Stevia- (safe and natural herbal sweetener, used in place of sugar in an herbal infusion and safe for diabetics to use.  Stevia should be brought indoors during cold snaps and wintertime, so plant it in a pot in the garden.  The leaves are naturally sweet and their sweetness can be concentrated by drying or dehydrating them.

These are just a few of the many herbal varieties you may choose for your tea garden.

Here’s how to make fresh herbal tea:

1. Pick the leaves or flowers.  The best time of the day for this is just after the dew has dried but before the heat of the sun begins to draw the oils out of the plant.
2. Make the tea.  Add the herbs to a teapot or directly to a mug or teacup.   For each cup of tea, add approximately 2 to 3 teaspoons of fresh leaves and/or flowers. Slice rose hips in half before adding. The photo in this section shows direct infusion of chamomile flowers.
3. Allow to steep for 5 minutes.  This will ensure that the flavors are released and the full benefits of the herb’s or flower’s qualities are available

My wife has company over on a regular basis were they drink tea’s and coffee and catch up on current events ( a.k.a. gossip) and in Seattle where sunshine is limited my wife likes to go all out in the summer tents, beach chairs, tiki flames, the works! I bought her a straw hat last summer which she absolute loves to wear when she is tanning but this hat is more her style and I’m sure she’ll love when she basking in the sun!