Thursday, October 1, 2015

Tea in Texas

My journey with the teapot began by providing me a treasured treat meeting with Mara! We met at The Secret Garden in Sumner, Wa.  I had never been there before & ended up having one of my favorite afternoon tea experiences!

I spent time in Texas this month & learned a Latin version of High Tea is called "La Merienda"...which can include cinnamon-tinged roasted Mexican coffees, hot cocoas, aguas frescas, & hojorascas (Mexican cookies)

I started one day with breakfast at a restaurant called The Odd Duck in Austin, very unique menu, fabulous food! They had a Smoked Black Tea from a local place called The Tea Spot...it was one of the best, most flavorful teas I've ever had! The Tea Spot opened in January 2015, by So Han, the owner of West China Tea Company. The teas he carries are sourced directly from the farmers that grow them & worth a trip to Austin just to have some of this tea. You can learn more on his website...westchinateacompany.com


The Four Seasons Hotel in Austin never disappoints! In U of Texas colors!! The menu consisted of                     Sandwiches...Cucumber with Herb Butter on Brioche
                      Smoked Salmon rosettes & Dill Sour Cream on Wheat
                      House Smoked Ham, Brie, Seasonal Jam(blueberry) &
                                               Microgreens on Pumpernickel
                      Egg Salad with Chives & Arugula on Brioche
Sweets...Assorted Scones & Tea Cakes with Devonshire Cream  
                                                & Lemon Curd
              Assortment of Delectable Miniature Petite Fours,
                                                Profiteroles, Macaroons & Tarts
Teas...Choice of Black, Green & Herbal Loose Leaf Teas











Much gratefulness for the time spent of preparing these wonderful treats for us all to enjoy at the various places that provide us with a much needed respite in life!! All was very good!!

I ended the month meeting Marilyn & had a delightful lunch with her at The Grant House here in Vancouver, Wa. Love meeting new tea friends!!  Blessed:)

Barb





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5 comments:

  1. TeresaOctober 1, 2015 at 6:45 AM

    We have a son attending Texas A&M. I can see a visit to Austin will be in order during a visit to see him. Thank you so much for the recommendations!
    Sips and Smiles

    ReplyDelete
  2. MarteaOctober 1, 2015 at 9:31 AM

    What a wonderful time spent with the teapot, Barbara!
    I loved hearing about “La Merienda”. I love aguas frescas and hojorascas and think the idea of incorporating them into a tea party is great. Is there a place in Austin that offers “La Merienda”?

    The yellow rose petals in the center of your table at the Four Seasons was so pretty and the food sounds wonderful.
    It’s fun to learn about The Odd Duck, too.
    Planning a visit with friends in Austin and am thrilled to learn about these tea experiences. Thank you so much…..

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  3. Marilyn MillerOctober 1, 2015 at 11:00 AM

    First, It was truly a delight to meet you yesterday at the Grant House and chat over lunch. Your time in Texas looks and sounds just delightful. The Mexican tea ideas also would be wonderful to incorporate into a tea party. Definitely if I ever make it back to Austin there will be tea time at the Four Seasons. It looked wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  4. DianaOctober 1, 2015 at 11:02 AM

    Sounds like you had a wonderful time in Texas! My husband is from Texas and we love to visit there. Thanks for sharing your adventures!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousOctober 1, 2015 at 1:23 PM

    What an enjoyable time you have had.
    Rochelle, ATAA

    ReplyDelete

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