Poison Lipstick & Ring - East Frisian Tea - Germany

Team  Oolong

Poison Lipstick & Ring - East Frisian Tea - Germany

Do you remember the Dr. Who episode involving the German leader in the 30’s?  The one in which Mels/Riversong wore poison lipstick?  Poison lipstick…..intriguing isn’t it? But then she kissed the doctor while she was wearing it -- and oh dear!

Today The Tardis landed in Germany and is pouring East Frisian Tea from Miss Spenser’s Specialty Teas, a gift from friends Donna and Spenser.   They were kind enough to share the history of it with me as well as some of the large sugar clumps called Kluntjes that are used. 

  

It is traditionally served in an East Frisian pink rose teacup.  My antique German teacup with pink roses is from my mother’s collection.   It isn’t the East Frisian rose design, but it is very special to me.  The pink “Diamond” sugar cube tray and creamer is from her collection as well.  I’m enjoying my tea time in my room with pink roses.  Pink roses in the glass shade on the lamp and a beautiful pink rose needlepoint picture that Mother made for me from a blank canvas many years ago.

A “Kluntje” is placed in each cup.  Carefully the tea is poured over the sugar while one enjoys the crackling sound of the bursting sugar crystals.  Then using a special Rohmlepel spoon (my antique cream ladle worked just fine) a bit of cream (yes real cream, not milk) is carefully placed on the surface of the tea.  The cream sinks into the tea and then rises again to the surface like a “Wulkje” (a little white cloud).  The tea is not stirred.  It is customary to drink 3 cups.

To enjoy with tea today is an edible raspberry Lipstick.  You just twist the lipstick case to raise the lipstick up to eat it.  I love to serve this fun surprise!  Of course, mine aren’t poison!!   To enjoy with it are delicious Schogetten  chocolates from Germany.

My jewelry today is a vintage poison ring which can conceal either a poison pill or an antidote. A poison ring is a type of ring with a container under the bezel or inside the bezel itself that could be used to hold poison or another substance. They became popular in Europe during the sixteenth century. The poison ring was used either to slip poison into an enemy's food or drink, or to facilitate the suicide of the wearer in order to escape capture or torture.  Mine is certainly not used for either…just part of a collection of fun things. I doubt that it was from the London jeweler whose ring box it is in, but that is how it was presented to me years ago.

I hope you enjoyed our tea time today as much as I did.

Cheers and Happy Sipping!

Martha