HOLIDAY RECIPES

HOLIDAY CHAI EGGNOG

4 cups of Eggnog

3 tbsp. of Masala Chai

1/4 cup amber rum (optional)

In saucepan, combine eggnog and tea. Cook for 7-10 minutes but do not boil.
Remove from heat and let stand for 2 minutes.

Strain through fine sieve, and then add rum. Cool to warm, then place in the refrigerator to chill.
Chill for 2 hours and garnish with whipped cream!

SPICE UP THE SCONES

Try adding tea instead of water to our scone mixes. Use the amount of water that the mix calls for, but boil the water and steep two – three teaspoons of your favorite tea, let cool and then add to mix.

Also, try adding dried fruit, chocolate chips or nuts to the Original/Plain Scone mix.

WHITE & GREEN TEA - DID YOU KNOW?

White and green teas are good for 2-3 infusions from the same leaves. Most of the caffeine is released in the first infusion, so this will also reduce caffeine content.

WHITE & GREEN TEAS EASY TO BREW?

Have you always wanted to make green or white tea, but just do not know how? Think it is too complicated? Well, here is a simple and effective way to enjoy the elusive white and green teas.

White and green teas call for specific water temperatures because water that is too hot will cook the leaves causing the tea to taste bitter. You do not need a thermometer to prepare these delicious teas anymore. Here is how:

Boil water and pour into teapot or glass cup and let sit 1-2 minutes for green tea and 2-3 minutes for white tea. Then add tea and brew for the specified amount of time.

This information is also available on our website. Try some of the White Christmas, it is delicious.

CHRISTMAS TEAS ARE HERE!

Nutcracker Sweet: Black tea, apple bits, orange peels, currants, cinnamon, almond flakes, cloves, flavoring and safflowers. $4.00/2 ounces

Chocolate Cream: Tastes like a creamy cup of hot chocolate, without the calories. Black tea, cocoa kernels, chocolate bits, flavoring (does contain milk products). $3.50/ 2 ounces *

Bethlehem Star: Rooibos, currants, apple bits, orange peels, and cinnamon. Naturally decaffeinated. $3.80/2 ounces **

Candy Cane: Cherry and peppermint, tastes as good as it smells. $7.00/2 ounces *

White Christmas: A sip from this warm and nutty blend completes the perfect winter wonderland. Hand-picked white tea blended with almonds, vanilla and cardamom, accented by white chamomile flowers. $8.50/2 ounces

Rooibos Winter White: Decadent blend of rooibos, toffee bits, white chocolate chips and cocoa. $3.50/2 ounces **

* Great for children's tea parties.
** These will now be seasonal teas available only at Christmas.

These are also available for pick-up at One of a Kind and on our shelf. Please email us if you have any questions or would like to order more than 8 ounces of a particular tea.

BEAUTIFUL TEASETS

Amazing deal on a full teaset! Not available on our website.

Beautiful Chintz English Teaset
13 Pc Set – Four patterns to choose from
Teapot with lid, sugar bowl with lid, creamer, four cups with saucers
$60.00

Available for pick-up ONLY at One of a Kind - $6.00 pick-up fee.

IMPORTANT CHANGES

Effective August 25th Tea & Traditions will ship orders on Tuesdays only until further notice. Orders for One of a Kind MUST be emailed, but will still be available for pick-up on Wednesdays. Any messages left for Tea & Traditions will be returned on Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as emails.

We thank you for your continued patronage and support.

FALL TEAS!

Now taking orders for our fall teas. Email me with the name of tea and desired quantity you would like and when there is substantial interest I will send you an email and request pre-payment. Fall teas will begin shipping mid-September.

PUMPKIN SPICE $7.00/2 oz. - Delicious pumpkin flavor with ginger accent.

HARVEST CREAM $7.00/2 oz. - Smooth creamy black tea with pumpkin flavoring. It's just like eating pumpkin pie.

CRANBERRY AUTUMN $ 5.00/2 oz. - China Black tea with dried cranberries, oranges and cranberry flavoring.

OUR "COLOR"FUL TEA TIME

This is what teatime looks like at our house. Everyone has their own cup, or mug, or sippy cup to enjoy our yummy tea. I even found a basketball mug for my son at Goodwill.

It may not look fancy or even nice, but we have fun. We sit down to unwind, relax and talk about whatever we want. It is a special time for us no matter what it looks like.And on occasion it looks like this...because babies do not understand that crayons, although beautiful, do not belong in brother's mug.Thanks for joining us! We love to hear or see (email pictures) what your teatime looks like.

THE WINNERS ARE...

Anita in Powder Springs
Tricia
Running the Race

Please email Mari with your full name and address at info(@)teaandtraditions(dot)com to claim your prizes.

Thank you to all who participated!

Click here to purchase a copy of Gavin Goodfellow

Here are your random numbers:11 16 17
Timestamp: 2008-07-28 04:40:58 UTC

BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY

We are giving away three (3), autographed copies of Gavin Goodfellow - The Lure of the Burnt Swamp by Candy Abbott. Each book will come with Apricot tea and disposable filters from Tea & Traditions. Details following interview.

GAVIN GOODFELLOW - THE LURE OF THE BURNT SWAMP

What do twelve-year-old dyslexic Gavin Goodfellow, prophetically-inclined Uncle Warney, newly relocated mother-daughter witches from London, and a pimply-faced New Age guru have in common? Burnt Swamp-where flames from a mysterious underground fire have been smoldering for ten years. The battle is on for dominion of the swamp and possession of an ancient diary that holds clues to release or destroy the evil that dwells beneath the surface. Will Gavin respond to the Holy Spirit and embrace his God-given calling? Or will Bea Daark and her mother unleash forces that lure Gavin and the sleepy town of Ashboro deep into bondage?


MEET THE AUTHOR

Candy is a wife, mother, grandmother, author, speaker, and publisher. She discovered the power of the Holy Spirit in 1983. Her stories appear in numerous anthologies. She is an ordained elder and deacon in the Presbyterian Church and co-founder of Sisters in Christ, an inter-denominational women's ministry. She is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature, directs Delmarva Christian Writers' Fellowship, is president of Fruitbearer Publishing, and teaches Sunday school. A CLASServices speaker, Candy's inspirational messages are heard throughout Delmarva and beyond.

Why did you become a writer?
Ha! Writing was something I never set out to do. It was a direct call from God. But He has been faithful to provide me with the training and resources I’ve needed at every turn. My first book, Fruitbearer: What Can I Do For You, Lord? took ten years to write, but it is now in its third printing. In fact, the exercise of self-publishing led my husband and me to establish our own company, Fruitbearer Publishing, L.L.C. (visit http://www.fruitbearer.com/). Our motto, “Small Seeds for a Great Harvest,” is a reminder that when we are obedient to do what we can with what we have, God who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6).

What inspired you to write Gavin?
In 2001, almost comfortable in my writing/publishing role, our grandson was reading the first Harry Potter book. “Let me see that,” I said. “I don’t know about that ‘Sorcerer’s Stone’ thing.” Volunteering to read the book so we could discuss it, I was one-third of the way through when I had what I thought was a fleeting thought that changed the course of my life: Somebody needs to write a Christian book that’s just this much fun to read.
Immediately, three words: “You do it.”

“But Lord,” I argued. “I don’t know how to write fiction. I don’t know how to write for kids. I don’t even like fantasy . . .”

The Lord reminded me that I was already doing a lot of things I didn’t know how to do because I’d been obedient. And so began another learning curve. After seven years, Gavin Goodfellow: The Lure of Burnt Swamp, was ready to publish. Through the process, many people were excited about the book, including an agent who presented Gavin to major Christian publishing houses. One kept it for 18 months and, much to the editor’s disappointment, decided it was too great a risk for an unknown author. After much prayer, Drew and I decided to independently publish Gavin Goodfellow. The sales in one year have exceeded those of my first writing effort.

Tell me about the significance of Uncle Warney’s prophetic role and how you hope he impacts the reader.
Strange old Uncle Warney, to me, is much like John the Baptist—a voice crying in the wilderness (or, in this case, the swamp). The Lord will often use the unorthodox to lead the innocent. Because Uncle Warney is unorthodox, he has the freedom to speak into Gavin’s spiritual life in a way that his parents and peers can’t. My prayer is that our readers will take hold of Uncle Warney’s truths and apply them to their lives.

When I developed the characters of both Uncle Warney and Gavin, I had 1 Cor. 1:27 in mind: “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” The Bible calls all believers “peculiar.” 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV) says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” That’s what The Burnt Swamp Trilogy is all about—leading our youth out of the darkness of false religion and life’s pitfalls into God’s light. And that is a significant part of Uncle Warney’s prophetic role in this series.

Gavin has an incredible experience in the attic of Stokes Mansion. Why is that encounter important to him?
The attic scene rehearses the ultimate encounter that each of us will have some day. In Book One, Gavin must do some serious soul-searching, which many of us try to avoid at all costs. Intervention at many levels has placed Gavin there, despite his dyslexia and insecurities. While writing this chapter, I felt a surge of spiritual power flowing through me, and readers have told me that that the Lord has met them between the lines and ministered to them. But no flipping ahead, please. There is important groundwork in the preceding chapters, and the work of the Holy Spirit cannot be rushed.

There are witches in your book. Is there witchcraft?
As much as we try to protect our children from the occult, here are some alarming statistics. In 2006, the Barna Group released a report called Ministry to Mosaics: Teens and the Supernatural, based upon three nationwide studies conducted among more than 4,000 teens: “Three-quarters of America’s youth (73%) have engaged in at least one type of psychic or witchcraft-related activity, beyond mere media exposure or horoscope usage. Possessing an evangelical faith perspective was by far the most significant factor insulating teenagers from unwanted exploration of the supernatural. Evangelical teens were nearly three times less likely than the norm to have engaged in witchcraft or psychic activities. While only 26% of evangelicals had experimented, the next least-likely segment of teens – those who read the Bible at least weekly – showed an engagement rate of 54%. Evangelicals were also significantly less likely to experiment with supernatural powers and activities than were non-evangelical born again teens (69%) or youth group attenders (66%).” This is information we cannot ignore. Interestingly, this survey was conducted five years into my writing project. It highlighted the need to present witchcraft in its true form and to expose its dangers. One of my goals is to present witchcraft from the biblical perspective.

My writing mentors and I have been careful to avoid the use of “spells” in the development of these characters and the plot line. Their power and direction comes from the mysterious and distant Order of Laddrach, which relies more heavily on the supernatural manifestation of evil. These witches do not use wands or broomsticks. They are more of a New Age cult which more accurately depicts the traps which our young people face today.

What is the most important thing you want someone to take away from reading Gavin?
Gavin is all about choices. If children and adults alike can recognize the influences of the world (some blatant, some subtle) that try to pull us away from the one true God who has called us to love and serve Him, then they may start making better choices. You don’t have to be perfect to be used by God, but you must be willing. Being a hero, whether anyone else knows it or not, becomes a matter of choice—whom you choose to serve. It’s time we took a good, long look at who or what we are following day-in and day-out. Joshua 24:15 (NIV) comes to mind: “. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Even the Ten Commandments are in jeopardy in our land, the first of which is, “You shall have no other gods before me.” The most important thing I want someone to take away from reading Gavin is to resolve in their heart of hearts, “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

What is the benefit of using this as part of a homeschool curriculum?
Many of our readers, young and young-at-heart, have found Gavin’s story both compelling and well-written. In the homeschool environment, it opens opportunities to discuss topics like encountering and responding to evil, honoring authority, and many other topics that are taboo in public schools. Companion products like workbooks and curriculum guides prepared by Christian school teachers maximize the educational opportunities that Gavin presents in the classroom, whether it’s a traditional Christian classroom or in a variety of homeschool situations. The fact that it’s fun to read helps make learning fun, an added bonus in the process. If parents want to equip their children as spiritual warriors, Gavin is rich with ammunition.

Do you have resources available to enhance the reading of this book and allow children to dig deeper?
Yes! We have two companion resources available for The Lure of Burnt Swamp: a student workbook, Interactive Journal: A Chapter-by-Chapter Search for Truth, and a curriculum guide, Literature Guide: Chapter-by-Chapter Lesson Plans for Middle School Teachers. Both are available as free downloads (PDF files) on the Educator’s page of Gavin’s website. A spiral-bound, 90-page version of the Interactive Journal is also available for purchase.

Is there a Book Two in the works?
Absolutely! The second book in the series is well underway. While it took me seven years to write the first one, the second is moving right along. The characters have introduced themselves and are eager to tell their stories. I would like to give you a specific date, but Uncle Warney is telling me to wait. So, we must be diligent and patient. Please keep an eye on my website for updates.

How can someone purchase a copy of Gavin and/or contact you?
The best way to purchase a copy of Gavin Goodfellow: The Lure of Burnt Swamp is to order through the “Buy Stuff” page of Gavin’s website or contact me direct at P.O. Box 777, Georgetown, DE 19947, 302-856-6649. The soft cover edition (ISBN 978-1-886068-03-2) is available from any traditional or online bookstore. We also have a few signed/numbered limited edition hardbacks available on Gavin’s website or directly from me.

Leave a comment telling me why you want to win this book and the winner will be chosen by a random integer generator. You may enter only once. The three winners will be announced here on Monday, July 28th and should email Mari at info(@)teaandtraditions(dot)com to claim their prizes.

WHAT IS A BREAKFAST BLEND ANYWAY?

As much as you can define it, it’s meant to signify a strong blend of black teas (usually two or more) that will stand up well to milk & sugar. The names are largely arbitrary, but usually Irish Breakfast is meant to signify an exceptionally strong blend, because the Irish, by tradition, are known to drink very strong tea.

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

Introducing a new flavored tea, Circle of Friends. An enticing blend of black and green teas, slightly sweet with a hint of tanginess. A combination of papaya, rosehip peels, passionfruit flavor and sunflower. Just like our Circles of Friends - the variation of ingredients make something wonderful!

Here is my Circle of Friends and we call ourselves the Sidewalk Sisters:

Taken at the Woodall House in Thomaston, Georgia during our afternoon tea!

SIDEWALK SISTERS

I thank God for the way He made you, distinct, special and unique. You were not made from a common mold. - Erwin W. Lutzer.

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun. - Charles R. Swindol

COMING SOON... Check our website!

MADAME BUTTERFLY

MADAME BUTTERFLY IS HERE!

Bits of sunflower petals and peaches give this green tea a delicate aroma.

Click HERE to get yours today.

LOSS FOR ONE OF A KIND

For those of you who have purchased tea or picked up tea at One of a Kind you may have had the pleasure of meeting Anne King, the manager. Sadly, Anne unexpectedly passed away last week. Everyone at One of a Kind is in shock and dealing with the great loss of a friend and co-worker. Please keep Anne’s family and her extended family at One of a Kind in your prayers as they grieve their loss.

Anne was one of those people who brightened any place she entered. She was kind, encouraging and helpful. I did not have the privilege of knowing her long, but in the short time I did know her she left her mark. She will be missed!

Donations in her memory and honor can be made to:

Georgia Humane Society, any pet rescue or MUST Ministries

Click here to leave a message for the family in the guestbook at AJC

LIKE OUR NEW LOOK?

If you said, "yes" you too can have a beautiful blog make-over! Click on over to Shabby Creations and enter to win their 4th of July giveaway, the prizes are awesome:

Winner # 1 will win TWO pre-made designs. One for yourself and one for a friend...or give them both away!

Winner # 2 will win one of Shabby Creation's pre-mades from the gallery.Click here to enter and here to browse the pre-made gallery.

Michelle at Shabby Creations also made my badge for Tea & Traditions on the right hand side of this blog and my business cards. She was creative, thorough and professional. She was a joy to work with and I would highly recommend her for all your blogging and business needs.

STORING TEA

Things you want to avoid when storing tea:

· Air
· Light
· Moisture
· Excessive heat

Store your tea in an air-tight, opaque container away from moisture or heat. The black bag your Tea & Tradition’s tea comes in is a good storage container. You want to make sure the bag is tightly sealed. If you are purchasing large quantities (+4 ounces) I would recommend purchasing smaller tea tins (available for $3.50 by calling us when placing your order – they will be on the website in the near future) to store the tea you will use everyday and keeping the larger quantity sealed in the bag without exposing to constant light and air.

You may not want to store you tea with your spices because it is extremely absorbent and will absorb the aromas of what is around it.

FREAK "TEA" ACCIDENT

Sunday as we were leaving a friend's house I dialed my in-laws, so my hubby could wish his dad a happy Father's day. As I handed him the phone he turned around to back up and hit the phone out of my hand and it sailed directly, screen first, into his freshly poured glass of Georgia Sunshine. Needless to say the phone had no shine, no screen and no signal when it was retrieved from a still perfectly good cup of tea. So, remember . . .

CELL PHONE PLUS ICED TEAEQUALS THIS
It was a hysterical way to end a wonderful day. I googled "cell phone fell in cup of tea" and was glad to find out I am not the only one that has experienced this. There were got 89,700 results with the first ten being of no help to me. The phone had to be replaced on Monday; turns out tea (or any liquid for that matter) is not so good for cell phones. If my cell phone is going to fall in anything it should be TEA.

TEA GIVEAWAY

Check out the Tea & Traditions interview at www.karenehman.com and enter to win FREE tea! Browse around her site and links, there is some good information on there.

TRAVEL MUG WITH FILTER, LID AND SLEEVE

The new TIGO travel mug is the all-in-one way to enjoy loose leaf tea at home, at the office, or on the go. Its simple two-piece design makes brewing loose tea a snap no matter where you are. The secret is the built-in rotating filter – just rotate the filter to vertical to add tea leaves and water, then horizontal to strain out the leaves while drinking. You can then re-fill it with water to brew another cup, or if you're done, just rotate the filter back to vertical and rinse! There's no need to clean the filter separately because it's built right in to the cup. The filter rotates by turning the metal band near the top of the cup. Its practical design makes loose leaf tea convenient and portable. And fun too – you'll love seeing the leaves swirl around as they brew the tea to a beautiful green hue. Now you can enjoy loose tea anywhere you go!

Visit us our website and order your travel mug today! It is located under tea accessories and featured products.

GREEN TEA

Green tea is a mystery to many, visit our website for our new fact sheet under Learn About Tea. We have also found a wonderful video following green tea from the fields to the processing plant. Click below:

Green Tea Video

ICED TEA FILTER PACKS

Introducing Gourmet Iced Tea packs. Enjoy gourmet iced tea easily with our already prepared filter packs. Simply boil water, add filter pack, steep, remove and enjoy. We have Gourmet Black, Peach and Raspberry flavors.

Packaged four per bag equal to 4 gallons of refreshing iced tea! Available only during the summer months, so get yours now!

Can be found on our website under Featured Products.

CHERRY BLOSSOM LEMONADE

Make a lemonade concentrate using your favorite lemonade mix using only half of the water. Example: If you are making one gallon use lemonade mix for one gallon, but only ½ gallon of water. Prepare ½ gallon of Cherry Blossom tea following directions on package and add to the lemonade concentrate and refrigerate. Makes a delicious, cool and refreshing drink for summertime!

This can also be done with Hibiscus Punch. Do not be afraid to experiment with your favorite teas or herbal blends. If you come up with something unique and yummy please be sure to share.

COOL CHOCOLATE DREAM

Ingredients:

1 tsp. Chocolate Dream
3 oz. water
3-4 scoops vanilla ice cream or low fat frozen yogurt
3-4 ice cubes
1 crushed chocolate mint candy or cookie – optional

Prepare Chocolate Dream with only 3 oz. of water and let cool completely (can be refrigerated). Place 3-4 ice cubes in blend and crush. Add ice cream, tea and blend. Pour into glass, add crushed candy/cookie on top and enjoy!

Approximately one 6 oz. serving.

THE WINNER IS ...

dolls123

CONGRATULATIONS! Your book and tea will be headed your way soon. I cannot think of a better way to spend an early summer afternoon!

Those of you who are not dolls123 and would like to try our tea,
please email me at

info [@] teaandtraditions [dot] com

and I will be happy to send you a sample. Please visit our website and make your selection from there. I need your name and address in the email.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:18
Timestamp: 2008-05-28 04:53:24 UTC

INTERVIEW WITH KAREN EHMAN

GIVEAWAY!
Win a free, autographed copy of A Life that Says Welcome by Karen Ehman and a sampler pack of tea from Tea & Traditions. Details following interview.

Would you be surprised to know that hospitality has less to do with you, your house or your fine china and more to do with making others feel comfortable? Author of A Life That Says Welcome, Karen Ehman clearly explains what hospitality really is. Karen is a wife, homeschooling mom of three, author and speaker. God has gifted her in making the once seemingly impossible task of hospitality seem possible. In her book she includes recipes, decorating tips and much more.

We are excited to share our interview with Karen Ehman. Be blessed and encouraged by the wonderful insight she shares!

What inspired you to write A Life That Says Welcome?
I wanted to share the lessons I learned about the difference between what the world calls "entertaining" and what the Bible teaches on hospitality. I learned this lesson the hard way when I married into a family full of cooks, decorators and bed and breakfast owners while I myself could barely boil water! I tried for years to impress my new family until God taught me a much needed lesson. Also I wanted to provide lots of practical and doable ideas for decorating, cleaning and cooking for guests.

My favorite definition of hospitality comes from your book: “Offering hospitality puts the emphasis on others and strives to meet their physical and spiritual needs so that they feel refreshed, not impressed, when they leave your home.” You explain that the Lord began to teach you the difference, how important is that in your ministry?
Very!!!! It must always be about God's glory not ours. When it isn't, we fall flat on our faces every time!!!

In your book you discuss the biblical sisters, Mary and Martha. You praise Mary, but also defend Martha, why?
She was serving as best as she knew how. Jesus and his entire entourage was coming to her house after all! Someone had to cook and clean and get things ready. It was actually Mary's behavior that would have seemed odd in that culture. Women were not supposed to sit at the feet of traveling teachers. They were to do exactly what Martha was doing. Actually, today I think we need to do both. We should sit at Jesus feet to learn how to serve, then we should serve with all of the gusto Martha had, just minus the attitude!!!

Why is it so important to extend hospitality first to our families?
So we don't end up living out a huge contradiction!!! We don't want our families to remember us moms pulling out all of the stops for company, but not attempting to ever do anything beyond frozen pizzas for our own family!!! Our husbands and children should be the primary focus of our efforts, not the recipients of all of our leftover goods and goodies.

Tell me a little about your ministry of hospitality. Is there one experience that stands out above the rest?
It varies with each season of life. For years it seems it was other young moms and their kids over for a play date. We moms could share while the kids played. Sometimes it was a neighborhood Bible study group we hosted for those who had never studied the Bible for themselves. Now, often it is a group of hungry teens "hanging out" studying for an exam at the homeschool academy or goofing off after the ball game. As always, I try to make others feel welcome by providing a place to unwind and simple food, but plenty of it.

What are a few simple steps you could share with someone who knows the Lord is calling them to extend hospitality, but they do not know where to begin?
Start simple. Don't invite a lot of people for an entire meal. Invite one woman for tea. Or invite a mom and her child for grilled cheese sandwiches and cookies. From there, branch out.

Your newest book The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized is obviously about organization, can you tell me how organization ties in with hospitality?
It ties in very closely because if our home is in relative order and we aren't over-committed with our time, we can have the confidence and the white space in our calendar to offer hospitality to those whom God is nudging us to.

How can we learn more about your ministry and/or purchase A Life That Says Welcome and your other books?
Visit me at http://www.karenehman.com/ to check out my blog, my books or inquire about having me speak to your group. I'd love for you to leave a comment or bookmark my site and visit when you can!!

In order to win, you must leave a comment about tea or hospitality on this post by midnight on May 28th. You may enter only once. The winner will be selected by a Random Integer Generator. We must have a way to contact you, so in your comment leave your email address in this format: info [@] yahoo [dot] com. The winner will be announced here on Wednesday, May 29th and will be contacted by email. Your prize will be mailed to you directly.

HOSPITALITY MADE SIMPLE

How many times have you had an unexpected visitor and had nothing to offer them to eat or drink? That does not have to be the case. Tea is a great drink to have on hand for that unexpected visitor or friend who called and “just needed to come over and talk.” Tea & Tradition’s teas will stay fresh for up to a year in our sealed bags. You can store several easily, in our bags, in your cabinet or pantry and have a nice variety to offer your friend, neighbor or occasional stranger who happens upon your front door.

I have recently discovered these great mixes at the grocery store for muffins, brownies and cookies. The muffins require only milk. How easy is that? They cost between 94¢ to $1.58 and are DELICIOUS. I keep them in my pantry, so when I have unexpected visitors and we sit down for tea I can easily offer them a sweet treat to go with it. Something warm from the oven really makes people feel special not to mention a cup of delicious tea.

It does not have to be fancy! People just want to feel special. Tea tends to slow us down and allows us to focus on our guest. People come over for a lot of reasons and sometimes we do not even know what those are, but going the extra mile can really minister to an unspoken need.

Share your stories of hospitality using tea. Click on "comments" below and type your experience in the box provided, then click "publish comment". I look forward to hearing from you!

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:8-9

When hospitality becomes an art it loses its very soul. Max Beerbohm

RACHEL RAY'S LEMON CURD CAKES

These sound like an easy and delicious summer treat for an afternoon tea. Trader Joe's sells a delicous jar of lemon curd.

This recipe taken from Rachel Ray's website:

INGREDIENTS

• 4 small individual sponge cakes, sold in packages of 6 on baking aisle
• 1 jar prepared lemon curd, any brand
• 1/2 pint raspberries
• 1/2 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 canister whipped cream
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

PREPARATION

Arrange sponge cake on serving dish. Remove lid from lemon curd jar and heat in microwave 30 seconds on high to warm and loosen. Fill cakes with curd sauce. Top curd sauce with berries, whipped cream and lemon zest.

Try this paired with our French Creme Brulee', Whitlock Afternoon or Cherry Blossom.

VISIT US AT ONE OF A KIND

Tea & Traditions is excited to announce, effective immediately; tea, tea products and accessories are now available at One of a Kind on Whitlock Avenue in Marietta. We will stock between eight - ten teas and all the local blends in specialty tins. Also available are T-sacs (all sizes), perfect measures, infuser mugs and tea sticks. One of a Kind has also agreed to allow pick ups at the store, Wednesdays only, on a trial basis. If you would like to place an order to be picked up at One of a Kind you may email it to info@teaandtraditions.com or call us at (770) 429-3220. The order will be picked up and paid for at One of a Kind. The total order will include an additional 10% pick up charge and in most cases that will be less expensive than shipping.

We hope this provides Tea & Tradition's customers with more flexibility in ordering tea and tea products.

For directions and store hours visit:www.oneofakindshoppe.com

DELICATE LEMON TEA CAKE COOKIES

These cookies are delightful with our

French Creme Brulee Tea

Posted by BettyBoop at recipegoldmine.com

Delicious, wonderful, yummy, tasty. These little gems are just great. They have a wonderful lemony taste with a tender cake like consistency.

1 cup softened butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (I use 1 cup for a less sweet cookie, because you sprinkle the tops with sugar)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 cups flour1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons buttermilk
Additional sugar for sprinkling tops

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat butter in mixing bowl on medium speed for 1 minute till light, add sugar and lemon extract, beating till light and fluffy. Add eggs and lemon zest and beat well.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Add to beaten mixture alternating with buttermilk.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes or till lightly browned on edges.

Yield: 45 cookies

NEW ARRIVAL!

Cherry Blossom! Our newest flavored green tea. A blend of high quailty green tea with sweet cherry and morning rose flavor. A tea to remember! Now available on our website.

GINZA TEA STICK

A new product available on our website, the Ginza tea stick. This stainless steel infuser is a unique and convenient way to enjoy a perfect cup of tea on the go. Scoop tea into the stick and stir into water. Perfect size to put in your purse or keep in your desk drawer. The most clever infuser yet.

Click here to order

ROOIBOS

"We’ve had black tea, green tea, and white tea. So, what’s next? Red tea!" Read complete story Get Ready for Red Tea

Check out our Rooibos (red tea) selection here

COOKING WITH TEA

Have you tried cooking with tea? I have been experimenting and so far so good. I cooked baby carrots in Fiji - the best baby carrots I have had in a long time. I marinated pork chops and chicken in Fiji with a splash of apple juice and used already brewed tea instead of water when cooking rice. It really adds a burst of flavor and think of the added health benefits.

Let me know if you have tried it and if you have not, go for it and let me know what you think. Feel free to share recipes here.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do you have a question not posted here? Type it in the comments section and we will respond.

Did you work at the Tea & Traditions store?

No, I did not have the pleasure of working there, although I was a customer and enjoyed Melissa's class "how to host a tea party" very much. She inpsired my love of tea and all things tea.

Where is your new store located?

We do not have a retail storefront, but sell all tea and tea products online at http://www.teaandtraditions.com/ – the website is not ready to receive orders, but we are taking orders by phone (770) 429-3220 and email (info@teaandtraditions.com).

What if I have a favorite tea I used to buy at the Tea & Traditions store on Whitlock Avenue, but I do not see it on your website?

Email or call us and if you are willing to buy the vendor’s minimum order we will order it for you. Some vendors have a one or two pound minimum. One pound of tea is approximately 200 servings. If you have a friend that likes the same tea you could purchase it together.

Can I have my tea shipped via regular mail?

At this time we are only set up to ship via USPS Priority Mail service.

Do you host parties?

We do not have a facility to host parties, but we will be glad to assist you in planning yours. From “what to serve and where to buy food easily and inexpensively” to “how to make and serve the tea for a large group.” Call us and we will be glad to help with your party in any way we can.

Will you be carrying Raspberry tea?

Yes, it is on backorder until the end of March.

Do you offer the discount previously available on 8 ounces or 1 pound of the same tea?

Yes, we do and it is 10% off.

What are your bestsellers?


Rooibos Sweet Lemon Cream
Whitlock Afternoon
Snowflake
French Creme Brulee
Irish Breakfast Blend
Earl Grey de la Creme
Green Tea Strawberry
Roasted Almond
Apricot
Glover Park Evening

A HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE TO SUGAR

Three years ago I was introduced to evaporated cane juice and have been using it ever since. A few weeks ago it dawned on me that I had no idea why I use it except that it was better for my family than sugar. After a little research I found some helpful facts.

Refined sugar and evaporated cane juice are both made from sugar cane, but evaporated cane juice does not go through the same amount of processing as refined sugar. So, evaporated cane juice retains more of the nutrients found in sugar cane. It can be used for cooking and to sweeten food and drinks.

Click here to read more about evaporated cane juice and the health benefits. You can find evaporated cane juice at your local health food grocery store such as Harry’s.

Important Disclaimer: Evaporated cane juice will not alter the great taste of your favorite Tea & Traditions tea.

THIS IS NOT OUR NEW WEBSITE

This is not our new website, this is just an additional informational resource, an extension of Tea & Traditions if you will. You can not place orders here. We are still working on updating the website and hope to have it up soon. We will continue to send out updates and are taking phone and email orders.

Thank you for your continued patronage and support.

SNEAK PEEK

Snowflake

Walnut


Peach Pizzaz

Just a few of the beautiful photos that will be on the website. The tea looks just as good as it tastes!

WELCOME TO THE TEA BLOG

Welcome to the Tea & Traditions blog. This is the place where you can come to find information about your favorite teas and tisanes. We will be sharing how-to-tips, recipes, tea facts and anything else we come across relating to tea. We hope you will stop by often to increase your knowledge of the ever expanding world of tea.

We are blessed by the warm reception we have received since buying Tea & Traditions. Your phone calls, prayers and emails have been a constant source of encouragement during this transistional time.

We welcome your comments on this blog.

Coming soon...

• sneak peek - pictures from the website


• a healthy alternative to sugar


• how to easily host an afternoon tea in your home