(Of course, part of the time crunch is my second blog, Joanna Creates, which I'm using to capture my forays into arts and crafts. I have updated there somewhat in the interim...)
One thing I've done a little of recently, despite telling myself I wouldn't, is buy magazines. I don't have many - probably half a dozen assorted issues purchased at the bookstore waiting to be read, and another half dozen from a short-loved subscription to Martha Stewart Living. In the first stack are two issues of Tea Time, which I think used to be called Southern Lady Tea Time after its parent publication. It says on the cover that it it the winner of the Best Tea Publication. I could be wrong, but it's certainly the only tea publication I've seen recently on the shelves at Barnes and Noble... I have this year's September/October issue and November/December issue. I'll review each separately as a way of easing back into book reviews.
The editor's letter of the September/October 2015 issue of Tea Time promises that that magazine will be full of "autumnal inspirations." This is borne out in various articles including the tablescape piece and the themed tea parties. The tablescape article talks about using one china pattern, "Autumn," by Lenox, in different ways for an elegant or more casual look by pairing it with various other china patterns, tablecloths or placemats, crystal, and other decorations. This article isn't specifically tea-themed, but applicable to tea parties and the vibe of the magazine in general.
Tea Time has three themed teas: Apple, Grandparent's Day, and Harvest Moon. Each tea party has recipes and recommended tea pairings. It's easy to connect apples with autumn and understand how the recipes and the tablescape for the party fit the theme. Apparently Grandparent's Day happens in September or October, but it seems to be just a good excuse for a party as the recipes and decor have no real connection to the theme. It might have been nice for this one to have some activities one might do in observance of this made-up holiday involving photos or family trees or something like that. The last tea in honor of the harvest moon features the table setting from the magazine's cover and does include decor suggestions relating to the theme. The recipes for this one seem more in harmony with the color scheme and china pattern than with the actual harvest. One note about the tea pairings: they all seem to be suggestions based on the magazine's advertisers, and not necessarily the best tea for each course drawn from a large, objective list.
Tea Time always reviews tea rooms. Often tea rooms in one particular US state are featured. This issue covers New Jersey, and a tea room outside of London. The eight NJ tea rooms featured all seem to have opened in the last 10-15 years, or more recently. I wonder if this is an inadvertent comment about the likelihood of tea room longevity, if there are older, more established tea rooms out there, and if those in the article will still be there by the time I get to visit these tea time destinations in my neighboring state.
One of my favorite features of Tea Time is its articles about tea tools: teapots, cups, furniture, etc. This issue covers the gaiwan cup and the Brown Betty teapot in seperate articles. I've been hearing more and more about gaiwan cups as I read more books and blogs written by true tea afficianadoes (as opposed to those more focused on tea as an occasion). I think I understand how to use a gaiwan, but the article was only a glimpse, and not an instruction guide. I'll call the article a success as it made me want to learn more. We use a Brown Betty as our daily, go-to teapot, and that article made me want to check the bottom of the pot to see if it's the genuine article...
In general, Tea Time's content is purposefully light. It caters to the tea party set, which I count myself a part of, not those in the industry and a part of the global, non-white world of tea and tea drinking. It has articles by three mainstream luminaries: James Norwood Pratt, Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson. Its resource lists, which I'm glad exist on general principles, cover china patterns and their prices and recipes, and not bibliographic information.
It'll be interesting to read the November/December issue in quick succession with Sept/Oct, and see what's the same, what's different, and how this magazine reflects a certain part of the US tea-drinking world.
The editor's letter of the September/October 2015 issue of Tea Time promises that that magazine will be full of "autumnal inspirations." This is borne out in various articles including the tablescape piece and the themed tea parties. The tablescape article talks about using one china pattern, "Autumn," by Lenox, in different ways for an elegant or more casual look by pairing it with various other china patterns, tablecloths or placemats, crystal, and other decorations. This article isn't specifically tea-themed, but applicable to tea parties and the vibe of the magazine in general.
Tea Time has three themed teas: Apple, Grandparent's Day, and Harvest Moon. Each tea party has recipes and recommended tea pairings. It's easy to connect apples with autumn and understand how the recipes and the tablescape for the party fit the theme. Apparently Grandparent's Day happens in September or October, but it seems to be just a good excuse for a party as the recipes and decor have no real connection to the theme. It might have been nice for this one to have some activities one might do in observance of this made-up holiday involving photos or family trees or something like that. The last tea in honor of the harvest moon features the table setting from the magazine's cover and does include decor suggestions relating to the theme. The recipes for this one seem more in harmony with the color scheme and china pattern than with the actual harvest. One note about the tea pairings: they all seem to be suggestions based on the magazine's advertisers, and not necessarily the best tea for each course drawn from a large, objective list.
Tea Time always reviews tea rooms. Often tea rooms in one particular US state are featured. This issue covers New Jersey, and a tea room outside of London. The eight NJ tea rooms featured all seem to have opened in the last 10-15 years, or more recently. I wonder if this is an inadvertent comment about the likelihood of tea room longevity, if there are older, more established tea rooms out there, and if those in the article will still be there by the time I get to visit these tea time destinations in my neighboring state.
One of my favorite features of Tea Time is its articles about tea tools: teapots, cups, furniture, etc. This issue covers the gaiwan cup and the Brown Betty teapot in seperate articles. I've been hearing more and more about gaiwan cups as I read more books and blogs written by true tea afficianadoes (as opposed to those more focused on tea as an occasion). I think I understand how to use a gaiwan, but the article was only a glimpse, and not an instruction guide. I'll call the article a success as it made me want to learn more. We use a Brown Betty as our daily, go-to teapot, and that article made me want to check the bottom of the pot to see if it's the genuine article...
In general, Tea Time's content is purposefully light. It caters to the tea party set, which I count myself a part of, not those in the industry and a part of the global, non-white world of tea and tea drinking. It has articles by three mainstream luminaries: James Norwood Pratt, Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson. Its resource lists, which I'm glad exist on general principles, cover china patterns and their prices and recipes, and not bibliographic information.
It'll be interesting to read the November/December issue in quick succession with Sept/Oct, and see what's the same, what's different, and how this magazine reflects a certain part of the US tea-drinking world.
