Tea Travels™
By Ellen Easton ©2007-2010 - All Rights Reserved

Ellen Easton is an afternoon tea authority, author, columnist, designer, lecturer, and consultant to leading hotels whose clients have included The Plaza, The Stanhope, Waldorf-Astoria, and Lady Mendl’s Tea Room, plus restaurants, corporations, special event, educational, and retail institutions specializing in corporate training, afternoon tea, and the design of related products, believing that TEA IS THE LUXURY EVERYONE CAN AFFORD!™

Ellen Easton’s interest in tea is ancestral. Ellen’s family, in the early 1800s, contributed greatly to the development of the Colony of Ceylon by introducing 205 tea plants from Assam, India, building one of the first, biggest and best cultivated tea plantations on the island.

Ancestors Sir Benjamin Phillips (1811-1889) and his son Sir George Faudel Phillips (1840-1922) both served as the Lord Mayor of London during the reign of Queen Victoria, in 1866 and 1898 respectively. Sir George Faudel Phillips presided as the Lord Mayor of London during Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

TEA TRAVELS™, Wishing You Happy TEA TRAVELS!™ and Good $ense For $uccess™ are the trade marked property of Ellen Easton/RED WAGON PRESS.
 

Check out Ellen Easton's columns and recipes below:

Tea Menus:

Afternoon Tea a la Francaise
Check out this French inspired tea menu.


 

Afternoon Tea From The Garden
A traditional afternoon tea menu was not created with the dietary restrictions one faces in today's modern world. To be mindful of vegetarians, as well as those watching high cholesterol, blood sugars, and heart healthy choices, creating a healthy afternoon tea menu can be a challenge.

 

Buffet Tea for Easy Entertaining
It is very simple to have a buffet tea a home. A buffet tea needn’t be expensive, nor time consuming to prepare. There are many marvelous sources available by mail order and in your local supermarkets. All it takes for one to create a beautiful buffet tea party is imagination and a good guest list. Check out Ellen hints and tips for the perfect buffet tea

 

Rose Garden Tea with the Queen
Maintaining a tradition that began in 1860 with Queen Victoria, every year Queen Elizabeth II opens the private gardens at Buckingham Palace to host three afternoon tea parties, each attended by 8,000 guests respectively.


 

Summer Rose Tea
According to the folklore of tea, once upon a time a lady was not allowed to socialize unescorted except in her rose garden. It was here women met, unrestricted by social rules of etiquette, to speak freely amongst the roses. Throughout Europe, during the 1800s, the theme of the rose continued to weave a thread, as afternoon tea flourished in both the public gardens and tearooms.




 

Victorian Tea
A delicious and beautiful menu for an outstanding Victorian Tea.

Tea Salons:

Afternoon Tea Renaissance - The Plaza's Palm Court
Afternoon Tea, a famous tradition at The Plaza, blends an innovative menu with a formal tea service.  The Plaza Afternoon Tea incorporates 3 styles of service - Russian, French, and English- to provide guests a balance of service and flavorful cuisine.


 

Bergdorf-Goodman Prêt-A-Portea - Afternoon Tea for the Fashionista
Cafe BG in Bergdorf-Goodman, New York City's epitome emporium of chic and The Berkeley of London have combined forces to present the ultimate three-course afternoon tea. When the craftsmanship of couture meets the artistry of haute cuisine the results are fashion week fabulous.


 

Lady Mendl's Tea Salon
An absolutely charming establishment tucked away inside New York City's Inn at Irving Place.  Located in the heart of the Gramercy Park historical district, when one ascends the front staircase, one enters a splendid 1800s townhouse replicating a world gone by.

Tea Information:

A Tea Tasting - How To Brew Perfect Tea
For your own enjoyment, a special event, a theme party, business venture or classroom education, having a tea tasting is an easy and fun way to explore the vast variety of offerings available in the world of tea. Whether you choose to have your tea tasting with one type of tea category at a time, example all green teas, all Earl Grey teas, etc., or wish to have a broad base, introductory tasting showcasing each category is your choice.



Etiquette Faux Pas and Other Misconceptions About Afternoon Tea
Due to the new popularity of Afternoon Tea, many people have jumped on the bandwagon, including hotels, caterers, party planners, and protocol and etiquette “experts.”  While their enthusiasm is well intended, unfortunately a great deal of misinformation is being perpetuated by these “experts.”

 

Invitation to Afternoon Tea
The invitation has just arrived in the mail.  What do you do next? When one is invited to an afternoon tea, or any event for that matter, there are protocols that apply and should be followed.
 

Tea & Health: Exploring Herbal Teas
For thousands of years, much has been written and said about the health benefits of tea. It is important to consider the source of information before embracing it. It is equally important never to begin any new dietary or supplementary regime without consulting with your personal physician.
 

Tea Time F.A.Q.
Ellen Easton answers questions asked by readers of her book and this web site.

The Afternoon Tea Gowns
La Belle Epoque,1880-1914,”the beautiful era”, was a gilded age, bringing with it great opulence coinciding with the demise of the old fashioned aristocracy and traditional ways. Dominated by a society indulging in the refinements of luxurious elegance, the era was defined by women unburdened with financial constraints who were able to gratify themselves with extravagant home entertaining and fin-de-siecle esthetics.

 

The Gift of Good Manners
The holiday season is a time for celebration and gift giving.  To insure a good time is had by all, there can be no better gift than the gift of good manners™.  No child is too young begin the learning process of civility and no adult is too old to refresh one's social skills. Practicing a few simple rules, in advance, will guarantee that the guests as well as the hosts will feel comfortable and relaxed at the holiday table.  Understanding the reason why a rule is, in fact, a rule can be helpful when teaching a young child.  As early as possible engage young children to participate in the process.   Children will learn by watching and doing!  Take the time to set the table correctly. Designate one day a week for each child to set the table.   Have a private tea party to make learning not only educational but fun.

Understanding Tea Time Service
Afternoon Tea is one of the most special times of the day. An occasion one looks forward to with great anticipation and high expectations for a perfect experience. But have you ever considered what your perfect experience entails to produce?

Yerba Mate
Is it a tea or is it an infusion? The answer is Yerba Mate can be both. Yerba Mate can be a tea provided that the Yerba Mate leaves are blended with tea leaves. Revered for centuries by the native peoples of the Guarani tribe for its medicinal qualities, of late scientists and consumers alike are rediscovering the wealth of health benefits associated with Yerba Mate.

Ellen Easton's recipes:

20-Layer Crepe Cake
As the actual recipe for Lady Mendl's 20-Layer Crepe Cake is a trademark secret, this is Ellen Easton's version of this delicious cake.


 

Betsy's Black Bean Salad
Summer is the perfect time of year to make use of nature's bounty, especially whilst entertaining outdoors. The garden is a wonderful resource from which one can devise an imaginative, yet tasty menu. 

 

Chewy Ginger Cookies
Ginger cookies have been popular with children for generations. Add these chewy ginger cookies to your holiday cookie plate.

Crystallized/Candied Edible Flowers
Crystallized/Candied flowers make beautiful decorations for desserts and can last up to one year. Not only do they taste amazing, but they add an elegant, romantic, and delicious touch to virtually every dessert. This job takes a little patience, but the rewards are well worth it!

Gingerbread Tea Loaf
Ellen say "This is by far one of the best gingerbread recipe I have ever made. It is so easy to make."

 

Hazelnut Cream Filling
This is a great filling for your home-baked Cream Puffs.
 

Pumpkin Tea Cake
A delicious pumpkin tea cake to serve at your tea party or anytime you want!

Rose Petal Jam
Enjoy this wonderful jam at your next Afternoon Tea Party.

Sugar Cookies
Buttery cut-out sugar cookies are always a favorite with children and adults. You make the shape and size of a sugar cookie to fit any occasion, and you can also dress them for a tea with simply granulated or colored sugars.

Tea Infused Eggs (Marbleized Eggs)
Learn the ancient art of dyeing eggs with tea to make beautiful marbleized eggs to use at your tea party or for elegant Easter eggs.