3rd Annual Ginormous High Tea Party at Steve's Teas

Last Saturday, I attended the 3rd Annual Ginormous High Tea Party hosted at Steve's Teas party. 

 

Since the tea room was busy, I didn't get much photos during the party. But you can see the charming decor from my visit back in April.

 

 

The fireplace mantle's elegant fall decor.

 

 

Complimentary cucumber sandwiches and scones with Devonshire cream and jam were offered.

 

There were 3 different teas available:

1) Decaf Caramel Apple Iced Black Tea

2) Cream Earl Grey Black Tea

3) Sweet Chai O'Mine Black Tea (loved the name!) 

 

I brought this pretty pink teacup from my collection to compete in 2024's Fanciest Tea Cup in Brantford, but I didn't win.

 

I enjoyed the Sweet Chai O'Mine Black Tea and Decaf Caramel Apple Iced Black Tea.

 

We loved the delicious scones so much that we purchased some for take-out.

 

 

I also brought home the tasty Apple Cider black tea.

Tea time at home: Scone with the tasty Vanilla Honeybush.

A Platinum Jubilee Tea Party

Last weekend, I celebrated the Platinum Jubilee of the Queen with an outdoor tea party hosted by a family friend.

The beautiful table spread.

I tried all 3 sandwiches (egg salad, cucumber and cream cheese, and salmon), and couldn't resist trying the purple topped donut!

Of course, you can't have tea without scones and Devonshire cream!

Pouring spicy mango green tea into this beautiful purple Royal Albert Jacobean teacup.

Our friend also baked traditional rock cakes--a tasty British classic treat for tea time!

A Bridal Shower Tea at the Office

Another week, another tea social at the office! The first tea social was a pop-up tea that celebrated a colleague's birthday. We enjoyed McCain's Deep 'n Delicious chocolate cake with First Snowfall black tea (Tea at the White House). I didn't get any photos though. Whoops!

The second tea social was a bridal shower potluck for another colleague who is getting married later this month. Black Beauty served strawberry honey black tea (Waterdown Tea House).

The tasty treats brought in by my co-workers.

Do you have any tea parties planned this month?

A Valentine's Day Tea Social at Work

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day weekend!

Because many people were off on Feb 14 (the Friday before the long weekend), we had our Valentine tea office potluck on Feb 13--Galentine's Day, an unofficial holiday which celebrates friendships.

I brought in 2 teas:

1) Monarch Tea Co's Anniversary Black Tea (chocolate strawberry blend), and 2) Tea at the White House's Cinnamon Hearts Black tea - the crowd pleaser.

My co-workers brought these tasty dishes.

My sweet tooth hearts the yummy desserts!

I'm still thinking about the cheesecake and cookies!

How did you celebrate Valentine's Day?

A Mad Tea Open House

This month, I celebrated a milestone birthday with a Mad Tea Open House! Annnd for the second year in a row, we had a "significant snowfall" (10-15 cm or 4-6 inches) on the day of my party. I hemmed and hawed over where to cancel, but ultimately decided to proceed with the Open House since the majority of guests were local.

It's always tea time!

Alice in Wonderland napkins and plates

The guests selected their bone china teacups.

Three types of teas were served (left to right):

1) OTeas' Berry Bouquet herbal tea - a caffeine-free option

2) Clearview Tea's Winter Spice green tea  - this was the favourite

3) TWG's 1837 Black Tea

(coffee was also available for the non-tea drinkers)

Light refreshments

Sweet treats

My talented work friend baked me this awesome tea-themed lemon cake!

I was incredibly touched that my friends braved the inclement weather to celebrate my birthday. They made my 20+20 birthday special and reminded me how blessed I am to have such amazing friends!

Five on the 2010s

It's the last post of the decade! Instead of doing an annual recap, I decided to look back at Tea in the Valley's memorable moments from 2015-2019 (when I joined Blogland).

2015

2015 Toronto Tea Festival

1) I went to my first tea festival. Over the last 5 years, I've attended 2 Toronto Tea Festivals and 4 Royal Botanical Gardens Tea Festivals. The tea festivals are such a blast and a great opportunity to sample different teas and meet the vendors (many are local small businesses).

 

2016

Twinings Tea Tastings with Stephen Twining

2) I met Stephen Twining from the Twinings UK-based tea company. Twinings has been in the tea business for over 300 years so it was amazing to meet Stephen, a 10th generation Twining.

2017

Afternoon tea with blogging friends

3) I met up with some blogging friends for an elegant afternoon tea at Nicol's Pastry Shop. I've made wonderful friends through blogging. I'm grateful that some of us live within an hour's drive from each other so we can meet up in person!

2018

Outdoor Summer Tea Social

4) I'm so lucky that my co-workers like tea and participate in the tea socials that I organize. Over the years, our tea socials have varied from potlucks to "pop-up" teas to "teas to go".

2019 

A thrifting jackpot: a 10-cup teapot

5) Treasure hunting at thrift stores and garage sales is part of the fun of collecting teawares. After years of searching, I finally found this HUGE teapot, nicknamed "Black Beauty" by my colleagues, that can serve 10 cups of tea. So now I can share more teas with family and friends!

Thank you all for your visits and comments throughout 2019. Looking forward to a new decade of tea!

Happy New Year!

A Baby Shower Tea: Book Edition

One of my colleagues is expecting her first bay in November. So of course, we hosted a  baby shower tea social with a book theme!

A baby is brewing!

We enjoyed Blueberries for Sal Maple Black Tea in my Blue Willow teacups.

It's a boy!

Left: Deviled eggs

Right: The Stinky Cheese Man and crackers.

Top: If you give a mouse a cookie platter

Bottom: The Velveteen Rabbit Carrot Nut Cake (this was a hit!)

The bunny representation was strong!

This wasn't the first book-themed baby shower that I organized. 

Click here to see pics from the 2015 shower.

A summer tea social

Last week, we had a summer tea social potluck to celebrate Afternoon Tea Week, and a colleague's new position (in a different department). Even though she'll no longer work with us, she'll still be part of our tea socials!

The tea social had a floral motif so of course, I had to bring the Garden Party Oolong by Whittard Chelsea.

A colleague also brought in rainbow lemonade iced tea by Davids Tea.

Pretty paper napkins always elevate a tea social!

I think this was the healthiest tea social we've ever had!

I got distracted and forgot to photograph: Tortilla chips (for the dips); cheese and crackers; another green salad.

Even the the desserts were fairly healthy!

Bottom right: they look like teabags, but they're actually cookies with white chocolates.

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

What made this tea social extra special: sipping tea while listening to beautiful live violin music by our summer student!

A Mad Hatter Tea Party at Work

Last week, we had a special tea social at the office.

My inspiration for the Mad Hatter theme came from these super cute Alice in Wonderland napkins, paper plates...

...and "teacups and saucers"!

(Note on function: the cups filled with hot tea were hard to hold so these cups are more suited for iced tea.)

The "Drink Me" teapot served Fireside Cider green tea by the Mad Hatter Tea Co.

We also enjoyed hot and iced versions of Davids Tea's Flamingo Fresca--a fruity white tea with strawberry, passion fruit, and little flamingo sprinkles. 

The delicious foods brought in by my co-workers.

My co-workers' creativity was impressive: The March Hare Fare (aka veggies); the Mad Hatter and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum's bowtie pasta salad.

One of my co-workers baked this amazing teacup cake (chocolate peanut butter. YUM!). Unfortunately, the handle broke off during transit. But teacups break all the time, right?

"It's always tea time." - Mad Hatter

A pop-up tea with macarons

Happy Victoria Day to my Canadian friends!

I love this charming British-themed melamine tray which I found at a local store a few weeks ago.

At our most recent pop-up tea at work, I served the ginger papaya and peach chai tea.

One of my colleague generously shared this box of Ladurée macarons that her sister brought back from France! Last year, Ladurée opened up a store in Toronto. I hope to visit its Tea Salon one day.

We also enjoyed lemon cranberry loaf and banana bread. Gotta love leftovers from a meeting!

Our next tea social will be held the last week of May. I can't wait!