Tea On a Hot Summer's Day by Victoria Chatham

I am fortunate to have a neighbor who loves having tea parties. It's an open house for her guests and you never know who will be there. She has a beautiful silver tea service and a collection of cups and saucers so you can take your pick of a dozen or more different patterns and styles. The conversation flows, the pot never runs dry and, even on a hot summer's day, the tea is wonderfully refreshing. There have been a variety of themes from death by chocolate to cream teas with scones and jam. We've had a shortbread social and a cake corral but always, at the center of it, is the tea, or coffee for those that prefer it.

I drink more tea now than I ever did when I lived in England and, what's more, it's loose leaf tea. My grandmother had a ritual, which I somewhat follow. Tea with her was an event, with the tea pot, hot water jug, milk and sugar bowl on a silver tray. First, the pot had to be warmed. Then the tea was spooned in, one spoon for each cup and one for the pot. I might add the spoon was on the small side. The tea had to sit for a few minutes for it to warm before the freshly boiled, never boiling, water was added. This was allowed to steep and while that 'worked' she poured hot water in each of the cups to warm them. This water was tipped into a 'slop' bowl and then the tea poured into the warmed cup. For those that wanted it, a little milk was added and then sugar to taste.

When I go home to England now to visit my family, I cannot drink tea as they do and they are appalled at my 'naked' tea as I drink it as it comes without milk and sugar. For very special occasions I will have my tea at home, especially if it's White China tea, in a cup and saucer and treat the whole tea making process as an event.

It's not quite as elaborate as a Chinese tea ceremony, but there is a relaxing, almost meditative, pattern to it. My grandmother's edict was that a good cup of tea can fix anything and I think I can agree with that. It's my drink of choice while I am writing and with that I'm going to pour a cup and get back to work.

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