Tea—steeped in intrigue. Those tiny leaves have been around for centuries. Whether you consume tea by the gallon or by the teacup, tea has played a part in your life.

 

Whether it be the legend of *Emperor Shen Nung  around 2737 B.C. who recognized tea as a healthy beverage when a few stray leaves drifted down from an overhanging tree into the cauldron of boiling water. Or by the end of the Third century AD, when tea had become China's national drink and in AD 332 the first record of tea manufacture was written by Zhang Yi, giving details of how plants were laid out, pruned and plucked and how the leaves were processed.

 

Fast-forward ahead to the night of December 16th, 1773; due to the heavily taxed shipments of tea to the British Colony of America. Three ships of the East India Company were boarded by a band of men disguised as Native Americans who with hatchets in hand split open and hurled tea overboard into Boston Harbor. The British closed the port and sent troops to occupy the city. This error of judgment over the Tea Act of 1773 led to the American War of Independence  and the ultimate loss to the British crown of the American colonies. 

 

Amidst all of that history, the tradition of taking tea is given to Anna Maria, 7th Duchess of Bedford, in the 1840s. The Duchess called for her tea equipage in order to brew a private cup of tea in the boudoir or drawing room.  Once Ana Marie had made the idea fashionable by inviting her aristocratic friends to join her for a cup of 'afternoon tea',  such social gatherings became an essential part of the British life amongst upper, middle and working-lass ladies. By the late 1860s, cook books and manuals of household management were giving detailed instructions on how to organize a tea social; what foods to serve, the duties of the servants, where  to place the furniture, what to wear, entertainment, how to set out the tray, where to stand to receive guests, and at what time guests should arrive and depart.

 

At stately homes and country mansions throughout the land, tea socials became a regular occurrence and were often devised around a particular occasion—a wedding, a fashionable sporting event, or perhaps a royal visit.

All that said...

 

Savannah's China & Silver Tea Catering

Brings back the tradition of taking tea through time honored afternoon socials in the form of Garden parties, Bridal Showers, Baby Showers, Mystery Theme Teas, and of course Afternoon Tea. Should your soiree be a Spring Fling to welcome the season or a celebration of the Winter Solstice or just an intimate gathering of the closest friends. We'll even bring the elegance of tea to your business meeting—gladly serving the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.

 

Please note too;  tea is served with the health conscious, the chronic dieter, as well as the vegan-minded in mind. Let us know your preference. You have the option of customary treats and/or guilt-free goodies! No more excuses for not taking tea. We are tea specialists and would endeavor to share our knowledge of traditional as well as organic tea blends with you.

 

"Strange how a teapot can represent simultaneously the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company." --anonymous

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Excerpts from The TeaLover's Companion by Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson, ©The National Trust  2005