Tea parties
I’ve been sent a new book by Wendy. My friends know me far, far too well. They keep giving me food books - Wendy knows me better than most and the results leave me opening her parcels slowly and exploring them joyously.
In fact, she sent me a bunch of books and some reproduction newspapers. Also much toothpaste. I spread the tubes of toothpaste out on the table and wondered if there was some symbolism in them.
I intend to blog all the food-related aspects of her present, and the first of them it a little booklet on Children’s Tea Parties. It has a picture of a very grumpy and rather chubby nineteenth century child on the cover. Any moment she’ll start screaming. i’m already covering my ears.
This booklet is part of a series called “Remember When Books” and is edited by Theodore Newport. What’s interesting about it is the way it collates the memories we want to keep and shapes the past we want to have. There are mannners and menus and schedules and party favours and decorations and food and how to read tea leaves. The booklet is larded with historical tidbits. For instance, on p 6 it has a paragraph about the Boston Tea Party and gives a recipe for Liberty Tea.
Liberty Tea
3 tbs dried raspberry leaves
5 cups boiling water
Put tea in teapot, add water, let steep for 8 minutes, strain and (if you want) sweeten with milk and honey.
You might want scones with that pot of tea.
September 26th, 2007 at 5:56 am
[...] by Gillian Polack After yesterday’s post I thought maybe it was time to have a post about a foodstuff that has given much calm to many [...]