Hello to you, Dear Friends of The Tearoom,
Does it ever happen to you that even a happy thing can make you feel anxious? Sadly, that is what seems to have happened during the planning of this Teeny Tea. After one thing and another feeling like it conspired against my best efforts this summer, the warm weather here in Maine seems to be waning, the porch garden seems to be going to sleep for the year and still, a tea was not accomplished. So, I have scaled it down, making it the teeniest of Teeny Teas. I hope you will still enjoy it and I hope I have some things to make up for it in my post today.
First of all, when I started doing my Teeny Teas in 2016, I started out with some preliminary ideas, a lot of which I did not share at the time. One lovely morning in June, I took some pictures, with the bigger Teeny Tea in mind. Most of these photos have not been shown before this time, but I recently came across them and decided to share them with you. I hope you enjoy them:
(As always, feel free to click on images in order to see them larger.)
Visitors to The Tearoom with the sharpest eyes will spot that these
photos were taken before we had the house and porch painted,
making the Little Purple House!
Just like now, Mr. Bear and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle were enjoying their morning on the porch, in the summertime.
Here are some photos of some moments from past Teeny Teas!
We've had so much fun in the time I've been doing them!
And we look forward to having so many more!
And now, welcome to the teeniest Teeny Tea yet,
six years later, taken while hummingbirds buzzed overhead
in protest of my sitting in their flight path while taking the pictures!
Our tea for today is not exactly tea, although, it is made with an infusion of butterfly pea flowers in simple syrup, so maybe it’s similar to a tisane? It’s such a warm day that we only want cold drinks and what could be more refreshing than a limeade? Today’s drink is more of a mixology experiment and could definitely be made as a full-sized drink (and, I’ll bet, if you were so inclined, you could add a bit of vodka to, as well). Here’s my recipe for Magical Purple Limeade:
Make a simple syrup using 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Add one large tea-ball, filled with dried butterfly pea flowers. Steep until syrup is a dark purple blue color. Store in a glass jar and refrigerate.
Make lime ice cubes by juicing one or two fresh limes, adding an equal amount of water and freezing in ice cube trays.
When you are ready to make your drinks, assemble your ingredients. Add a good amount of the blue flower syrup to your glass (to taste). Fill most of the way up the glass with your favorite chilled seltzer (I love using LaCroix Tangerine). Float several of the lime ice cubes on top. Stir gently and sip! The blue of the syrup will magically turn purple or pink (depending on how many lime ice cubes you use)! A refreshing and surprising drink to serve to guests!
Serving mixed berry fruit shortbread cookies (made with crushed,
freeze-dried strawberries and blueberries), along with our limeade!
Some of the newest members of our Family are enjoying a treat today!
Edwardy is happy to be outside and enjoying the day!
Valentina, the deer with the blue ribbon on her neck joined our
family this year too, coming to live with us after having lived with
our Dear Friend Laura!
Here is our dear family member Eadwig, enjoying limeade and cookie!
The deer are enjoying some crushed cookie crumbs.
Thank you so much for joining us here at The Tearoom today!
Hoping our bright memories from here today will keep you warm on cold winter days,
until we can meet here once again.
xo,
B
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