Tea Time!

Happy Thursday, Dear Ones.

Just a quick "Go Here Thursday" post today, as I've been working on the housework and laundry and getting dinner for the children all day.  Being a mom is awesome, but it's also exhausting!
Getting to it, then-

Instead of a place to visit, today's GHT is a recommendation for something I get a year's worth of for Christmas, from my Aunt:

July/August 2011 Tea Time Magazine*

I first found Tea Time by absolute chance, in early Sept of 2010, as I was taking a short cut through the book/card/magazine aisle of the grocery.  Tea Time is bi-monthly, so it was the Sept/Oct issue on display and what caught my attention (aside from the GORGEOUS china pattern) was 1) Ideas for a Pink Ribbon themed tea and 2) Tearooms to visit in Southeast England.  I'd been pining for my trip across the Pond and while I knew it would be many months before I could go (and it is many months still), I keep a running list of things I'm interested in possibly seeing when I do finally get to go.  Here is the china that was featured on the cover of that issue, by the way.  It's called "Dhara" by Phillipe Deshoulieres

So so so pretty!

I shop with a list.  If it's not on the list, or we don't absolutely need it, it doesn't go in the cart.  But that day I did something I don't normally do - I clutched the magazine to my chest like I'd just discovered buried treasure, hurried to the check-out, and bought it.  To say that it was worth my $5.00 is a gross understatement.  Each and every page is a complete mental vacation on one hand, and such an inspiration on the other.  For months afterward, I have found myself making shopping lists, mental notes and all sorts of lavish future plans for hosting tea parties that feature the exquisite things I found in those pages.

Being the fall issue, there was an abundance of information on hosting Mystery/Detective themed teas.  There is even a recipe for an unbelievably cute cookie shaped like magnifying glasses!

How cute is that?!

Other recipes in that issue include (but are not limited to)

Parmesan-rosemary Scones

Curried Squash Soup

Goat Cheese and Tapenade Sandwich Stacks

Roast Beef and Horseradish Tea Sandwiches

Bacon and Roasted Garlic Arancini (risotto balls)

Pear Cheesecake Bites

There is also this yummy goodness, called "Sugarplum Dobosh Cake"

Oh my Lands, Y'all!  Seriously!

My Aunt had been gifting me a subscription to Southern Lady Magazine - which I loved.  Tea Time is made by the same people who make Southern Lady.  After my Sept/Oct issue find, I unabashedly begged her to swap to Tea Time for Christmas.  She graciously agreed and thus far I am the super proud owner of half a dozen issues, each one seemingly more beautiful than the last!

One thing that I love about the magazine's layout is that it isn't just randomly thrown together.  The content always changes, of course, but there are distinct section headings that I adore:

Lorna Reeves, the Editor, shares a letter to her readers in Editor's Letter.

Readers share back with Dear Tea Time

There is a Tea Events Calendar, which features tea events in several states. (sometimes much to my chagrin.  Like the July/August issue I got yesterday that features the 4th Annual Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, KY. I wanna go!!! [but can't this year] :P)

There is a sort of "best of" merchandise page called Necessary Things that features cool products.

The Perfect Cup gives advice on how to make a great cup of tea, from the type of water you use, to caffeine content choices and more.

Turning The Tables shows ideas for place settings, decorating, themes and more.

Tea Wares highlights a particular item and gives a history and information on it.  Teapots, different kinds of spoons (tea, iced-tea and sugar, to name a few), tea infusers and teacups have all been featured in the issues I own.

The Tea Diaries is a one page personal story from a contributor that tells of tea time memories with mothers or daughters or grandmothers, birthday teas, girl's day out, etc.  Sort of like the "Chicken Soup For... " stories, but always about tea. :)

The Fine Print is a page devoted to books that feature tea.  Tea dictionaries, histories, mysteries, fiction, etiquette, handbooks and recipe books.

Of course in every issue, there is a Recipe Index, Advertiser's Index and Reader's Resource pages where you can take what you've seen and go get it/do it for yourself! :D

And peppered throughout these constants is an endless parade of articles (usually themed for the season) and photos and recipes.  The November/December issue features a full out Dickens themed tea for Christmas, replete with roasted goose, chestnut stuffing and plum pudding!!! Sighs of happiness.

Please GO HERE: to the Tea Time Magazine Website where you can get a subscription, plus check out all sorts of extras and online only recipes and features.

Also, living in the south, I was so pleased to see this page of the website devoted to taking tea in Atlanta!

If you are an Atlanta local like I am, you could also use that as your Go Here Thursday! :)

Enjoy.

*All photos, except for the Dhara china, belong to Tea Time Magazine.  The Dhara china photo was found here.