Afternoon Tea at Perigee Restaurant in the Berkshires

This past winter, I teamed up with restauranteur, Dawn LaRochelle, who is equally passionate about food as I am about tea! It is a perfect match and we have been offering formal afternoon teas during the dreary winter days once a month at her restaurant on Route 102 in East Lee, near Stockbridge. To our knowledge, we are the only ones in the county offering this and it has been well received. We have different speakers at each tea...

I have done a talk about "The History of Tea" while my husband, Cecil, a charming British gentleman talks about tea etiquette. His British accent sure makes it feel more authentic! Chef Jamie has wowed attendees while showing them how to fold some pretty nifty napkins! In celebration of St. Patty's day in March, local author Kevin O'Hara, read a few selections from his two novels. He captivated everyone with his hilarious stories of what it was like growing up one of eight to immigrant Irish parents.

What I like most about these monthly teas is the friendliness and bonding between total strangers! Some guests come on their own, only to join others at the tables and by the time the 2 hours is over, they have made new friends and exchanged phone numbers and emails! Actually, it seems we all become one big group by the end of the afternoon! And I love seeing repeat faces from month to month. I also like the opportunity to bring out the fancy silver tea service which helps make it that much more special. We offer 4-5 unusual teas at each event and Dawn has a table full of scrumptious finger foods and delicacies, such as cucumber sandwiches with the crusts removed of course, and scones with jams and other assorted  delicious bite size jewels which vary every month!

On April 12th from 11-1, we will host a MadHatter's tea, where everyone comes in whatever style hat they so choose. We will have some prizes at hand for different categories of hats! We are hoping to have Anne Langlais as a guest speaker discuss the history of hats and show us a selection of some of her handmade hats from her shop, Hats & Jewels in Lee, MA.

Then on April 29th, we will be "attending" the Royal Wedding at Perigee while watching it on the television together whilst enjoying tea and feeling as if we are participants at the wedding! It will be a special occasion and we are planning for some fun surprises!

On March 28th, Cecil and I had the pleasure of being guests on the local cable tv show, "Smile with B-Mile". She is truly an inspiration to be around and we had a great time on her show -- I shared my passion for tea and Cecil shared his about interior design. It will be aired for 2 weeks, 3 days a week and we hope the community will get a chance to view it!

For the next few blogs, I am planning to post some of the discussions I did during some of these afternoon teas. If any of you can make it to the next few teas at Perigee, it would be great to have you there! Best to let us know by calling for a reservation at: 413.394-4047.
There is a fee ($25) to attend but please don't let that stop you, because you will certainly get your money's worth! Hope to see you there!

GIFT OF HEALTH

    Instead of a box of chocolates this Valentines Day, you might want to consider giving the gift of tea. It's a wonderful way of letting your loved ones know just how much you truly care! And what better way to show someone you love them, then a gift that goes straight to the heart! You little cupid, you!
   Tea has been shown to contain a great range of medicinal benefits, not the least of which include antioxidants, antibacterials and antivirals. Antioxidants contain nutrients that protect our bodies from damage by free radicals. 
    White tea, in particular, contains an amazing amount of protective nutrients called flavanoids and may offer a profound way of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and prevent the development of new ones. Here are some other healthy benefits --- lowers blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugars, along with promoting healthy skin & strengthening bones while increasing body metabolism. If that is not enough...this power-packed beverage contains small amounts of flouride for healthy teeth and gums and is also a diuretic!
   The Tea Peddler makes tea giving fun both for the gift giver and the recipient! You can design your own label and send it to me electronically to attach on a professional label and/or send a photo I can incorporate into a custom design. This makes a special, one-of-a-kind gift for any occasion! You can choose from an array of containers we offer ranging from different style tea tins in loads of colors to more contemporary style specialty bags. And...unlike a box of chocolates which has a short shelf life, tea never goes bad! If properly stored, tea can last up to two years! After that time, it just gets weaker. 
   So, the next time you reach for a box of chocolates to show someone you love them...think again!          Tea...anyone?

Why tea?

Having been asked how I ended up getting into the tea world by everyone and their mother, I have decided to start a blog so people can discover the truth on their own and with ease! It is an interesting story, actually! While most people are sleeping and hardly aware of their dreams, mine have always been so vivid and real. I have been known to compose an entire piece of music in my dream, gone on amazing archeological digs in Mesopotamia and uncovered enormous historical sculptures, and pillars that had intricate detailed carvings, etc. Needless to say, when I finally wake up, I am exhausted! So, when one morning I awoke after having come up with this wonderful new business of teas that had private labeling and all sorts of crazy ideas, I realized hey...this isn't so crazy! And in essence, that is how the Tea Peddler began! One dream....one day at a time...until I could make it all a reality. The dream started in 2003. That was quite awhile ago, but at a time when I had no energy left besides assisting my mother in her caregiving while she was quite ill. I spent alot of time talking about the possible new business with my mother and was surprised by her positive reaction to it! We spoke about the different ideas and ways this could become a business, and it got me more and more excited. I did some research in the late night hours when I had some time to myself. This was a real possibility for me, coming at a time when I was thinking about stopping teaching piano which I had done for over 20 years. I was ready for something new. Something I had more control over, than just hoping a student would practice! Unfortunately my mother's illness got progressively worse over time and I had to put the tea idea on hold temporarily. In March 2004 my mother peacefully passed and it took another year to really get on my feet. It was a tough time and during that same year, my husband lost his mother and father 8 days apart from one another....so fast forward to 2007 when I got everything I needed to begin my new business..required legal certifications, which included a commercial operation with a packing room, etc...I started my new website: www.tpeddler and the rest is history! I try to find more unusual teas and flavors, and it has been fun reaching out to people from all over the world. I have gotten orders from people all over the states, plus Canada, the UK and Spain! Now that I have explained how the Tea Peddler was born...the next blog will be to tell you more about the actual items I sell....everything has a story as you will see! Stay tuned!