I'll do tea on Wednesday. It's 2:31pm. here in Ohio, what time is it at your house?

While browsing a shop called "The Urban Cottage" (second hand items, some antiques) during a holiday festival walk Friday, I saw a little teapot with a Christmas theme - ivy and red berries I think. Tastefully done, only $8.99. I don't have a Christmas pot, but I do have a cup that a co-worker gave me one year long ago in a gift exchange. It's Royal Albert, too! I don't know how he knew I loved RA. A man normally could care less. ha. I might have to go back to that shop after payday.

I think that would be 4 o'clock here on the east coast. I'm going to try and remember this one. Some times I do the "do ahead" foods on Wednesday but any excuse for a break.

Schoolhouse, It's 6:15 pm right now.

Do you guys want to try it, this Wednesday? That could be fun! It would be 4pm ET, 3pm CT, 2pm MT, and 1pm PT.

I'll probably be making cranberry sauces (two types) for my mom, who still makes the most wonderful turkey, mashed potatoes and homemade gravy! I love Thanksgiving! :)

So, this Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, take a break at 4pm ET and join us for tea!

lavender, I have popped in the "tea" threads occasionally. you guys almost make me want to drink tea! And that is coming from a Coke drinker! As I work until 4 PM CT I would not be able to participate, but have fun!

Mary Lu- We'll be thinking of you! I will probably have another cup of tea about 5pm CT (3pm my time) so maybe stop by then :)

Alright, I'm still snowed in, more or less, so I'll be here at 1pm PT and 3pm PT drinking tea. If anyone wants to join me, please do so. I'd love the company :)

I'll be drinking Earl Grey and eating my coffeecake muffins (maybe I should call them tea cake muffins LOL). It's so nice to take a tea break, while I'm baking for tomorrow. Hope to see you later!

LL, those coffeecake muffins sound tasty! Will you share the recipe? Not that I bake much, but if I do bake anything it's usually a bundt cake or muffins.

Hi LL - I'm here too. I'll be drinking Twining's English Breakfast Tea. It's my absolute favorite and a treat I gift myself with because I don't drink coffee. I can't decide whether to drink it from the Queen Elizabeth I or the Henry VIII mug my English friends sent me. I also have a Portmeirion Botanic Garden mug with English daisies on it.

Hello tea friends. The kettle is on the boil, and the beef and veggie pie you see on the stove is now heating up in the oven. I'll have a nice big wedge with my cup of Lady Grey.

So cold outside today. gardenweed, I want a Queen Elizabeth I and Henry VIII mug too. Pics? I once saw in a catalog a mug with Henry VIII and his wives. As the hot beverage was poured in, his wives disappeared!

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Gardenweed- Now you have to post pictures! Schoolhouse is going to love those (as will we all).

Thyme- It's basically the recipe from the BH&G Cookbook, with a few changes.

Oven 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix 3 tablespoons flour, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons margerine. Save this for later.

In a bigger mixing bowl, sift together, 1 and 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 dashes of nutmeg and 1 dash of cloves. Add about 2/3 to 3/4 cup brown sugar. Cut in 1/4 cup margerine.

In a small bowl, mix together one beaten egg and 1/2 cup milk (I use soy milk). Add to the big mixing bowl and stir together (batter will be a little lumpy).

Fill the muffin cups (I use liners, or grease the cups) with the batter. Then divide the contents of the medium bowl and stick a little into the middle of each muffin. The cookbook says fill half full, add the topping and then fill the other half, but my muffin batter is too thick for that to work very well, but either way will taste great!

Cook 15 minutes at the 400 degrees.

After they cool about 15-20 minutes, I add a little frosting on top. 1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 teaspoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add a little more milk or powdered sugar to get the right consistency to spread the frosting on top of the muffins. Yummy! Enjoy :)

Those muffins sound out of this world. I'll have to post mug shots later--I have so many pics on the camera and I haven't figured out how to download just the ones I want.

I brought the Portmeirion Botanic Gardens mugs back with me last time I was in England for a visit. I figured since we're having tea in a "garden" so to speak, it was more appropriate than Henry VIII or Liz I.

Schoolhouse- I knew you'd want pictures! LOL

That beef and veggie pie looks amazing! Recipe? :)

I love your teapot (so cute) and you're using the little cottage tea cup and saucer. It's so pretty!

Oh, my grandmother used to have a mug from PBS Mystery, when your poured in a hot beverage, the mug changed and you could see all the attempted murders. Sounds awful, but was really very cool. Things like big gargoyles falling off the top of buildings, ladies fainting onto chaises, etc. The Henry VIII mug in the catalog sounds like something my grandmother would have enjoyed. She loved unusual things, like that :)

The disappearing wives is a cool idea. The little cottage teapot is adorable! I've got a pretty one I never think to use, mainly because I only ever drink one cup of tea. I'll take a picture & share that too.

I have two Scottish mugs I picked up at Edinburgh Castle. One has the traditional thistle on it; the other has a blue bell-shaped flower on it. Scottish bluebells? Appears I've loved gardening for longer than I've had the opportunity to indulge in it.

Gardenweed- Oh, Scottish bluebells, that sounds very pretty. I'm glad you're going to post pictures.

I'm off to make my second cup of tea. It's so cold out today, but all the snow is pretty :)

Schoolhouse- How cold is it supposed to get in your area, tonight?

We had -16 F. last night, but it's not supposed to get that cold tonight...at least I hope not. Thank goodness for all the snow or I'm afraid my little roses wouldn't have made it!

So, has anyone else joined us? Don't be shy! LOL

I'm surprised at how many of my winter sown perennials have retained their foliage & form this late in the season. I guess I just never really paid attention after the first hard frost and assumed everything just went dormant. My alyssum is still blooming! Every day I update my notes to show it lasted yet another day. How amazing is that?

I still have 50+ pots of perennials to set inside the garage for the winter. I was waiting for them to go dormant and those haven't yet either. Last year everything in pots had gone dormant by now & was put away to sleep through the dark, cold days until spring.

Recipe for the meat/veggie pie? Drive to market in town and buy one. hee hee It is homemade, however, not a frozen one. Looks as tho they browned hamburger, added mixed vegetables and potatoes with a gravy-type thickening, then poured all into an unbaked pie shell. It was already baked, I just had to heat it up but it took almost an hour for it to get hot in the middle. In fact, the labeled it "Shepherd's Pie"; but to me shepherd's pie has a layer of mashed potatoes on top and is not in a pastry shell. Anyway,I'm eating it now and it is delicious - perfect for a chilly evening. "Stick to your ribs" dish.

The little cottage teapot I bought many years ago. Someone on the Home Decorating forum (I think)posted pictures of some new shelves she had installed. Forget about the shelves - I was oggling her extensive Cottage Ware collection! Among the many pieces, she had the teapot and mugs to match.

Coffeecake muffins, I need to make some. Monday I had my glucose fasting test at the hospital, I didn't know I'd have to drink this sugary orange pop and then stay there two hours until they could draw blood again. Yuck. I'll know the results next Thursday; but I just may eat some muffins before then anyhow. I'm copying your recipe Lass.

Tonight they say we'll only get down to 37, so glad it isn't in the minus degrees like you're having. Ugh.

Schoolhouse- LOL! Nice recipe...but it does sound good. I think I'd like to try to make one with turkey, potatoes, carrots and peas. I love pie and that sounds good!

Good luck on your test. I like your plan to make the muffins, while you're waiting for the results. Why not enjoy your time, as you're waiting?

I've got to run up to my mom's to drop off some stuff for tomorrow, but I'll be back in a few minutes. Hopefully, we have some more people stopping by for tea in about a half hour.

This is really fun! Thanks everyone, for having tea together, today :)

Okay, I "posed" my mugs & teapot on a little table & took pictures which I will post tomorrow if I remember. The Henry VIII mug has his likeness as well as those of his six wives. The Liz I mug also features Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Drake, Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester & Lord Burghley Lord High Treasurer. One of those guys offed Robert Dudley if I remember my history correctly.

My English friends lived in Thame, Oxfordshire not far from the Rycote estate. Q. Liz I spent much of her leisure time at the Rycote estate and around the time of her coronation, a special pew was installed for her in Rycote Chapel. The pew is all done in light blue. The seat cushions are in baby blue velvet and the ceiling is decorated with gold stars. The chapel itself dates back to 1100-something.

Queen Bess sits among the tea china in my cupboard. "She" is a "netske", a little chinese character box. The shop where I found her also had William Shakespeare, but by the time I had money set aside for him he was sold. :(

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Gardenweed- That is so interesting! I'd love to see something that old...and what a great history in that area. Looking forward to seeing your pictures :)

I'm back from my mom's and it is COLD out there! I didn't have time for my second cup of tea, so I'm making some now. 13 degrees outside and I think it's starting to snow, again. Earl Grey is definitely the right choice! LOL

Schoolhouse- Your little Queen Bess is charming!

You have such beautiful tea pots. The one in the back with the flowers is very pretty, but what is that one on the right? Is that a bird?

Oh, schoolhouse thanks for sharing. Wow. That Queen Bess netske is awesome!! What a perfect image. I'm impressed by the history that goes along with these tchochkes, of people who lived, breathed & existed, loved & despised, laughed & cried in a world we'll never know.

I sat on the powder blue velvet cushions of her pew in Rycote Chapel more than 500 years after she did and wondered what thoughts might have flitted through her mind as she sat there. History has always been a passion of mine and seeing some of the historical sites in England did little more than whet my curiosity.

I'm sure not ready for 13 degree weather - snow, yes, frigid temps,no. The bird on the little teapot is a peacock I think. Found the pot in an antique shop for $5, it isn't old because I saw one like it in a gift shop for $26.

Gardenweed, were you able to watch the ShowTime series "The Tudors" that ended last year? The years that it was on, a forum began around it; and I joined. I learned so much about the Tudors and life in their times on that board, even tho alot of the discussion revolved around Jonathan Rhys Meyers. ha. How exciting for you to sit in Rycote Chapel!

I say we should all make sure to take tea together on April 29th as we watch Prince William and his Kate wed.

Great idea, Schoolhouse. Something to look forward to this spring.

Thank you everyone, for having tea today. It was fun and I think we should do it again!

See you for tea next Thursday :)

Sorry I am late for tea....had some computer/PB problems.

I enjoyed your hospitality.

Hope you all have a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

:) XX Becky

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Popped back into this thread for a quick peek, and I see my favorite gold tea set. Lovely, lovely photo. Where ever did you find the English Breakfast Tea tin with graphics like that? I would love to have one.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Becky- That is a beautiful tea set! The leaves and the candle are wonderful accents :)

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

lavender lass, I made your coffeecake muffins and they are delicious. My ladle filled the cupcake papers half full so I was able to add the topping to the center and saved a tiny bit to add to the top of one muffin. I liked having the crunch on the top and in the middle so next time will make more topping to do both.

Thanks for sharing.

I am not a tea/coffee drinker, preferring hot chocolate or soda.

Mnwsgal- I'm so glad you liked the muffins :)

Good idea to make more topping. I never thought of hot chocolate with them...but that would be perfect! Great Christmas Eve snack idea.