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| Quarterly Newsletter |
Winter / 2008 |
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Selected by Southern Living Magazine as one of the Top Ten Tea Rooms in Texas!
Come in and enjoy all that we have to offer - sit and sip!
13889 SW Freeway
Sugar Land, TX 77478
281-491-4588
Mon - Thurs 11:00 - 4:00
Fri - Sat 11:00 - 5:00
Serenitea will be closed on the following days:
Thursday and Friday, December 25th and 26th for the Christmas Holiday.
Thursday, January 1st for New Year's Day
Private Events by Appointment
Gift Certificates and Catering Available
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Dates to Remember
Dec. 21-28 - Hanukkah
Dec. 25 - Christmas
Dec. 26-Jan. 1 - Kwanzaa
Jan. 1 - New Year's Day
Jan. 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Jan. 20 - Inauguration Day
Feb. 2 - Groundhog Day
Feb. 14 - Valentine's Day
Feb. 16 - Presidents' Day
Feb. 24 - Mardi Gras
Feb. 25 - Ash Wednesday
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And Then It Was Teatime
The tale of tea is long and illustrious, but tea has had its
part to play in stories other than its own.
Authors have long seen fit to place their characters and their action in the midst of the tea hour. And Then It Was Teatime, compiled by Laurie Nienhaus,
contains over 150 excerpts from both vintage and
modern literature. All are waiting for you...with cup in hand. Pick up a copy at the tea room or order it at www.glily.com
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Tea in Texas
Our favorite magazine will now be published bi-monthly. Get all the latest information on local Texas tea rooms and special events. Limited copies of the magazine will be available in the tea room. For subscription information, visit www.TeaInTexas.com
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The Tea House Times
A bi-monthly publication celebrating a passion for tea, victorian treasures, and friendship. Limited copies available at the tea room. For subscription information, visit www.TheTeaHouseTimes.com | |
"Perhaps that is the true gift a of a teatime celebration: It fills our cup with joy and warmth and friendship. May the echo of the teacup's message be heard not only at Christmas, not only on special occassions, but anytime friends come together." --Emile Barnes
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Holiday Tea
Our Holiday Tea will be on Saturday, December 13th. A very special tea service will be offered starting with a mug of piping hot wassail and spiced pecans. A three-tiered tray will follow laden with festive finger sandwiches along with chocolate chip scones. For dessert, enjoy a spirited fruit cake and chocolate-dipped shortbread. All guests will take home a holiday gift, compliments of Serenitea. The Holiday Tea is by reservation only. For menu details visit http://www.sereniteatearoom.com/Upcoming_Events.html
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Holiday Gift Shop
From practical to whimsical - beautiful and unique tea-related items are available in our Gift Shop. Whether you are buying for the novice or enthusiast tea drinker, there are tea pots, tea cups, cozies, drip catchers and a variety of loose leaf teas. Custom blend a tea to create a personalized gift! We also have Serenitea Tea shirts, along with books and notecards. Come in and browse our Gift Shop to find fun items such as nightlights, children's tea sets, tea-for-one sets, and many other items.
Wassail
Our Traditional Wassail mix made with holiday mulling spices is available in beautifully packaged gift boxes - makes a wonderful hostess, teacher, or co-worker gift.
Gingerbread Crème Tea
With the flavor of fresh-baked gingerbread, this mild black tea is a perfect accompaniment to Afternoon Tea or dessert. The loose-leaf tea sold by the ounce and will only be available while supplies last through the holiday season.
For those short on time and gift ideas, we also have Gift Certificates and Gift Baskets.
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Tea Tasting
Explore the world of tea...a cup at a time. Come in anytime between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm every Friday during the month of January to taste the various teas that we offer. Learn about their origins and health benefits. Archana Pyatt, owner of Serenitea Tea Room, will be personally conducting these Tea Tasting sessions and will be on hand to answer any of your questions. All Tea Tasting sessions will be accompanied by scones served with lemon curd and clotted cream. For details, click on Tea Tasting
Secret Blossom
In January, we will unveil the newest addition to our flavored black teas - Secret Blossom - an intoxicating blend of pomegranates and hibiscus. Try it at our Tea Tasting!
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Tea as Art
Take your love of everything tea to the next level. Create something beautiful with the guidance of creative and talented artists who devote their time to teaching adults and children at Artists' Alliance of Sugar Land. This unique facility serves as studios for resident artists well-known in their fields, as well as a school for novices and enthusiasts of art. Don't know what to do with some chipped china pieces that you have? Why not make them a part of a mosaic or a piece of jewelry? Learn the basics of painting, pottery and photography to sculpture, mosaic and jewelry making. For class selections and schedule, visit www.ArtistsAllianceOfSugarLand.org. |
Bridal and Baby Showers
Serenitea Tea Room is an ideal location for bridal showers and baby showers. You can choose to have your event during our business hours or reserve the tea room for a private event after hours or on a Sunday.
Enjoy the relaxed and elegant setting of the tea room with classical music and cozy ambiance. For your menu selection, choose between the elegant tea service on three-tiered gold trays laden with delicate finger sandwiches, scones, and dessert or select items from our lunch menu. Savor the full flavor of fine loose leaf tea served in beautiful china tea cups alongside a tea pot wrapped in a tea cozy.
Invitations - Serenitea offers Tea Cup Card invitations for your special occassion. These will truly set the tone for your tea party. Each invitation contains a tea bag for its recipient to enjoy. All invitations are fill-in-the-blank style. For more details, visit Planning a Party.
Custom Party Favors - Serenitea can help you create unique and personalized party favors for your bridal and baby showers. Choose from select flavors to make a Custom Blend Tea to reflect the special occassion and personalize it with a fun and memorable name. "Steeped in Love" - a romantic name for a bridal shower tea or "Love is Brewing" - a fun name for baby shower favors. Archana Pyatt, the owner of Serenitea Tea Room, will personally blend the tea once you have selected your flavor combinations. Serenitea will also provide the personalized labels for the custom blend tea. For more details, visit Planning a Party. | |
Club and Business Meetings
Serenitea is available for private group meetings pre- and post-business hours. For groups looking for a quaint and serene atmosphere, Serenitea is an ideal location for weekly/monthy/quarterly meetings. Our prix fixe menu offers the tea room favorite items and is inclusive of food, drinks, tax, and gratuity. Prix Fixe Menu. |
Catering Available
Serenitea offers catering and to-go lunches for office luncheons, group meetings and private gatherings. Choose from a variety of platters of wonderful food and desserts! Catering Menu
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Just out of curiosi-tea...
Celebrate
National Hot Tea Month!
Yes, indeed, January is National Hot Tea
Month. (For all of you iced tea lovers,
you will have to wait until June to celebrate National Iced Tea Month.) I guess it is no coincidence that the
beginning of the New Year, a time for renewal and change, is dedicated to tea. We all make our resolutions to lead a
healthier lifestyle - physically and mentally.
A few cups of hot tea a day can actually help towards that goal. One of your resolutions should be to "toss
the tea bag" and drink only loose leaf tea!
Unless labeled otherwise, tea bags contain the dust of the whole leaf
tea and offer only caffeine and color. Whereas,
the loose leaf tea contains all of the health benefits that are so sought after
in aiding weight loss, reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as
fighting viral infections. Loose leaf tea also offers the antioxidants and the
numerous vitamins and minerals that make it the second most consumed beverage
in the world (second only to water). Most
importantly, to answer the question that so many people ask me, "What is the
best tea for me?" My response is always
the same, "The tea that you will actually drink everyday and enjoy drinking!" Whether you enjoy Green, Black, or Oolong,
you really cannot go wrong with drinking tea.
So, sit and sip to the new you!
Is "chintz"
a specific pattern or design?
Chintz is a pattern characterized by dense,
bold, bright, and mainly floral motifs on a pale background. The pattern heavily covers the fabric or pottery
almost completely. It originated in India
mainly in fabrics and became popular in the 17th and 18th
centuries in Europe. The many variations
of the pattern were used in decorating everything from window treatments to
bedding to furniture to pottery.
What is a
samovar?
Symbolic of Russian tea drinking, this
utensil is a kettle-shaped urn that heats the hot water and dispenses it
through a spigot located at the bottom - much like a coffee urn but more
shapely and ornate. Samovars are usually
made out of silver, bronze or copper and heat the water using charcoal (or in
current times, electricity). On top of
the samovar sits a small teapot containing a concentrated form of black tea
called zavarka. When preparing to drink, a small amount of
the concentrated tea is poured from the teapot and then diluted with the addition
of hot water from the samovar. This
method of preparation conveniently provides tea at a moment's notice without
the wait of boiling and steeping. Although
samovars are not frequently used these days, they are often seen as a
collector's item, evoking nostalgia and romance.
Can you cook
with tea?
Yes, you most certainly can cook with tea! In the
winter 2007 issue of Tea in Texas,
Chef Elizabeth Escobedo of Houston talks about her passion of cooking with
tea. She mentions how she substitutes
tea for water to broil, braise, and steam foods. Chef Elizabeth also uses tea as a base for
punches, baked goods, and marinades for meats, as well as a spice rub for
grilling recipes. She advises to use
good quality loose leaf tea and, as with wine, do not cook with a tea that you
would not deem worthy of drinking. Just
pick up any book or magazine about tea and you will find recipes for soups,
main dishes, desserts and drinks with tea as an ingredient!
What are
"flowering" teas?
Flowering teas are the showstoppers of the
tea world! Tea leaves are hand-sewn densely
around various flowers such as chrysanthemum, jasmine and lotus, resulting in a
thick tea ball. Upon infusion into hot
water, the tea leaves unfurl and reveal the blooming flower within. This performance by the tea can be observed
unhindered by using a clear glass teapot or teacup for steeping. Since the tea ball is so densely packed, you
can enjoy multiple infusions of the flowering tea. These teas offer all the health benefits of the
tea plant, along with the added benefits of the various flowers hidden within.
I would love
to know the history of tea rooms in the southern United States. What is their origin?
Many of us are very familiar with
English-style tea rooms serving Afternoon Tea.
However, tea rooms in the southern United States are very different - mainly
with a large female clientele and lunch as the focus. Author and food historian
Millie Coleman summarizes tea rooms in America by saying, "It's not about the
tea, it's about the room." Tea rooms
came about as women demanded equality with men in the early 20th
century - to vote, attend college and own businesses. Tea rooms were women-owned and operated, and
women accounted for as much as 60% of the diners, with approximately 40% being
in the workforce. Very often, the main meal for most of these women was
lunch. Tea rooms offered service to
women without a gentleman escort, as well a good nutritious meal that was fast
and affordable. Tea rooms continued to
gain popularity through the 1940s when they gained a reputation as a local restaurant
that served good wholesome food for women and their families. They saw a
decline in the 1960s as many of the tea room owners grew older and the younger
generation of the peace and love era did not embrace the tea room concept. Also
during this time, women were allowed into all eating and drinking
establishments without escorts and ventured out beyond dining mainly in tea
rooms. To read a more detailed history of tea rooms in America, I would suggest
the following two books: The South's Legendary Frances Virginia Tea
Room by Millie Coleman and Tea at the Blue Lantern Inn by Jan
Whitaker. Thankfully, tea room history does
not end with the 1960s! There has been a
huge resurgence of tea rooms yet again in the United States. They are still mainly women-owned and
operated, offering mainly lunch; however, they have evolved with a greater
focus on tea drinking and include men as a growing part of their
clientele.
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Your comments are greatly appreciated...
We thank you for your patronage and invite you to share your experience with others. At your convenience, please take the time to visit the following websites and pen (or key in) your comments.
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Serenitea Tea Room | 13889 Southwest Freeway | Sugar Land | TX | 77478
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