Tea Blog

Tea for two has certainly been a common theme for the romantics among us. Featured in both movies and songs, the phrase epitomizes that cozy, intimate time out from a busy world to enjoy good company and a good “cuppa.” Awhile back, I wrote about tea-for-two sets and so thought, having just gone through Valentine’s Day — the big annual event for those inclined to what as kids we called “mushy stuff” — it was time to take another look.

The general idea of tea-for-two sets is to steep a pot of tea and then share it with a special someone — hubby, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, teddy bears…yes, I said teddy bears! Yet, when I started looking around to see what the latest designs were, I found a fewer options than a year and a half or so ago. I did find a beautifully simplistic glass set and a traditional yet aesthetically appealing cast iron set. Then, there was a set inspired by Russian stacking dolls known as “Matryoshkas” or “Matrushkas.”

The most interesting thing I saw was what appears to be a trend away from the classic tea-for-two set to what is often called a starter set — a teapot (usually holding 4 cups of tea), a sugar bowl, a cream pitcher, and two cups and saucers. A great example is the Lady Diana Chintz Fine Bone China Tea Set.

This idea of a tea time duality is apparent in the arts as well. The movie Tea for Two, starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRae, was a redo of “No, No, Nanette,” a rather silly farce about a wealthy heiress named Nanette Carter who bets her uncle $25,000 she can say “no” to everything for 48 hours. It features the song Tea for Two (music by Vincent Youmans and lyrics by Irving Caesar), a duet sung by Nanette (Doris Day) and Tom (Gordon MacRae) as they imagine their future. The act of taking tea for two seems to have that vibe to it!

There is also a website called Tea for Two that has been around since 1997 and is dedicated to satisfying customers’ need for quality teawares. A great place to check out if you want that special tea time.

Well, I guess the tea-for-two set isn’t totally out of fashion and the starter set can be an even better option, since you could buy more pieces later to have enough for a real tea party. Hunt out the perfect set for you and get the sparks flying at your post-Valentine’s Day tea time!

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