Since launching earlier this year, Tea Party on a Tray has been featured in a number of media outlets, including Cat Fancy, Victoria, The Tea House Times, Living in Style, Midtown, Heritage and Carolina Newswire.

On Tea Radio with host Lady Dawnya and in a shameless plug on "The Mary and Heather Show" on HayHouse Radio.

Please continue to check back for more details on our press coverage as well as a bank of information we'll have available to the media.

What others say about TPOT

 I like your website. I think it is very easy to use and I love the varied categories and how easy it is to view teapot choices and choose a message. Each Tea Party on a Tray is special and unique and beautiful. The selections will suit all tastes from traditional to fun and for all age groups. The beautiful tea ribbon you are using adds a special touch to the tea trays as well! The traditional/classic teapot tray we gave as a gift to one of our 2007 Tea Tour participants and it was a very much appreciated, beautiful gift. It really wowed everyone!"

~ Gail Gastelu, publisher, www.theteahousetimes.com

Product review: A gift of tea
All my friends and family (and quite a few strangers!) know that I am something of a tea fanatic. Consequently, I often receive gifts of teas, teapots and teacups of all kinds, tea-making accessories, and anything and everything tea-themed. I have to admit that I’ve got more tea “stuff” than most people, but I also admit that I enjoy it all.

I’ve never received anything like the Tea Party on a Tray that arrived here recently. It’s impossible to open the rather sizable shipping carton, look inside, and not feel a smile starting to spread on your face.

TPOT (please forgive the abbreviation!) is a cross between a gift basket and serving tea in your own tea room. Arranged on a gold catering/bakery round, pretty as you please, are all the fixings for your own tea party. As their slogan goes, you “just add hot water.”

Tea Party on a TrayFirst I removed the charming gift card and the tea-and-teapots ribbon, and peeled away the sturdy cellophane wrapping. (At this point, with all the crinkling, the kitties — depending on their personalities — either ran off in fear or came over for a peek.)

A teapot sat in the middle of the “tray,” surrounded by an assortment of teatime goodies. As I was a tea “party” of one, the teapot was actually a tea-for-one, comprising teapot, teacup, and saucer.

With the kettle whistling in the kitchen, I placed the tea sachet (Harney & Sons‘ Paris — does tea get any more elegant?) into the pot and poured the water.

While the tea steeped, I arranged the goodies on a plate: flavoured roasted pecans; dainty little cheese crackers; and Moravian lemon cookies — each package containing enough for my party, and then some. A rock candy stirrer and a package of lemon drops completed the “party.”

So here I was, on a gloomy afternoon, with the wind raging in wild gusts outside, cozy as could be with my pretty teapot, yummy treats, and comforting tea. TPOT even included a booklet describing tea customs, and another with poetry by Earlene Grey. I read through both of these, peacefully, while I sipped.

The pot (and the sachet) yielded enough for a second cupful, which allowed me to sweeten it first with the stirrer and then with the lemon drops. I didn’t expect to care for the addition of lemon to this tea, with its fruity/caramel flavour, but it actually worked quite well.

I don’t think I have to tell anyone how delicious the paper-thin Moravian cookies are, and the tasty pecans perfectly complemented the Paris tea. Clearly some thought had gone into choosing the specific elements of this tea time. (I do have to admit that I don’t eat cheese, and so relied on DH’s review of the Sweetie’s cheese bits, which can be summed up as “mmmmm.”)

To order your Tea Party on a Tray, you first choose the type of “party” you want, then select your teapot by style, theme, or occasion. (They have holiday and children’s tea parties too.) Parties range from the small tea-for-one I enjoyed, to a tea-for-two in many, many styles, to a truly pampering luxury tea party. Individual teas, treats, and a wide assortment of gifts and serving items are also available.

Contents of each party varies, but you (or the person you’re sending it to) will receive enough tea and teatime treats for a tasty and tasteful tea party — whether solo or shared. And then your chosen teapot becomes a permanent, charming, and useful memento. (My tea-for-one is white with gold accents, decorated all over with butterflies. And I plan on using it again.)

I can’t imagine a nicer way to brighten someone’s day than to send them one of the wide variety of “parties” offered by TPOT — unless it’s to bring it to them yourself!

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~Reprinted by permission of TeaGuide Worldwide Tea Directory