Inside the January Issue: p. 1)  They Say It's Your Birthday p. 2)  Testing Your Knowledge: Who is this Famous Actor? p. 3)  Tea News Bits p. 4)  Jon Coe: The Metta Catharina and a fine leather craftsman p. 5)  It's National Hot Tea Month p. 6)  Tea With Jane Austen p. 7)  Tea Advisor p. 8)  Mystery of the Month p. 9)  England's Calendar of Events: January p. 10)  Reading Tea Leaves p. 11)  Glossary of Tea Terms p. 12)  Recipes: Bangers and Mash p. 13)  Afternoon Teaisms  » Editor's Note     Printer-friendly Version

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Editor's Note

Happy New Year! We trust all of you had a wonderful holiday and are eagerly anticipating 2007. We hope this edition of the Tea Times brightens your after-the-holiday quiet time and being in the house because of the cold weather.

We've offered the "all author" birthday list this month. Maybe seeing these authors will inspire you to read some of their works. Of course, your reading will come after you watch all the programs you won't want to miss that we've told you about!

January is National Hot Tea Month! Read about all the good things that studies have concluded that tea can do for you. It might even help with some of those New Year resolutions you made.

Enjoy reading Jon Coe's article about his connection with the Metta Catharina. When you are in the right place at the right time it can turn your life around.

Did you ever wonder what the leaves in your tea cup mean? Just for fun, try your hand at reading them. We offer you some insight into how to do this.

Hungry for some comfort food? Check out the recipe for Bangers and Mash. This meal will warm any tummy.

So read, watch, look at your fortune, eat - we offer help with each of these! It's a nice way to start the New Year.

The Tea Times Newsletter Staff

1 

They Say It's Your Birthday!

Do you share a birthday with any of these people?

January 3, 1892 - J.R.R. Tolkien, author, Lord of the Rings

January 18, 1882 - A.A. Milne, created Winnie the Pooh

January 19, 1809 - Edgar Allan Poe, author, horror stories

January 27, 1832 - Lewis Carroll, author, Alice in Wonderland

2 

Testing Your Knowledge

Who Is This Famous Actor?

Let's see if you can figure out who this famous actor is. Read further through the newsletter to see if you are right!

This actor was born in 1956 in Lancashire, England.

He studied English at the University of Manchester where he decided to go into acting.

He's performed at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and is still active in the theatre.

He's also been three different characters in Coronation Street.

3 

Tea News Bits

Programming You Don't Want to Miss

Monday evening, January 1 brings some excellent programming. At 9:00 p.m. you can enjoy Great Performances From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2007. Then at 10:30 p.m., On Stage at the Kennedy Center presents The Mark Twain Prize 2004.

Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Silk Stocking airs on Masterpiece Theatre on Friday, January 5 at 9:00 p.m. On Sunday evening, January 7, two Masterpiece Theatre programs air. At 8:00 p.m. catch Part One of Bleak House and then at 10:00 p.m. you can see Part One of The Virgin Queen.

Mystery airs on Friday, January 12 at 9:00 p.m. with Hetty Wainthrop: For Love Nor Money and then at 11:30 p.m. To The Manor Born will complete your evening.

Sunday, January 14, brings you Part Two of Mystery's Bleak House and The Virgin Queen beginning at 8:30 p.m. Windsor Castle A Royal Year - The Banquet is on Tuesday, January 16 at 10:00 p.m.

Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House - Part Three is on Sunday, January 21 at 8:00 p.m. followed by Masterpiece Theatre: Jane Eyre - Part One at 9:00 p.m.

At 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 23, you can enjoy Windsor Castle: A Royal Year - Four Seasons. This is followed by Passions of Prince Charles: A King in Waiting at 11:00 p.m. National Geographic brings you The New Royals on Thursday, January 25 at 10:00 p.m. followed by Monty Python's Personal Best: Terry Gilliam's Personal Best at 11:00 p.m.

Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House Part Four will be on Sunday, January 28 at 8:00 p.m. with Jane Eyre - Part Two airing at 9:00 p.m.

And all your favorites are on each Saturday evening in January beginning at 6:00 p.m. with Rosemary and Thyme, Antiques Roadshow, followed by all of your favorite Brit Coms.

Happy viewing in the New Year!

Bid to Cheer Up Commuters

A merry marketing manager is on a mission to get the capital's "miserable" commuters to be nice to one another. As the season of good will approaches, 28-year-old Liz Akers has launched a scheme enabling stressed out commuters to pass each other "niceties" tokens - simply for being friendly. Miss Akers dreamt up the idea after becoming sick of the mass of miserable faces on her daily commute to work into Central London.

The 100 clay tokens were given out at a launch party on November 18, come in an array of colours and carry the address of a website where token owners can register their act of kindness, before passing it on. People in possession of the tokens can pass them on to someone simply for smiling at them, giving up their seat, or just because they like the look of someone.

www.thisislocallondon.co.uk

How Bond's Theme Began

When composer Monty Norman relegated his newest composition to the proverbial 'bottom drawer," little did he know that one day it would become one of the most recognisable themes in film history. But that's exactly what happened to Monty's song, Bad Sign, Good Sign, which although originally written for a musical version of V.S. Naipaul's novel, A House for Mr. Biswas, was later adapted into the James Bond Theme.

Monty was commissioned to write the soundtrack for the first Bond movie Dr. No. He decided to pull the forgotten song out of his drawer. Monty says, "I looked at the basic melody of Bad Sign, Good Sign. I decided to take out the slur notes and turned it into split notes. It was then I immediately realized this was the theme for James Bond."

www.thisislocallondon.co.uk

4 

The Metta Catharina and a fine leather craftsman
by Jon Coe

Almost 30 years ago when I hadn't a clue what I was going to do with the rest of my life, I was introduced to two brothers by my Father.

I was just starting to venture into my landscaping future and the older brother, John, was also interested in putting his mark on the Cornish landscape. We worked together for some time afterwards until he passed away at a very young age in the early 1980s. His brother, Robin, was a biology teacher and had just taken up the hobby of the art of leather working.

In the damp winters of the Cornish climate, I would help Robin with his venture of making belts and key rings and repairing the odd shoe or leather garment as it came along. I was young and willing to learn anything in order to earn a few bob, as they say.

A Fateful Meeting

One day, we visited a local pub, as we did as young lads, and Robin met a diver from the Nautical Archaeological Section (NAS). The NAS is a team of divers that were concentrating on a group of ship wrecks in the Plymouth Sound at the mouth of the Tamar which divides Devon from Cornwall. They were looking for a very special treasure. These waters were frequented by thousands of trading ships hundreds of years ago. The quiet waters of the Sound were a pleasant lure to many trading ships that would seek a safe haven on a long journey but when the wind whipped around to the southwest, there was no protection. The ships lay vulnerable and many perished at their anchorages.

The NAS had been looking for one particular vessel and at the eleventh hour they stumbled upon a very unique treasure. A brigantine called Frau Metta Catharina from the Danish port of Flensburg that had been commissioned in 1782 had been found 100 feet under the water. En route from Saint Petersburg, now known as Leningrad, to Grenada in the West Indies, it sunk in 1786 with cargo containing several hundred casks of Russian deer hide. Using archives from local newspapers, research showed that this ship had met with an unfortunate disaster. All the crew had been saved but the fate of the cargo was unknown.

The diving team had been working on this project for about 4 years when they met my friend Robin and it was pure fate that Robin had just started working with leather. Robin began talking to the diver and mentioned his interest in leather working. The NAS was looking for funding for their future archaeological underwater excavations and were very interested in the very enthusiastic Robin.

The diving expedition consisted mostly of volunteers. They experienced all the set backs that divers do - bends, cramps, loss of oxygen and risk of life. The conditions were not that favorable but they kept on with the excavation and spent several years bringing this leather treasure to the surface.

As time went on they were able to present Robin with a few samples from their diving expedition. Robin worked with what they produced but the initial samples were very brittle as they had been exposed to the elements for two hundred years.

Prince Charles, The Duke of Cornwall, has the final word over the fate of all ship wrecks off the Cornish coast. In the late seventies, he gave permission for Robin to use the leather from this ship wreck. A percentage of the sales were to go to the funding of the NAS for this expedition and others. Robin presented Prince Charles with a small leather bag made from one of the hides.

As technology improved, the divers were able to reach deeper into the mud which had become the preservation of these wonderful hides of leather. Eventually, as the dig went deeper, the quality of the hides improved as the deep sea mud had preserved the treasure. The divers call these finds "time capsules" and indeed they are.

As the deer hides were brought up from the muddy waters of Plymouth Sound, Robin was faced with a decision. His hobby and love were beginning to eat into his teaching time. Teaching high school teenagers biology was one thing, but creating quality leather products was another. He eventually opened a leather craft shop in a near by Cornish town. During the day, he would teach, whilst someone sat and sold the products he had worked on over the weekends. The demand became tremendous and he gave up his teaching post and settled into the creativity of the leather worker's profession.

A Reconnection

I had not seen nor spoken to Robin since 1981. We all get busy with our lives and time passes by.

My Mother passed away in the winter/spring of 2004. I had to attend to her estate as my Father had passed six years prior and I am the only child. I had to drop everything and travel to Cornwall.

I was at my local village post office taking care of several delicate issues associated with my Mother's affairs, when I looked to the back of the growing line of customers that I had created; I noticed a character that was growing slightly impatient. It was Robin. He was older and so was I. Twenty-three years had passed; our lives had taken the usual twists and turns of aging and that was quite visible on his face! I was quite humble about mine!

That evening I was very kindly invited to Robin's home and met his wife and son. Over the many years, he had produced a very loving family and a successful leather craft business.

At the back of his house was a workshop. There were deer hides stretching and drying all over his back yard. It was a familiar sight for me, albeit 23 years later.

As I mentioned previously, Robin's brother and I had been close friends in the late 70's and up until he died. John was a talented sculptor and would roam the local beaches looking for wooden projects. In Robin's back yard stood a sculpture of a human torso, which John had done around 1979. It took me right back to that time. Robin was very happy to be reunited with someone that had a missing piece of his brother! Since then, Robin and I have kept in touch through this wonderful form of instant communication, called email.

Although the British do not celebrate Thanksgiving, I spent my Thanksgiving season this year with Robin and his family. It was wonderful staying there in their toasty little cottage in the middle of the Cornish landscape! A lot of places in the United Kingdom are a comfort zone. It doesn't matter if it is raining and cold, there are plenty of artifacts, quaint architecture and wildlife to keep one occupied.

One thing that is quite noticeable as you travel to the southwest from Heathrow airport is the amount of farm land. Almost every field has a herd of grazing sheep.

Whilst watching Robin prepare the deer hide by cleaning and treating it with various absorbent products that he had concocted, I realized there is a lot of preparation carried out before one of these hides can be transformed into a Doctor's bag, a violin case, or even an elegant pair of shoes. Robin does it all.

As I was there, he was working on a leather strap that would support a wooden beam on the mast of a local Oyster boat. This is very traditional and this design dates back about two hundred years.

In one of Shakespeare's plays, I think it is Twelfth Night, one of the characters' said, "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."

In this case, I see a ship wreck and a diving team that loved to hunt in murky waters. They needed help with their expedition and there was a creative person that loved to work with his hands. Robin's work with the salvaged leather is nothing short of great.

5 

It's National Hot Tea Month

Editor's Note: We came across this press release while looking for information to give you about National Hot Tea Month. We thought you would find this very informative.

Ring in the New Year with Tea – Help to Lose Weight and Boost Immune System and Heart Health

Perhaps it's no coincidence that January is National Hot Tea Month, a time when many people resolve to lose weight in the New Year. Tea, which studies suggest may be associated with decreased risk of heart disease and cancer, may also help in the battle against the bulge. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that substances in tea may promote weight loss by increasing the amount of energy spent by the body. The researchers theorize that green tea, which has thermogenic properties that promote fat oxidation as a result of the catechins contained in tea, may work together with other chemicals to increase weight loss. This is potentially good news for the more than half of Americans who are either overweight or obese and want to begin the New Year by losing weight.

In the study, healthy young men (average age: 25) ate a typical Western diet for six weeks and took either two green tea extracts (the equivalent of one cup of green tea) plus 50 milligrams of caffeine; 50 milligrams of caffeine only; or a placebo, with each of three meals a day. Those men taking the green tea extracts, equivalent to a total of three cups of tea per day, experienced a significant increase in the number of calories used in a 24-hour period - resulting in more fats being metabolized by the body for energy - then the men taking only the caffeine or placebo. There was no difference in overall calorie or fat burning calories in the caffeine or placebo groups; only the tea group showed the weight loss results.

Another study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, suggests that tea catechins may help resist the development of obesity. Japanese researchers compared the body of weight and fat mass of mice that were fed a low-fat or high-fat diet, with swimming or not and with or without tea catechins. Those mice that were fed a high-fat diet with tea catechins but without exercise showed reduced fat accumulation of 18 percent while exercise alone showed reduced fat accumulation of 14 percent. Mice that exercised and consumed the catechins showed reduced fat accumulation of 33 percent.

In addition to possibly helping our bodies look better on the outside, tea may also help our bodies on the inside. That's because black and green tea may help boost the body's immune system, which provides the body's natural ability to fight viral infections such as cold and flu. Research reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that people who drank 20 ounces of black tea per day (the equivalent of approximately three cups) produced five times the amount of germ-fighting cells as those who drank coffee. This suggests that tea drinkers may have a better chance of fighting off an infection than non-tea drinkers.

"The evidence continues to mount associating tea consumption with reduced risk of heart disease and cancer, and healthy weight. Indeed, it appears that tea may offer a powerhouse of disease-fighting potential," says Jenna Bell-Wilson, Ph.D., RD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Allied Medicine, The Ohio State University Medical Center. "And knowing that the resolutions we're most likely to stick with beyond January are those that require small changes in behavior, it only makes good sense to choose a beverage like tea, which may give you this health boost, over something else."

A multitude of research suggests that drinking tea should be included as part of a healthy diet and may contribute to overall health. The most recent findings, published in the December 2005 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, showed that women who consumed two or more cups of tea daily over a period of time lowered their risk of ovarian cancer by 46% compared with women who never or seldom consumed tea. The study found that each additional cup of tea consumed per day was associated with an 18% lower risk of ovarian cancer.

Other research connecting tea with potential health benefits include studies that suggest:

• Cardiovascular health benefits, including reduced risk of heart attack, stroke and improved blood vessel function
• Reduced risk of certain cancers, including colorectal and skin cancers
• Reduced levels of oxidative DNA damage and increases in antioxidant levels in blood stream
• Oral health benefits, as researchers believe certain compounds in tea may inhibit bacteria that cause bad breath and plaque, and the fluoride content in tea supports healthy tooth enamel

"January's National Hot Tea Month can serve as a reminder to do something healthy for ourselves, like brew a hot cup of tea, which may provide a variety of health benefits, serves as a weight loss aid and help to ward off persistent cold and flu germs,," said Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Council of the USA. "What more could you ask in a beverage."

– Barbara King/Melissa McAllister, Pollock communications, Inc.

6 

Tea With Jane Austen
by Kim Wilson

7 

Tea Advisor

Essential Components of Tea

When is a tea not a tea? When it's an herbal infusion, or tisane. Technically speaking, only a beverage made from the leaves of one plant, Camellia sinensis, can truly be called tea. If that's the case, what is an herbal tea?

Broadly speaking, all teas are herbal, since an herb is any plant, shrub, or tree capable of affecting our lives through its aroma, taste, flavor, or therapeutic use. True teas, made from Camellia sinensis, use the leaves and buds to create their brew. Herbal teas encompass a variety of plant parts, from leaves and flowers to roots and bark. Processed in much the same way as green tea, these plant parts are dried soon after harvesting to avoid any fermentation.

The New Tea Book | By Sara Perry

Lu Yu, Chinese Tea Authorities

Tea is made from an evergreen tree. At the beginning of The Classic of Tea, Lu Yu wrote:

Tea is from a grand tree in the south. The tree may grow from one or two feet to as much as twelve. In the rivers and gorges of the province of Szechwan are trees whose girth is such that it requires two men to embrace them. Those trees must be felled for plucking.

This comes as a surprise to those who have only seen conventional tea plantations with their 'table' of thigh-high shrubs. In fact, tea is a tree that if given space and left unpruned will grow to a height of forty feet or more. There is a wild tree growing in China, on the border of Yunnan province and Myanmar (formerly Burma), which is believed to be 1,700 years old, and which when last measured was over three feet in diameter and 108 feet tall. Even pruned trees develop a massive root system, with a taproot reaching down twenty feet or more. It is this root system, pumping up into a severely pruned bush, which results in the continual production of masses of new shoots, which when regularly plucked produce quality tea.

Tea | By Roy Moxham

8 

Mystery of the Month

What Is Your Guess? Mystery Trivia

Case One

People from around the world attend a series of professional sporting events, even though they know who will win. The players and referees claim that the games are not rigged and the final score does vary - but the outcome is always the same.

The Mystery
Where is the winning team from and what sport do they play?

Clues

• Both men and women have played for the winning team.
• The sport was invented in America, but is played all around the world.
• The team's players often sport clever nicknames.
• The team's players are famous for their fancy footwork.
• Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain is one of the team's most famous players
• The team hails from the Big Apple, but has been around the globe.

Case Two

A man walks to a place where nothing will happen for several hours. He stands in a city square with thousands of other people - many of whom are speaking foreign languages. The man checks his watch regularly and looks upward in nervous anticipation.

The Mystery
Where is the man and what is he waiting for?

Clues

• The man is in the United States.
• Camera crews are standing by.
• The man is waiting for something to begin - and to end.
• The man is on Broadway, but is not a performer.
• The man receives several kisses from strangers.
• The man is expecting fireworks, but it's not July.

Be sure to check the February 2007 edition of the Tea Times for the answers

Answers to December Mysteries:

Case One: The men were astronauts on the moon
Case Two: David was trampled during the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

30 Second Mysteries, © University Games

9 

England's Calendar of Events | January

Peels New Years Day Dip

January 1 (every year)

The New Year's Day Dip on Peel Beach has been raising money for charity by persuading the brave and the foolhardy to take a quick dip in the Irish Sea for 20 years. There can't be a better way to brace yourself for the year ahead than to wade boldly into the icy January waters around the Isle of Man. All swimmers get a medal and certificate and there are prizes for the best fancy dress and the oldest and youngest entrants. So far the record has been set at either end of the scale by a 98-year-old woman and a six-month-old baby boy. Around 200 people make it into the water each year, with visitors from as far afield as South Africa and Canada.

www.whatsonwhen.com

London Art Fair

January 17-21 (every year)

The London Art Fair returns to the Business Design Centre in Islington. One hundred of the UK's leading galleries present a broad range of work spanning everything from early 20th century British Art to recent works, aimed at established collectors and casual visitors alike. This year's event welcomes the launch of Photo50, a permanent photographic section, and the third year of Art Projects, with 20 projects from selected galleries created exclusively for the fair, giving dealers the freedom to experiment, show less commercial work and show off the personality of their gallery. Also new for 2007 is the Collectors Lounge, a stylish place to relax away from the crowds.

www.whatsonwhen.com

London International Mime Festival

January 12-28 (every year)

Internationally recognised as the world's leading showcase for innovative and entertaining visual theatre, the London International Mime Festival, founded in 1977, is the largest event of its kind in the world. Artists perform in a number of venues across the capital, including the South Bank Centre, Royal Opera House and the ICA, attracting an annual audience of around 16,000 people.

www.whatsonwhen.com

January Dates of Note

January 1, 1772 - The London Credit Exchange Company issued the first traveler's checks.

January 1, 1927 - The BBC began broadcasting its first programmes.

January 1, 1931 - Traffic policeman were introduced in Great Britain.

January 2, 1770 - A huge Christmas pie was baked for holiday consumption in London, according to the Newcastle Chronicle. It was made of "two bushels of flour, twenty pounds of butter, four geese, two turkeys, two rabbits, four wild ducks, two woodcocks, six snipes, four partridges, two neats' tongues, two curlews, seven blackbirds, and six pigeons. It was nearly nine feet in circumference at bottom, and weighed about twelve stone." (A stone is equivalent to 14 pounds in the Imperial System of Weights and Measures.)

January 10, 1864 - The London Underground began operation.

January 11, 1954 - The first televised weather broadcast featuring a presenter on screen was transmitted from the BBC's Lime Grove Studios.

January 11, 1864 - Charring Cross Station, London, opened.

January 14, 1986 - Motorists were required by law to wear seat belts.

January 17, 1912 - Robert Scott and his party reached the South Pole.

January 21, 1930 - The BBC in London made its first world broadcast.

January 28, 1807 - On the evening of this day, London's Pall Mall became the first street in the world to be lit by gas lights.

January 29, 1856 - The Victoria Cross originated from this date. The medals were made from the metals of guns captured in the Crimea.

www.woodlands-juniot.kent.sch.uk

ANSWER!
Who Is This Famous Actor from Page 2?:
Philip Bretherton

10 

Reading Tea Leaves

We don't claim to be in any way close to being experts in reading tea leaves but we thought it might be fun to try your hand at this as you sit around during these cold days. Good luck and we hope 2007 brings all good things to you!

GYPSY'S SECRET...The Tea Reading

Ritual

Put a pinch of tea leaves in the cup and pour boiling water over them, allowing it to stand about three minutes. Drink the contents of the cup, leaving tea leaves and a very small amount of liquid in the bottom

The persons whose fortune is to be told, called the "sitter" or "consultant," should then take the cup by the handle in the left hand, rim upwards, and move it in a circle rapidly three times from the left to right. Some of the tea leaves will seem to cling to the sides of the cup while others remain in the bottom. Next slowly invert the cup over the saucer and leave it there until all liquid drains away.

The "sitter" should approach the oracle in all seriousness and during the ritual should concentrate on his or her future destiny and "wish" that the symbol shall correctly represent happenings to come.

The handle of the cup represents the "sitter" in his or her own "sphere" or "residence" and is the "south" point of the compass. This fixed point designates "letters to" the consultant or "journeys away from," "visitors to be expected," distance "to and from," etc.

The cup is divided into three parts. The rim designates the present; the side, events not far distant; and the bottom the distant future. The nearer the symbols appear to the handle the nearer to fulfillment will be events foretold.

Telling Fortunes

Now the "seer" receives the cup from the "sitter" and proceeds to tell "his" or "her" fortune, unless of course one is to tell one's own fortune. The "seer" should concentrate upon the cup and upon the "consultant." The "seer" will observe that the tea leaves are scattered over the cup in apparent confusion but it will be noted after concentration that they form lines, circles, dots, small groups and figures.

Note carefully the shapes and figures assumed by the leaves. Turn the cup and view from different angles until the symbols become clear. Be patient and search carefully for symbols and not their position. The more you search, the clearer they become. Note the resemblance to various objects, and their relation to each other. Sometimes bad omens will be offset by good ones; good ones may be strengthened or weakened by others, good or evil, and so on.

"The tea cup (right) reveals good fortune (1,4,5) for you. I see a lover (3) and much success. I see the letter "L" - perhaps his name begins with "L" but you have not met him yet because he seems to be in the future - not far distant perhaps but not in the present. I see success is about to crown some venture you have undertaken or are about to undertake. But there seems to be difficulties closing in upon (2) you in the near future."

"Fear not in this tea cup good fortune more than outweighs the bad. I see a marriage, possible your own (4) or a friend's. It seems certain that this good fortune that is coming will be most unexpected."

Such objects as cats, trees, flowers, letters, numbers, etc., will be discerned by the exercise of the "seer's" observation and imagination. Possibly these may be unconsciously strengthened by a keen intuition. Each symbol possesses some significance. They may be large or small and their size may determine their relative importance. For instance: if the likeness of a "Septre" should be observed, it would mean that the "sitter" should expect some honor bestowed upon him or her. If the symbol were small, the honor received would be small and if the symbol were large, the honor might be great.

Then again: a few tea leaves may form a group that might in turn form a letter such as "M." If this letter "M" should be close to a symbol resembling a "serpent" which is bad luck, it might mean that the "sitter" should guard against an enemy whose name begins with "M." If on the other hand, the letter "M" should appear near a symbol of a bird flying towards the handle of the cup (the "residence") it might mean that the sitter would receive a letter from, or news of, a person whose name begins with "M." If on the other hand, the letter "M" should appear near a symbol of a bird flying towards the handle of the cup (the "residence") it might mean that the sitter would receive a letter from, or news of, a person whose name begins with "M." If the bird were flying away from the "residence," the sitter would be sending a letter to the person "M."

The small tea leaves frequently form lines. A line means a journey, a long line a long journey, etc. The direction of the journey may be determined by the direction of the line. If a line should approach and reach the handle and the sitter should be away from home it would mean that the "sitter" would move to another residence. A wavy or broken line means delayed journeys and straight-line quick journeys. If a number such as '6" should be observed, it would mean a journey of six days or six weeks; or possibly a journey to be taken in six weeks, etc.

Dots surrounding a symbol indicate money in some form depending on the symbol. Should a leaf cling to the edge or rim of the cup, some event foretold by the symbols in the cup is imminent. Someone may be thinking of the "sitter" at the very moment. Look for a letter to find a clue to the identity of this person.

Observe the complete picture as a whole as well as individual symbols for often-bad omens may outweigh good omens or vice versa. One large distinct good omen may outweigh several smaller hazy bad omens. Good and bad should be balanced against each other in determining the forecast.

If mysteries should be revealed to you, question them if you will, but cherish and keep the Gypsy's secret.

Princess Romana, www.teausa.com

Meaning of Symbols (compiled from several sources)

Acorn - continued good health; improved health Heavenly Bodies - (sun, moon, stars) - good luck; great happiness and success
Anchor - Lucky symbol. Success in business or love. If blurred or indistinct, just the reverse. A voyage.
Angel - good news
Arch - a journey
Arrow - bad news
Axe - difficulties to overcome
Bear - anticipated danger
Birds - good news or travel by air
Bouquet - luckiest symbol; fulfillment of desires
Butterfly - anticipated pleasure
Cat - good luck; treachery if in the bottom of the cup
Circle - wedding; trust and love
Crescent Moon - changes
Dog - good and faithful friends
Eagle - strength; overcoming adversity
Egg - increase
Elephant - good luck; good health; happiness
Eye - understanding
Fish - very good fortune
Fork - a change in directions
Frog - romantic conquest
Fruits - if in season, contentment
Heart - love; a lover. If close to a ring, marriage to the present lover. If indistinct, the lover is fickle.
Horseshoe - good luck; prosperity
Kite - long journey
Knife - arguments
Ladder - advancement
Lion - powerful
Lines - advancement; long life
Moon (crescent) - romantic involvement; prosperity, fame. If cloudy, difficulties will be solved.
Mouth - listen carefully
Mushroom - separation, business or personal
Owl - sickness or poverty; warning against starting new venture
Palm Tree - good omen. Success in any undertaking
Pig - faithful lover; envious friends
Rabbit - an absent friend needs help
Rainbow - good luck to come
Ring - marriage
Scissors - separation
Square - comfort
Sun - warmth and happiness
Tree - wishes will come true
Triangles - unforeseen legacy; unexpected good fortune
Vulture - theft

Compiled from: www.estatetea.com, www.teausa.com, www.joyofbaking.com
Sources: Baking with the American Harvest Newsletter - by Cindy Mushet

11 

Glossary of Tea Terms

Keep reading future editions of the Tea Times to learn about more tea terms!

O - P Oolong Tea - From the Chinese wu-lung, meaning "black dragon." A semi-fermented tea of fine quality, traditionally hand-rolled and fired in baskets over pits containing red hot charcoal. Originally from China, now also from Taiwan (Formosa). Orthodox - The traditional rolling table method of tea production that maximizes large leaf grades and gives good aroma and flavour. Pan Fired - A kind of green tea that is dried in iron pans over charcoal fires.

Pingsuey - A type of China green tea. The word "pingsuey" actually means "ice water." Pinheads - Small shotty gunpowder green teas. Plain - Term used to describe dull liquor often with a rather sour taste. Point - Attractive brightness and acidity of liquor. Pungent - Pleasantly astringent in the mouth. www.nbtea.co.uk

Did you miss M-N? Take a look at last month's edition.

12 

Bangers and Mash

It's cold outside! Treat your family with a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meal to ward off the winter chill. Round it out with a side of steamed vegetables of your choice.

Ingredients:

• 8 large baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 teaspoons butter, divided
• ½ cup milk, or as needed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ½ pounds of beef sausage
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 (.75 ounce) package of dry brown gravy mix
• 1 cup water, or as needed.

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, and mash with 1 teaspoon of butter, and enough milk to reach your desired creaminess. Continue mashing, or beat with an electric mixer, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until heated through. Remove from pan, and set aside. Add remaining teaspoon of butter to skillet, and fry the onions over medium heat until tender. Mix gravy mix and water as directed on the package, and add to the skillet with the onions. Simmer, stirring constantly, to form a thick gravy.
3. Pour half of the gravy into a square casserole dish so that it coats the bottom. Place sausages in a layer over the gravy (you can butterfly the sausages if you wish). Pour remaining gravy over them, then top with mashed potatoes.
4. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until potatoes are evenly brown.

www.allrecipes.com

13 

Afternoon Teaisms

Rhymes and Wits

Enough Happiness to Make You Happy

During the year may you have
Enough happiness to keep you sweet.
Enough trials to keep you strong.
Enough sorrow to keep you human.
Enough hope to keep you happy.
Enough failure to keep you humble.
Enough success to keep you eager.
Enough friends to give you comfort.
Enough wealth to meet your needs.
Enough enthusiasm to make you look forward to tomorrow.
Enough determination to make each day better than the day before.

– author unknown, www.funmunch.com

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