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Editor's Note
Welcome to the end of another year! It's amazing how quickly time passes.
To help you celebrate, the Tea Times includes The Top 10 Things to Do in London at Christmas. It's always fun to know how things are done on the other side of the pond.
December programming abounds with music! Make sure you read the News Bits section to see what an incredible variety MPT is offering this month.
"Hey, hey, it's the Monkees." Read further to see who is celebrating a birthday this month.
Are you entertaining during the season? If so, check out the recipes for a tea punch and a different twist on ham. Serve your guests something they'll be talking about into the new year!
No matter how you celebrate this holiday season, all of us send our best wishes for a season of peace and love and a happy and healthy New Year!
The Tea Times Newsletter Staff
1
They Say It's Your Birthday!
Do you share a birthday with any of these people?
December 19, 1790
Sir William Parry – Arctic explorer
December 20, 1952
Jenny Agutter – actress
December 25, 1971
Dido – singer
December 30, 1945
Davy Jones – singer, member of the "Monkees"
2
The Wars of the Roses
Richard moved to press his claim to the throne based on the illegitimacy of the Lancastrian line. Landing in north Wales, he and his wife Cecily entered London with all the ceremony usually reserved for a monarch. Parliament was assembled, and when York entered he made straight for the throne, which he may have been expecting the lord to encourage him to take for himself as they had Henry IV in 1399. Instead, there was a stunned silence. He announced his claim to the throne, but the lords, even Warwick and Salisbury, were shocked by his presumption; they had no desire at this stage to overthrow King Henry. Their ambition was still limited to the removal of his bad councilors.
The next day, York produced detailed genealogies to support his claim based on his descent from Lionel of Antwerp and was met with more understanding. Parliament agreed to consider the matter and accepted that York's claim was better, but by majority of five, they voted that Henry VI should remain as king. A compromise was struck in October 1460 with the Act of Accord, which recognized York as Henry's successor, disinheriting Henry's six year old sold, Edward. York accepted this compromise as the best offer. It gave him much of what he wanted, particularly since he was also made Protector of the Realm and was able to govern in Henry's name. Margaret was ordered out of London with Prince Edward. The Act of Accord proved unacceptable to the Lancastrians, who rallied to Margaret, forming a large army in the north.
 Ruins of Sandal Castle, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire
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The Duke of York left London later that year with the Earl of Salisbury to consolidate his position in the north against Margaret's army, reported to be massing near the city of York. Richard took up a defensive position at Sandal Castle near Wakefield at Christmas 1460. Although outnumbered by more than two to one, Richard's forces left the castle, attacked, and suffered a devastating defeat at the Battle of Wakefield on December 30. Richard was slain in the battle, and both Salisbury and Richard's 17-year-old second son, Edmund, Earl of Rutland, were captured and beheaded. Margaret ordered the heads of all three placed on the gates of York. This event, or the later defeat of Richard III, inspired the mnemonic "Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain" for the seven colours of the rainbow.
The Act of Accord and the events of Wakefield left the 18-year-old Edward, Earl of March, York's eldest son, as Duke of York and the heir to the throne. Salisbury's death left Warwick, his heir, as the biggest landowner in England. Margaret travelled to Scotland to negotiate for Scottish assistance. Mary of Gueldres, Queen of Scotland agreed to give Margaret an army on condition that she cede the town of Berwick to Scotland and Mary's daughter be betrothed to Prince Edward. Margaret agreed, although she had no funds to pay her army and could only promise booty from the riches of southern England, as long as no looting took place north of the River Trent. She took her army to Hull, recruiting more men as she went.
 Parhelion at sunset
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Edward of York meanwhile, with an army from the pro-Yorkist Marches (the border area between England and Wales), met the Earl of Pembroke's army arriving from Wales, and he defeated them soundly at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross in Herefordshire. He inspired his men with a "vision" of three suns at dawn (a phenomenon known as "parhelion"), telling them that it was a portent of victory and represented the three surviving York sons; himself, George and Richard. This lead to Edward's later adoption of the sign of the sunne in splendor as his personal emblem.
Margaret was moving South, wreaking havoc as she progressed, her army supporting itself by looting as it passed through the prosperous south of England. In London, Warwick used this is as propaganda to reinforce Yorkist support throughout the south - the town of Coventry switched allegiance to the Yorkists. Warwick failed to start raising an army soon enough and, without Edward's army to reinforce him, was caught off-guard by the Lancastrian's early arrival at St. Albans. At the Second Battle of St. Albans the Queen won the Lancastrians' most decisive victory yet, and as the Yorkist forces fled they left behind King Henry, who was found unharmed, sitting quietly beneath a tree.
Henry knighted thirty Lancastrian soldiers immediately after the battle. In an illustration of the increasing bitterness of the war, Queen Margaret instructed her seven-year-old son Edward of Westminster, to determine the manner of execution of the Yorkist knights who had been charged with keeping Henry safe and had stayed at his side throughout the battle.
As the Lancastrian army advanced southwards, a wave of dread swept London, where rumours were rife about savage northerners intent on plundering the city. The people of London shut the city gates and refused to supply food to the queen's army, which was looting the surrounding counties of Herfordshire and Middlesex.
...to be continued.
www.wikipedia.org
3
Tea News Bits
December Programming
December means Pledge at MPT and many, many wonderful programs to enjoy. We can't begin to list them all, but here are some highlights!
The Brit Coms will not be on the first week of December nor will they be on the Saturdays of December 6, 13, or 20 but you have some fine programs to watch in their place. Begin your December television viewing by watching Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work at 1:30 pm on Monday, December 1. This is followed by Celtic Women at 3 pm and Radio City Christmas Spectacular at 5 pm.
After the nightly news programs, we bring you Victor Borge: 100 Years of Music & Laughter at 8 pm. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon comes on at 9:30 pm (repeats on Friday, December 5 at 10 p.m.) and then The Doors: Live in Europe at 11 pm.
Tuesday, December 2 brings us Great Performances: Domingo, Netrebko & Villazon: Three Stars in Vienna for our afternoon viewing enjoyment at 1:30 p.m. At 3 p.m., Victor Borge: 100 Years of Music & Laughter returns.
If you enjoy Great Performances on Tuesday, tune in Wednesday, December 3 at 1:30 p.m. for Pavoratti: A Life in Seven Arias. Stay tuned and switch gears at 3:30 p.m. for My Music: Love Songs of the 50s and 60s.
The evening of December 3 don't miss the premiere of MPT-produced 3 Mo' Divas: A New Concert Smashing Musical Barriers. You will love this! It's electrifying! This will repeat on Saturday, December 13 at 4 p.m.
On Thursday, December 4 at 3 p.m., continue enjoying the great music we bring, this time with Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia. This program repeats in the evening at 10 p.m. But before this, at 8 p.m., dance to American Soundtrack: Doo Wops Greatest Hits.
Saturday, December 6 brings us more music! At 10 a.m., Celtic Women: A New Journey will be on. At 1:30 p.m. Doo Wops Greatest Hits repeats and at 7 p.m. Boyz II Men: Motown Journey Through Hitsville USA will be brought to you.
And this is just the first week of December!
There is music beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday, December 7 and goes through the day. At 5:00 p.m. Thundering Hooves: Maryland Steeplechase Racing, an MPT production, returns. This is followed by Anúna: Christmas Memories at 6:30 p.m. (repeats on Monday, December 22 at 10 p.m. and Wednesday, December 24 at 11 p.m.) followed by Pavarotti in Central Park at 8 p.m.
Monday, December 9 at 8 p.m., Frontline brings us From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians. Wednesday, December 10 at 9:30 p.m. we offer Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
On Saturday, December 13, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison will be on for our viewing enjoyment.
Not dancing material for sure but immensely important viewing, will be on Monday, December 14 at 9 p.m. with Get Ready for Digital. It's a fact that on February 17, 2009 the analog signal that we are all used to watching will be turned off and all signals will be digital. Get the facts during this half-hour program. This is followed at 9:30 p.m. by Richard Tucker Music Foundation: An Opera Celebration.
Blues Divas comes to us on Tuesday, December 14 at 9 p.m. Wednesday, December 17 at 8 p.m. brings us another Great Performances - this time Dance in America: San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker.
Sunday, December 21 at 3:30 p.m., tune into Lights: Celebrate Hanukkah Live in Concert. Gather the children around the television on Tuesday, December 23 at 8 p.m. for Arthur's Perfect Christmas. Rick Steve's European Christmas follows at 9 p.m. and then Great Performances: Renee Fleming Sacred Songs and Carols at 10 p.m.
Stay with us on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24 for Christmas with the Morman Tabernacle Choir Featuring the King's Singers at 8 p.m. The music continues at 9 p.m. with Christmas Celtic Sojourn Live, followed by Celtic Women: A Christmas Celebration and then, as we mentioned earlier, Anúna: Christmas Memories.
Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25 will bring us more beautiful programming beginning at 9 p.m. with Nature: Christmas in Yellowstone, then Holiday Homecoming with Angela Brown and, finally, Mr. Christmas.
Sunday, December 28, tune in for Walking the Bible from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
New Year's Eve at 9:30 p.m. tune in for Live From Lincoln Center: New York Philharmonic New Year's Eve Gala Concert. You can share a glass of the bubbly while watching!
Last, but certainly not least, Volvo Ocean Race, with all of its highly intense action, comes to you each Saturday in December at 6 p.m. You don't want to miss a minute of this race!
What do you want to know more about?
If you have a topic that you would like to know more about, please drop us a line at tealady@mpt.org. We'll explore the opportunities to bring you the information you have interest in.
4
Top 10 Things to Do at Christmas in London
There is so much to do at Christmas in London every year. What I love most is the way London empties on Christmas Eve when all the workers leave to see their families across the country. Join us for some crazy shopping throughout December and them some tranquility between Christmas and the New Year. Read on to find out more about what happens over the holiday season in London.
 © Laura Porter
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1. West End Christmas Lights
London lights up at Christmas - literally! Check out these photos of London's West End taken in the evening when it's really worth visiting the big stores on Oxford Street and Regent Street. And it won't cost you a penny!
When? The lights are switched on in mid-November.
» More information
 © www.savident.com
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2. Ice Skating Rinks
Every winter outdoor ice skating rinks appear all over London. Check out the details here for this year's ice skating opportunities in London. Most are open late in the evening and many have special events happening throughout the season. You'll find all the information you need under each picture.
When? Open from mid-November to mid-January.
» More information
 © Laura Porter
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3. Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree
Trafalgar Square benefits from a huge Christmas Tree each year as a present from Norway for the country's help during the Second World War. The tree is usually over 20 meters high and 50-60 years old. The tree usually stays till the Twelfth Night of Christmas, 6 January, when it is taken down to be chipped and composted.
When? The lights are switched on in the evening on the first Thursday in December.
» More information
4. Santa's Grottos - Meet Father Christmas!
You can meet Santa in London's department stores:
Sit on Santa's knee and tell him what you want him to bring you for Christmas. Of course, he would prefer you take a small child to meet him but Santa is always happy to meet everyone!
When? Early December to 24 December
 © countrylivingfair.com
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5. Festive Fairs
Shopping is a national sport throughout December so join in by going to a Festive Fair. The Frost Fair is becoming more popular every year and the Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair is the perfect opportunity to get ready early for Christmas.
» More information
 Photo by Dee Conway
© ENB |
6. English National Ballet
The English National Ballet Christmas season is a fabulous tradition which has included The Nutcracker for over 50 years.
This December, the Company returns to the London Coliseum with the much-loved Christmas favorite The Nutcracker, as well as The Sleeping Beauty and, in a new production for English National Ballet, the tragic love story Manon.
When? From mid-December to mid-January.
» More information
 © Hackney Empire
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7. Pantomimes
We have a wonderful English tradition of family theater where men dress as fat ugly women and women star as the lead 'boy'. You'll find plenty of C and D list 'celebrities' from soap operas and the like, who enjoy making complete fools of themselves. Oh, how could you not enjoy this? There's great audience participation when we get to shout, "He's behind you!" when they can't see the baddies. I always try to catch the annual pantomime at Hackney Empire. Hilarious, and not just for the kids.
When? Throughout December and January.
» More information
 © Laura Porter
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8. Great Christmas Pudding Race
On a Saturday morning in December, about 150 race contestants wear fancy dress and run around Covent Garden while trying to balance a Christmas pudding on a plate! Obstacles, such as balloons full of flour, are put in their way to make it even more fun to watch. It's a charity event to raise money for Cancer Research.
When? Saturday morning in mid-December.
» More information
 © Laura Porter
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9. Geffrye Museum's 'Christmas Past'
Each year, the Geffrye Museum's twelve period rooms are decorated in authentic festive style, providing a magical glimpse into Christmases gone. Christmas Past explores the origins and meanings of some of our more common customs, from kissing under the mistletoe to decorating the tree and throwing cocktail parties.
When? Late November to early January.
» More information
 © Laura Porter
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10. Christmas Carols
Carol singers from around the country come to Trafalgar Square to sing and raise money for charity.
When? Two weeks in mid-December.
» More information
by Laura Porter, About.com
5
The 20 Greatest Moments in British Comedy
The Insider's Michelle Street Reveals Her Picks
20.) MY HERO - ARNIE MEETS MRS. RAVEN
My Hero not only features the wonderful Ardal O'Hanlon as superhero George Sunday, but also boasts one of the best supporting characters in recent memory: the sarcastic, venom-spewing health center receptionist Mrs. Raven. Sparks - and insults - fly when Mrs. Raven meets her match in George's equally caustic cousin Arnie. What else can this lead to but love?
19.) ARE YOU BEING SERVED? - MR. LUCAS "SAVES" MRS. SLOCOMBE IN THE EPISODE FIRE PRACTICE
AYBS? is full of physical gags, but few are better than when Mr. Lucas has to lift Mrs. Slocombe over his shoulder during a practice fire drill. His attempts to keep her aloft are classic. Kudos to both Trevor Bannister and Mollie Sugden for a priceless sequence that makes you laugh no matter how many times you see it.
18.) FATHER TED - DOUGAL AND TED SING FOR IRELAND AT THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST IN THE EPISODE SONG FOR EUROPE
Father Ted Crilley may be a man of faith, but he still dreams of fame and fortune. An appearance at the Eurovision song contest may just be the ticket. Sadly, the song he and Father Dougal write - with its stolen melody and lame lyrics about "My Lovely Horse" - causes the competition to end on a sour note.
17.) LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE - COMPO IS LAID TO REST
When star Bill Owen died, it could not have been easy to write him out of the series. Compo was one of the original and most beloved characters in this long-running sitcom. Yet in a series of three episodes, writer Roy Clarke managed a remarkably poignant and funny tribute to the little man in the wooly hat.
16.) KEEPING UP APPEARANCES - HYACINTH IS DRENCHED WHILE BOATING ON THE RIVER
As Hyacinth Bucket, the usually dignified Patricia Routledge does whatever is needed to get a laugh. Allowing herself to be drenched in water at the end of WATERSIDE SUPPER WITH RIPARIAN ENTERTAINMENTS goes above and beyond the call of the duty but results in a hysterical moment. The "Queen wave" as she passes her family on the shore is a great end to this classic moment.
15.) RED DWARF - KRYTEN HELPS LISTER GET THE KEBAB OUT OF HIS PANTS
Sometimes the cheapest gags are the best. In POLYMORPH, Lister goes to eat a kebab that mysteriously changes shape and ends up down his pants. Kryten tries to help him remove the kebab and Rimmer finds the pair in what you would call a very compromising position.
14.) ARE YOU BEING SERVED? - MRS. SLOCOMBE'S GREEK WEDDING
When Mrs. Slocombe needs a last-minute replacement for her Greek fiancé, who it turns out was already married, her co-workers step in and give her a wedding to remember. They also give her a substitute groom to remember in the form of Mr. Humphries. One of the better AYBS? "dress up and dance" numbers.
13.) KEEPING UP APPEARANCES - HYACINTH AND ONSLOW DANCE ABOARD THE QE2
Hyacinth has always avoided association with her brother-in-law Onslow. Yet when he takes the spotlight as the winner of a free cruise on the QE2 she can't help but improve her social standing on the ship by shaking a leg with him.
12.) VICAR OF DIBLEY - GERALDINE FALLS FOR SIMON
Geraldine Grainger puts the needs of her parishioners first, even when she has a handsome man waiting for her. However, once everyone else is taken care of, Geraldine allows herself a memorable night of passion with David Horton's brother Simon. The look - and hair - on Dawn French as she comes downstairs in the morning is a riot.
11.) ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE - VICTOR'S DEMISE
When it was decided that One Foot in the Grave had run its course, writer David Renwick bravely decided to kill off its main character, the iconic Victor Meldrew. That way there could be absolutely no discussion of another series. The scene of Victor's death is not funny, but perfectly done. The image of his hat floating in the puddle and his arm falling to the ground is heartbreaking. The rest of the episode is sheer perfection as well, including the montage of Victor's greatest moments at the end.
10.) AS TIME GOES BY - LIONEL PROPOSES TO JEAN
It takes almost forty years to happen, but Lionel finally proposes to Jean. Writer Bob Larbey emphasizes the fact that love can come at any age - even when you're so old that, as in Lionel's case, getting down on one knee can cause some problems.
9.) FAWLTY TOWERS - BASIL WAITS ON THE GERMANS
Who can forget the classic "Don't mention the war!" and Cleese somewhat reprising the classic silly walk from his Monty Python days? (Interesting that the goosestep is preceded by the line, "Right, I'll do the silly walk," as if Cleese is acknowledging a part of his past that he'll never get rid of.) If this doesn't make you laugh until you snort you need treatment.
8.) KEEPING UP APPEARANCES - HYACINTH CLIMBS OVER WALLS TO GET TO DAISY'S HOUSE
Elizabeth is being neighborly and gives Hyacinth a lift to Daisy's house. Hyacinth doesn't want Elizabeth to know that her sister lives in a hovel, so she has her drop her off a few streets away. Hyacinth then makes her way to Daisy's house by climbing over walls and creeping through backyards. A great sequence made all the more remarkable by fact that, with no disrespect intended, Patricia Routledge wasn't exactly a spring chicken when she performed it.
7.) MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS - DEAD PARROTT SKETCH
Now, how many different ways did you learn to express that something has passed on thanks to this sketch? I know I picked up a few. An exquisite example of what the Pythons would refer to as a "Roget's Thesaurus" sketch, where they would go to the thesaurus and fill a skit with different ways of saying the same thing. Years later, Cleese and Palin would perform this at an Amnesty International benefit and it still had the ability to crack them up.
6.) YES, PRIME MINISTER - SIR HUMPHREY IS LOCKED OUT
Actually, there are a number of great moments in the episode THE KEY. Hacker takes away Sir Humphrey's key to Number 10 following a power struggle with another of Hacker's political advisors. Sir Humphrey's increasingly frantic attempts to regain access to Number 10 and the PM is a tour-de-force for co-star Nigel Hawthorne.
5.) BLACKADDER GOES FORTH - THEY FINALLY GO OVER THE TOP
Blackadder was known for its sarcasm, its similes and for sometimes plunging into toilet humor. Yet the ending - with Edmund and the troops going over the top to certain death - was as poignant and heartbreaking as they come. Producer John Lloyd is said to be responsible for the idea of the final shot of the battlefield turning into a field of poppies.
4.) GOOD NEIGHBORS - MARGO TRIES TO HELP OUT
Margo Leadbetter, played in a star-making turn by Penelope Keith, is one of British comedy's most enduringly funny characters. She is prim, starchy, and admittedly not someone who can take a joke. So when she slips in the mud while trying to help Tom and Barbara bring in their crop, her pride is wounded in a hilarious manner.
3.) BLACKADDER II - LORD FLASHEART STEALS "BOB"
Poor Edmund. Just when he's just found the love of his life in the form of "Bob," a girl he thought was a boy, his wedding day is ruined by the arrival of his best man, Lord Flasheart. Flash is a force of nature who makes all the women swoon. He ends up stealing Edmund's thunder - and his bride. Rik Mayall absolutely chews the scenery as Lord Flasheart. Woof!
2.) ARE YOU BEING SERVED? - GERMAN WEEK DANCE
Are You Being Served? has a number of fun production numbers, but the site of the Grace Brothers staff in lederhosen (especially Mr. Humphries!) is hands down the silliest and the best. Captain Peacock and a drunk Mrs. Slocombe taking it all a bit too seriously and getting into a slapping match makes it all the more perfect.
1.) FAWLTY TOWERS - BASIL BEATS UP HIS CAR
I'm sure we'll all had times in our lives when we've wanted to reenact this scene, right? Basil Fawlty usually takes out his frustrations on the hapless Manuel, but when his car stalls and almost causes the ruination of Fawlty Towers' first gourmet night, he finds a branch and lets the car have it. Of course, all of this could've been avoided had he listened to Sybil and not tried to fix the car himself. A wonderful scene that beautifully sums up the character of Basil and all that is great about Fawlty Towers.
The Insider, March 2004
6
Becoming Jane Austen
The True Love Story That Inspired
the Classic Novels
by John Spence
Part of a continuing series.
Not least of the reasons for their (Phila and Betsy) leaving England was that living abroad was less expensive. Tysoe had not made the great fortune he had dreamt of leaving his wife and daughter, and the failure had made him wretched at the end of his life. Whatever peace of mind he had on this score came from his friend Warren Hastings, who had given his goddaughter Betsy £10,000 in trust. Tysoe worried because he thought his wife had no head for business and would find it difficult to live on the income from the trust.
He once wrote with almost tender regret to Phila: "You know how incapable you are of managing such complicated affairs. Oh Phila, had a very few of those hours which were formerly spent in dissipations been employed in acquiring the necessary and most useful knowledge of Accounts, happy would it have been for us both." To make sure their daughter had practical skills he thought her mother lacked, he insisted that Betsy have good instruction in mathematics as a part of her education. "I must request you would get for her the best writing master to be procured by money and that she as soon as possible may begin to learn arithmetic. Her other accomplishments will be the ornaments to her, but these are most absolutely necessary."
Jane Austen
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When Hancock died, his lawyer, John Woodman, wrote to Warren Hastings: "I am sorry to find Mr. Hancock's affairs are in so bad a situation: all his effects will not more than clear his debts here (in England). " It seems both Woodman and Hastings miscalculated. Before Phila and Betsy left England for the Continent, Woodman paid about £3,500 into Phila's bank account, and another £4,800 was deposited in the form of a bill on the East India Company, evidently the settling of Tysoe's estate in India. It is, of course, possible that Hastings himself provided this money, pretending that it had come from Hancock. Whatever the source of the money, Phila was now a rich widow and Betsy equally rich in her own right.
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Tea Advisor
Aspects of Tea Production
The plants probably did not survive, but some seeds were successfully germinated in the Botanical Gardens of Calcutta. In 1816, Lord Amherst led another mission to Peking, just as unsuccessful as that of Macartney, and he too was able to take away some plants and seeds. Amherst's ship, the Alceste, hit a coral reef off Sumatra - all the people aboard were rescued, but the plant specimens were lost.
These were by no means the first tea plants to have left China. There were, of course, whole plantations in Japan, and various other plants from China were dotted around the world. It seems that some tea plants reached Holland in the seventeenth century, but were from Japan. Linnaeus, the great Swedish botanist who established the modern system of plant classification, went to tremendous trouble to obtain a living specimen of tea. He sent his assistants, employed as chaplains, on Swedish East India Company ships going to China. After an extraordinary catalogue of disasters befell his returning plants - some were lost in storms, others lost to rats, others turned out not to be tea at all - he finally acquired a plant in 1763, the first in Europe. Other plants had been established in tropical countries - including Java, St. Helena and Brazil - where they seemed to flourish.
Tea | By Roy Moxham
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Mystery of the Month
What Is Your Guess?
Case One
As Vera idly watches, a well-dressed man speaks to her fluently and rapidly about pressing social issues. Eventually, Vera tires of his conversation. With a slight movement of her hand, she dismisses him and he vanishes into thin air.
The Mystery
Who is the man and what did Vera do to dismiss him?
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Clues
- Vera has no magical powers.
- Vera can speak to the man, but he can't hear her.
- The man is seated but Vera can't see his legs.
- Every day the man informs people about important events.
- Vera sits in her living room, but the man never comes to her home.
Case Two
While taking a midnight stroll, Marvin is viciously attacked. After he quickly rubs something all over his body, the attackers flee. He assailants don't have weapons, but Marvin has definitely lost some blood.
The Mystery
Who is attaching Marvin and what substance drives them away?
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Clues
- At night it is almost impossible to see the attackers.
- Marvin killed a few of them with his bare hands.
- Though Marvin can't press charges, he's itching for revenge.
- He bought the protective substance at a drug store.
- His attackers didn't kick or punch, but they did a lot of biting.
Be sure to check the January 2009 edition of the Tea Times for the answers
Answers to November Mysteries:
Case One: He is the Man in the Moon, whose face people see when gazing into space.
Case Two: The star is Kermit the Frog and his girlfriend is Miss Piggy.
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England's Calendar of Events | December
Royal Welsh Agricultural Winter Show
December 1-2, 2008 Royal Welsh Showground
Established in 1990, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Winter Show draws thousands of spectators each year to the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd for livestock shows, trade stalls, show-jumping and a gymkhana.
The fair is primarily a commercial event for farmers and provides a venue where they can compete, exhibit and sell stock, with displays of the latest agricultural machinery and other farm-related products.
Visitors can enjoy browsing around a huge array of stands, displaying a wide range of affordable gifts for Christmas such as homemade jam and handicrafts.
www.whatsonwhen.com
Carol singing in Trafalgar Square
December 8-19, 2008 Trafalgar Square
An annual gift from the Mayor of Oslo, the giant Norwegian Christmas Tree illuminates Trafalgar Square with thousands of white lights until Twelfth Night (6 January). Carol singers gather under its branches to raise funds for charity.
www.whatsonwhen.com
Christmas Early Music Festival
December 11-14, 2008 York
Following the success of the well-established summer York Early Music Festival (first held in 1977), the National Centre for Early Music in York provides seasonal entertainment at venues across the city during its Christmas Early Music Festival.
The festival has been going strong since 1997 and in 2008 sees guest artists such as Minster Minstrels and Bell'arte Salzburg with Emma Kirkby.
www.whatsonwhen.com
10
Sometimes we find more than one recipe we would like to share. Since it's the holiday season and there is so much entertaining to be done, we thought you might like to have both of these!
Sparkling Cranberry Tea Cocktails
This is a fine make-ahead recipe for an open house. Combine the ingredients through step one and chill; stir in the ginger ale just before serving. Serve in goblets, highball glasses, or any pretty clear glasses to show off the concoction's yuletide-red hue.
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 family-sized tea bags
- 2 ½ cups no-sugar-added cranberry juice
- 1 cup vodka
- ¼ cup Grand Marnier (orange-flavored liqueur)
After Chilling above ingredients, add:
- 4 cups ginger ale, chilled
- Orange rind strips (optional)
Preparation
Combine 4 cups water and sugar in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Pour over tea bags. Cover and let stand 5 minutes; discard tea bags. Cool. Stir in juice, vodka, and Grand Marnier; chill.
Gently stir in ginger ale. Serve over ice; garnish with rind, if desired.
Yield
12 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
www.cookinglight.com
Ham with Champagne and Vanilla Glaze
Much of the flavor from the Champagne and vanilla bean seeds ends up in the pan drippings, which are then used to create a simple sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 (11-pound) 33%-less-sodium smoked, fully cooked bone-in ham
- 24 whole cloves
- Cooking spray
- 1 ½ cups Champagne or sparkling wine, divided
- 1 (2-inch) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 1 cup apple jelly
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Trim fat and rind from ham. Score outside of ham in a diamond pattern, and stud with cloves. Place ham, bone end up, in a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Pour 1 cup Champagne over ham. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a small saucepan. Add vanilla bean and 1/2 cup Champagne to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Stir in apple jelly; cook 3 minutes or until jelly dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Discard vanilla bean. Pour half of Champagne mixture over ham. Bake 30 minutes; pour remaining Champagne mixture over ham. Bake an additional 30 minutes or until ham is thoroughly heated. Place ham on a platter; cover loosely with foil. Let stand 15 minutes.
Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure or bowl. Pour drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain the drippings into a bowl, stopping before the fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Serve sauce with ham.
Yield
30 servings (serving size: 3 ounces ham and about 1 ½ teaspoons sauce)
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11
Afternoon Teaisms
Rhymes and Wits
Irish toast
In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want.
Edith Lovejoy Pierce
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called "Opportunity" and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
Charles Dickens
A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to the world!
Benjamin Franklin
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.
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