liquid assets
MIND YOUR MANNERS
The etiquette of tea revealed.
WRITTEN BY SUE EDMONDSON
PHOTO BY CANDICE NYANDO
Don’t stick your pinky out when you eat or drink!” says Peggy Tavener, aka Lady Margaret. “It’s not proper etiquette.”
If correct manners are your cup of tea, Tavener is your go-to person. She’s a tea etiquette expert, who happily shares her knowledge at the tea parties she caters for adults, children, and organizations.
Tavener’s interests in antiques and history led to her study of England’s Victorian era, when afternoon teas became the rage.
“I was fascinated by the period,” she says.
She collected books on fashion and manners, but the collecting didn’t stop there. Soon she had amassed an assortment of fine china that Queen Victoria would envy, and period clothing for adults and children.
Tea Parties
She began hosting teas for family and friends, preparing everything from scratch, and serving it all on her china.
“When people requested, I’d bring the clothing and we’d all dress up,” she says. “We really had fun.”
Word spread and soon she was in business.
Tavener doesn’t lecture when teaching etiquette. Instead, she throws a tea party, dressed as Lady Margaret. Explanations accompany demonstrations.
“Hold the saucer in the palm of one hand and the cup in the other,” she says. “Look down into the cup when you sip.”
That’s just the beginning. There’s a proper way to stir in sugar (“Don’t clink the sides of the cup”), and to eat (“Break off a small piece of scone and dab on the topping; everything should take at least two to three bites to finish”). Even conversation requires etiquette: “No talking with your mouth full, please, and don’t interrupt.”
One of the things she enjoys most is sharing her china.
“I encourage people to use theirs every day,” she says. “It’s very healing to be surrounded by beautiful things, especially while relaxing with a cup of tea.”
For details about attending or scheduling tea party events, visit http://www.Victorianfancies.com.
Freelance writer Sue Edmondson writes for various Nevada and California publications.
Lady Margaret’s Lemon Curd
(makes 1 cup)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup fresh lemon juice (must be fresh)
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
Combine butter, sugar, lemon juice, and egg yolks in heavy 1½- or 2-quart saucepan. Cook at low heat, stirring constantly. Do not let it boil. Cook until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour into a small bowl and stir in the lemon peel. Refrigerate overnight, if possible. Serve with scones or shortbread, or use to fill tarts and cakes. It will keep for about two weeks in the refrigerator.
