You don’t need to live in England to have tea time. Drinking tea, like drinking alcohol, gives people a reason to come together and socialize, but without any of the dreaded next-day hangovers. In fact, you can even make drinking tea more exciting by whipping up tea-based mocktails (or cocktails) for your guests to sip on. BELLA enjoyed a lovely afternoon with Pure Leaf and learned all of the tricks of the trade to throwing a successful tea soiree.
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Here are some tips from Pure Leaf Iced Tea curated by some of the trendiest industry experts on how to throw a modern tea social at home:
Master mixologist Pamela Wiznitzer says —
Start with tea! Brands like Pure Leaf make it easy to select a few varietals and sample loads of different flavors – but when it comes to putting a spin on a traditional tea party, try an iced tea based mocktail for a summertime gathering or even freeze Pure Leaf Iced Tea into popsicles for your guests to enjoy.
Glassware is key: The aesthetics of a party boil down to how you serve the food and drink. There are many different types of teapots, pitchers, teacups, glassware and beverage options to really make your tea party pop. Consider a see-through teapot so your guests can watch the process of the tea steeping, or buy plain teacups/mugs and bring decorative items (markers, stickers, etc.) for your guests to customize their own cup.
Small, colorful bites: Nibbles and bites help round out the party. After deciding what tea you want to serve, plan out a food menu that highlights the flavors of the tea and match the drinking experience. Consider using the tea to add flavor to some of your dishes (it’s a great substitute for water in baking and cooking and can be a fantastic marinade or base for a homemade salad dressing).
Floral shop East Olivia says —
Set the scene: A simple DIY arrangement does the trick. To create the perfect tablescape, add a touch of delicate blooms and linens in a complementary color palate to the iced tea you are serving.
Palette & flowers: Start by choosing a color palette that sparks your feels. From neutral sand in your toes to can’t leave the house without your cherry red earrings on, there are flowers that speak to you! Select & source seasonal blooms from your local flower market.
Handmade bouquet: Gather your hand selected blooms in a small jar of water. Using your dominant hand, begin by placing two sturdy stems in your non-dominant hand to form a V shape. Slowly, one stem at a time, begin placing your flowers around the V. Be sure to vary the height when adding each bloom to add depth and elevate your bouquet. Place large, heavy blooms towards the base while allowing light, airy blooms to delicately float up and out.
Tie with a bow: Once you’re happy with the size & shape of the bouquet, it’s time to wrap it up! Using floral tape, securely wrap your tape around the center stems three times. Give your flowers a fresh cut & tie off with hand-dyed silk ribbon.
And voila! You’ve got yourself a modern day tea party that even the Queen would envy. And now, Pure Leaf has launched sweepstakes where one lucky winner and a guest can win an all-expenses paid trip to New York City. To enter, social media users can follow and tag @PureLeaf in a post with #LiveLikeEloise and #Sweepstakes through September 8th for a chance to win!
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