Tips from Teavana on Entertaining with Tea

Tea is perfect complement to celebrations of all kinds, from birthdays and anniversaries to baby and bridal showers. Teavana turned to Chris Nease, editor and stylist for Celebrations at Home, to share her ideas for entertaining with tea.

“A tea party is as classic and timeless as it gets when it comes to entertaining,” Nease said.

Tea can be a beautiful starting point for centerpieces and party décor. Nease recommends using a ceramic teapot or Teavana® tea tins for flower arrangements.

Tea Tasting

A tea tasting is similar to a wine or coffee tasting and offers a great introduction into the world of tea. A host or hostess could do a tasting with a variety of teas, and serve a sample of oolong, white, herbal, green and matcha teas. A free downloadable tea tasting guide makes it easy for guests to follow along.

Choose one type of tea and serve it three different ways: a hot version, an iced version, and a cocktail version. For cocktails, try a combination of tea and champagne with a squeeze of citrus or a little fruit juice. Another suggestion is to serve a flight of herbal tea blends with an array of flavors such as Teavana® Pineapple Kona Pop®, Citrus Lavender Sage and CocoCaramel Sea Salt.

Blooming Tea

These artisan teas will flower as they steep, creating a wonderfully romantic pot of tea. Place a ball of one of these hand-tied artisan teas in a glass teapot, and watch as the tea leaves unfurl as they steep, blooming into an exquisite flower. A single tea pearl can be steeped several times and still retain its flavor. Teavana® Peach Momotaro Artisan Tea® and Flowering Pineapple Blooming White Tea make a captivating presentation that is the perfect choice for guests or a special occasion.

Food Pairings

To accompany tea, Nease recommends a mix of sweet and savories, and shares her recipe for tea sandwiches.

“I say go for the classics such as scones, tartlets and shortbread cookies,” she said. “Add in anything you love that’s bite-sized.”

Starbucks compensated Chris Nease to share her ideas. Entertaining photos are courtesy of her website, celebrationsathomeblog.com.

About Teavana

Teavana offers new tea enthusiasts and tea connoisseurs alike its "Heaven of Tea" retail experience where passionate and knowledgeable "Teaologists" engage and educate them about the ritual and enjoyment of tea. The company, which was founded in 1997 and joined the Starbucks family of brands in 2012, has a mission to be the most recognized and respected brand in the tea industry by expanding the culture of tea across the world. Visit www.teavana.com.