TABLETOP TUESDAY: black tea

in this era of austerity, we still need small indulgences. i think it's high time we bring out our tabletop finest and savor a morning of tea and crumpets with friends + family. 

ideally, prepare proper english breakfast tea (a.k.a., tea leaves, sugar cubes and cream). then, dust off your grandmother's tea pot or seek out a chipped but charming flea market find. it's the notion of refined elegance and good manners that makes any presentation seem simply lovely.

serve your steaming pot of black alongside soft + spongy crumpets topped with poached egg, marmalade, lemon curd or a jamie oliver fave...bacon! mmmmm....

(in a pinch, tea bags and english muffins will work just fine and seem divine.)

if, however, you want to channel your inner jane austen, consider this black basalt set designed by josiah wedgwood. steeped in history, this set is based on classical 18th century queensware shapes and resembles egyptian basalt, a natural black stone used for sculpture.

our forefathers quite enjoyed a cup of tea. why not renew a tradition? 

(photo credit: wedgwood)