Tea Trove Fall/Winter Hours

Greetings!

Well, it is that time of year when we must take a long, hard, look at what we are offering our customers. This includes our hours of operation. Good news! We are only making a minor adjustment to our Saturday hours. We will open at 10:00 a.m. rather than 9:00 a.m.

Some other changes...
Beginning approximately 6 weeks ago we began offering Afternoon Tea by reservation. There is a 24-hr cancellation policy. We accept reservations T-Sat. between 2:30 - 4:30. The minimum is two and the maximum is 6/per group. We only allow two groups each day so that you get the degree of attention you want. A credit card is required for the reservation. As a security measure, you will be asked for the billing zip code of the card. This is necessary if we must charge your card because the cancellation policy was violated. The charge is $10pp. So far, we have not needed to do this.

I've been asked is this a "traditional English/British Afternoon tea?" No. I don't necessarily use China for everything. And, I purposely take an eclectic approach to coordinating pieces. We serve small croissant sandwiches, scones (not plain), dessert and tea. It is not a cream tea. We just have not gotten that far in our development. The lite afternoon tea is comprised of dessert, fruit and tea.

To me, the purpose of afternoon tea is to enjoy the company of the people while treating oneself to some goodies before dinner (high tea). It's all about good company, good conversation and great tea.

A word about scones...Our scones are made by a young entrepreneur named Janelle Rath. Her business is Truly Scrumptious. The name fits! Our scone offering changes periodically. They are light, fluffy and filled with yummy ingredients like cranberries and white chocolate chips. We serve them warmed. You usually won't need anything with them, but if you desire butter, it is available. We also have honey. I am looking into adding jams/jellies by a local company...We shall see...

Three weeks ago we began serving a lite lunch of sandwiches (chicken and tuna salad, tomato-basil, mozz. and occasionally hummus-feta.) I make everything except the hummus at the moment. I know, hummus is easy. And, I do make a fabulous garlic hummus, but if I can find a good, pre-made one, it makes things a little easier in this one-woman operation.

Beginning 10/16/06 SOUP IS ON! Actually, as I write this, the kettle is filled with homemade, yummy vegetable soup. (I already tried it!) We won't get our "official" soup cups until sometime next week, but we found a temporary solution. (Sometimes brainstorming parties of one are very effective!) Now, I cannot promise that every soup will be prepared by me, but I can say that I love soup and will always look for the best. At home, Steve often refers to my soup creations as "Stone Soup." If you know the story, then you understand why. He's always pleasantly surprised.

So, as Fall turns into winter, not only will you find exceptional teas/tisanes and cocoa at The Tea Trove, but you will also find wonderful apple cider, soup and sandwiches. Yum!

Before I go, remember that our place is perfect for small receptions. Our rates are very competitive. And, our space is unique! Since it's just Steve and myself, you can be sure that you will receive a high degree of attention and satisfaction hosting a reception at The Tea Trove.

Halloween Who Dun it Murder Mystery Party

Greetings!
The weather is changing and Fall is officially here! Of course, it was more than 80* yesterday, but it is still Fall! I bet you are thinking about warm, cozy tea right about now, huh? If you missed our first Fall tasting (it was a lot of fun according to those who were able to make it...) don't worry, we just might do it again. Wine Styles, A Hill of Beans, Bejodes Bakery and Hotflash Metals were all in attendance. BIG THANKS to them!

We highlighted three of our custom blends: Sweet Snowflakes, Indulgence and Pumpkin Patch. I just completed blending more batches since we ran out! The first two are part of our Seasonal Sensations line. The last one is in our Autumn Influences line. All of our new blends have been received well both at the Farmers Market and in the store. We are very excited about this!

At present, I am working on a decaff black blend per the request of an attendee at our tasting. It will be ready for sampling by this weekend and I may take it to the downtown Farmers Market. Be sure to stop by booth #40 to taste our brews!

Now for the really exciting news...our Halloween Who Dun It is $17.50 pp. This includes light appetizers, spooky desserts and beverages. Ages 18+. Deadline to reserve your character is 10/17/06. This is an evening where everyone participates! Someone is the victim and someone is the murderer. You are assigned a character after you reserve and pay for your spot. Everyone is trying to figure out who did IT. The party is October 21. Come in costume! The murder takes place during a costume party. You get to choose what your costume is.

There are no scripts to memorize. Your character may or may not have tasks to accomplish. Basically, you get to make things up as you go along. (Just remember to accomplish your tasks if you do have them!) Arrive IN character. This way, you only have to get to know people as their character.

We hosted our first Murder Mystery about a month ago. Feedback was positive and now we're ready to do it again!

Background: Prentice and Price Williams, a nouveau-riche couple in Omaha, throw THE Halloween party of the year. The who's who of Omaha are in attendance. To be shunned by the Williams' is a fate worse than death! This time, however, the only dead body is found at the party! Are you the killer or the victim?

If you are interested, be sure to contact me no later than Oct. 17, 2006. We need a mix of 12 players minimum. Refunds will be issued if we do not meet the minimum.

Do something different this Halloween!

See you soon!