My postcard: September 2019

"There are few hours in life

more agreeable than

the hour dedicated to

the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

Author Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

Smith-McDowell House
- the brick historic house built in 1840, is the oldest surviving home in Asheville. In this house currently there is an exhibition dedicated to the history of tea.mMany items presented at the exhibition come from the Smith-McDowell House collection.

1850's Bed Chamber -
The custom of taking“Afternoon Tea” came into existence thanks to Anna Russell, 7th Duchess of Bedford.

"In the 19th Century, it was customary for the upper classes in England to have their evening meal rather late, say 8:00-9:00 pm. It was understandable then that one might become hungry in the late afternoon.

Sometime around 1840, Anna Russell, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, complained of a “sinking feeling” and requested that some light food and a pot of tea (usually Darjeeling) be brought to her private living quarters to help ward off her mid afternoon hunger. This light food probably included bread, butter, and perhaps biscuits.

The idea proved so successful that it soon became routine, and the Duchess decided to invite a few of her friends to her private rooms for tea in the afternoon. A new social event was born in which the invited guests would have an opportunity to meet with friends, catch up on the latest news, discuss recent events, etc."

The History of Afternoon Tea

1860's Parlor - parlor it is a room for the reception and entertainment of visitors; living room or family room today.

In this Parlor there is an information about English potter, Josiah Wedgwood who made outstanding pottery, stoneware and porcelain for nearly 100 years.

His design, this blue and white Jasper pattern were very popular.

In 1768 Josiah Wedgwood purchased five to six tones of "Cherokee Clay" (fine white clay) from the Ayoree Indian settlement in the mountain of North Carolina (now Macon County). This clay was the basis of Wedgwood's newly manufactured biscuit porcelain. This supply lasted 15 years.

(Josiah Wedgwood was Charles Darwin's grandfather)

"Cherokee Clay" and Wedgwood Pottery

Victorian sterling silver tea service on the tea cart.

This set includes tray, milk jug, sugar bowl and sugar tongs was made in England in 1844 by James Dixon & Son from Sheffield.

1870's Bed Chamber - this room presents the story of Edenton Tea Party. In October 1774, Penelope Baker brought together 51 women in Edenton, North Carolina; they signed a resolution supporting a boycott of British tea and goods. They did this during drinking tea from mulberry leaves, lavender and other local herbs.

1880's parlor - in this room the Afternoon Tea Etiquette was presented. As mentioned earlier Anne, Duchess of Bedford created a social event from drinking the afternoon tea between lunch and later supper. She was receiving in her bedroom light sandwiches, bread, cake together with a pot of tea. In the 1920's this kind of social event was very fashionable and on the top on the social life in London and New York.

There are some kinds of tea events:

High Tea - is a full supper eaten by the working class. This term started during the Industrial Revolution.
Afternoon Tea - is a more formal late afternoon event with scones, small sandwiches, which during the Edwardian time were served on tiered platters.
Cream Tea - this is a tea meeting where tea and scones are served with jam, curd and clotted cream. In Britain it occurred at 11 am.

According to Afternoon Tea Etiquette, sugar and a lemon slice (not wedge) should go into the teacup prior to the tea. Milk is added only after tea is poured. Milk and lemon should never be added to the same cup. Holding little finger up is not a socially acceptable practice - it is considered pretentious.

Scones should be sliced in half horizontally and covered lightly with jam or curd and topped with clotted cream. A tea drinker should always look into the cup, not over the rim when drinking.

Tea came to Europe and the American Colonies in the mid-1600s. In this time tea was drunk from small porcelain bowls which were sent from China together with the tea shipment. Tea cups were very expensive at this time and porcelain was not made in Europe.

The tea porcelain cups were imported by East India Company and and possession of tea porcelain was a measure of status in the fine homes in London and Boston.

In Europe, the formula for making porcelain was discover in Germany about 1708. At this time the handles were added to the tea cups - drinking the hot tea became easier. In addition, they began to use saucers under the cup - they were important because they protected expensive wooden tea tables from water marks from wet cups.

The word "porcelain" was first time used by explorer Marco Polo. Porcelain had been used in China for almost 2000 years and the technic of manufacture it was close protected. In Europe the technic producing the porcelain was discovered in the 18 century.

German alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger, being a prisoner of August the Strong, (elector of Saxony and king of Poland), worked on the production of gold. He did not produce gold, but discovered the process of porcelain production in 1708 in Dresden. Porcelain production begins in Dresden laboratories in 1709, and in the same year, August builds

a royal porcelain factory in Meissen.

1890's Dining Room - on the left, on a small table there is a set of tea porcelain made in Meissen

This year the Mountain Ash Trees on Blue Ridge Parkway are amazing!

American Mountain Ash tree - it is a deciduous perennial tree seen often in eastern North America and the Appalachian Mountains. It is not a big tree - height 40 feet (12 meters).

It is one of the most recognizable trees with its white spring flowers and orange/red fruits in fall and winter. Ripen in October and remains on the tree all winter.

Mountain Ash tree fruits can be eaten raw or cooked.

They are "rich in iron and vitamin C. The fruit is used mainly in making pies, preserves etc, but it can also be eaten raw after a frost because it turns sweeter then. The fruit has a high tannin content and so should along be used in moderation if eaten raw. It can also be dried and ground into meal. The fruit is produced in dense clusters and is up to 8mm in diameter."*