Jennifer Read Hawthorne
Teatime
My English grandmother teaches me how to make tea. The water must be boiling—and fresh, never twice boiled. You must carry the kettle to the teapot—never the other way around. Warm the pot before adding Typhoo leaves—exotic Asian black-tea blend, one teaspoon per person plus one for the pot—then pour the boiling water over them. While the tea steeps (three to five minutes), add milk to your waiting porcelain cups, to prevent cracking the delicate china with heat and to create a smoother taste (nothing other than china ever enters the conversation). Pour through a fine strainer.
twenty china cups...
today I choose the one
my great-grandmother drank from,
pouring the golden elixir
into a venerable past
About the Author
Jennifer Read Hawthorne is the author/editor of nine books, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul and Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul, and two poetry books, Life as a Prayer and A Canopy of Stars. She lives in Vero Beach, Florida, nourished by palm trees and swimming in the wild Atlantic.
Hello Jennifer,
I enjoyed this prose tanka piece very much as it brought backmemories of my first tea party. I am not sure if they even have those for little girl’s anymore. Since my husband was Greek, we have the demitasse cups and made the Greek/Turkish style coffee using the same process. We had to count the Kafe to rise seven times and it was done. Everyone has a custom. Great advice about the milk.
I loved the Tanka.
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I also love your short poem book “Life As A Prayer” That is just beautiful. I lived in Louisiana for a while and my senses came alive again to all of the nature.
My Tanka Prose is about tea ceremony sort of tea totaling with Basho- “Acari” -it is totally different story line—it is about Time.
Now that I am a fan I will have to catch more of your books!
All the Best, Karina