DIY The a la Menthe at Petersham Nurseries

More greens, this time the 'drink me' kind.

This lovely fresh green mint.

Is growing on French Girl's balcon taking in the Paris sun or Paris grey skies, whichever happens first. This is her 'appart' jardin.

I asked if she knew how to make fresh mint tea and she proceeded to tell me, first I must make 'REAL' tea, then add fresh mint leaves to the hot tea. Non non non!
Do you know how to make fresh mint tea? Do tell svp.

I had it at Sketch Parlour in London, which one of you brilliant PB readers said I MUST visit. I'd ordered Rooibos tea, but when the server saw me turn up my nose at the strong aroma, she offered instead some fresh mint tea.

The best afternoon tea is at Sketch I'm happy to announce.
I loved their 'fresh' mint tea = instant addiction to something that may even be healthy.

This is a super fun place. It does take a bit of searching out. I almost didn't go. Luckily I was wearing my macaron T-shirt so they felt obliged to seat me immediately, though I had not reserved ahead.

On Sunday morning I traipsed out to Richmond (which took all of 10 minutes on the Waterloo train) to Petersham Nurseries, another London must-do. Because of my rotten missing 'green thumbs' I don't dare own any plants, but it's still well worth a visit.

A bit of lunch seemed a good idea. When the server asked what I'd like, I said, "cake please". Completely daft of me, as the Brits say, since all they have IS cake on this table!

‘Fresh' courgette soup (that's zucchini to you).

And the 'fresh' mint tea again. YUM

Now I know what do to with all the glass teapots I've collected to paint. That is as soon as you tell me how to make fresh mint tea correctly.

Sitting in the caf' at Petersham is just fine unless you book ahead for the restaurant. It's much more posh.

On to Paris mint tea. Feeling completely bushed yesterday after just one hour's sleep (in deadly fear of missing the 'CHUNNEL' train) I stopped in the newly refurbished salon de the in Printemps for mint tea. But it was made the way French girl makes it. Refreshing none the less, but no 'fresh' mint leaves saying hello to you.

And what to have with your mint tea?

Definitely not these toy felt petit fours unless you're a doudou.

A luscious looking charlotte gateaux.

BONJOUR THE A LA MENTHE FRAIS!
 

Coffee & Tea Festival NY

Les Comptoirs Richard Glass Teapot, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

Last October in Paris I bought a glass teapot in Galerie Lafayette. Then I left it in the hotel, thinking it was too fragile to bring home.

This trip, the first day at Les Comptoirs Richard I saw another glass teapot. It called my name from the window. YOU are mine and you are coming home with me.

On Sunday I went to the NY Coffee and Tea Festival

The show was loaded with glass teapots.

This glass teapot looks like it's heated on hot pebbles...NOT. The pebbles are inside the teapot. The Tea Gallery on 131 Allen street did a demonstration making pue-erhs tea.
The outside of the pot is heated 1st with hot water, almost annointing it.
This special pot is called a Yixing teapot (pronounced ee-shing). The unique purple/red clay is from the Jiangsu province. You never wash this tiny pot. And after numerous brewings, a layer of tea sediment forms in the interior and eventually you are brewing tea within tea.
Pour in enough water to wet the tea leaves down, and let sit for 3 long breaths...
It makes perfect sense if you're selling tea, to brew it in a glass teapot so everyone can see it at the Tay Tea stand.And they're so pretty. Fun to paint too. Globe Amaranth Jasmine tea is brewing and it's flower blossoms inside the pot. After the show I went to ABC Carpet to get some chocolate at Michel Cluizel, but all I saw were glass teapots.
More on the show tomorrow...