Tea M’Lady pours English tea for Houston fundraiser

Open house at the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts will be infused with a Holiday English Tea on Sunday, Dec. 7.

For the second year, the museum is partnering with Tea M’Lady for “A Cosy Christmas Tea on High Street” (“cosy” as in “tea cosy”). The event is a fundraiser for the Houston. The gift shop also will be open.

“The Holiday English Tea is a favorite event at the Houston Museum,” says board member Marilyn Hoke. “Along with the traditional tea, museum volunteers will fill the dining room table with many delicious treats and offer a tour of the museum. Attending the tea is a great way to begin the holiday season.”

Delicacies will include trifle, scones, tiny sandwiches, tarts, cheese straws, petits fours and other specialties – and, of course, tea, properly served.

According to Houston research, porcelain cups and saucers were first collected by European kings and queens as early as the 17th century. Frederick the Great presented a cup and saucer to Emperor Joseph II on his coronation. For France’s Marie Antoinette, decorating a table was a passion, and she only accepted the finest examples.

Those taking tea this year also can enjoy the “Cut Glass: Brilliance and Elegance Revealed” exhibit. Some of Annie Houston’s more memorable pieces have been unwrapped and displayed along with quotes of famous tea drinkers. The exhibit will run throughout the cooler months.