Seven Mile State of Mind: Afternoon Tea From the Morning Harvest
What ever happened to afternoon tea? Wouldn’t it be nice to restore the tradition, or at least a version of it? It’s such a civilizing practice to take a moment each afternoon to sip on a healthy and delicious cup of tea and reflect on the activities of the day, to breathe, to reflect, to reenergize, to refocus and to connect with family and friends. These are the same reasons we choose to return again and again to Seven Mile Beach – to relax the mind, replenish the spirit and nurture the soul. I propose that this summer we get ourselves in the Seven Mile State of Mind by bringing back the “afternoon tea.” But what if we go even a step farther, making it an afternoon herbal tea harvested from our very own tea garden? Sound interesting? Yes. Sound daunting? Not really. It’s actually much easier than you think.
While many gardening projects can be time-consuming and require space, neither is the case with an herbal tea garden. You need only a small space, and since many of the herbs we can use actually do better in pots, just an area on a deck or in a yard will work just fine. You can even plant a decent tea garden in a window box if space is limited – just make the area special somehow. If you can set up a small table and chairs, you can even “take tea” right in your tea garden. Regardless of where you break for tea, the idea is really about keeping the routine.
Afternoon tea need not require fancy serving ware, but a few special pieces and some necessary supplies are nice. My new go-to place for pieces that help ease me into the Seven Mile State of Mind is Mama’s Junk Co., just off the island at 204 Hand Ave. in quaint Cape May Court House. Contrary to the name, I find nothing but treasures. The earthy space is the perfect setting for Kirstie’s and Justin’s selection of home and garden décor. Inspired by Joanna Gaines’ style on HGTV’s “Fixer Upper,” the shop offers a nice selection of tea-serving pieces, tea supplies and even some ground herbs for teas, like culinary lavender. You’ll find clippers for your herbs, tea cages for dried herbs and even charming décor for your tea garden. Just a simple table, sign, teapot or serving tray kept especially for your afternoon tea will help establish your tradition.
Now for the garden, we can start small. While there are endless varieties of herbs to plant that make wonderful teas both for their flavors and healing properties, mints are essential and easy to find. Choose a few – spearmint peppermint, orange mint, and add lemon balm, lemon verbena, pineapple sage, lavender and rosemary. While all of these have health benefits and are high in antioxidants, some are known to provide other benefits. Peppermint is said to soothe an upset stomach, and lemon verbena leaves contain a lemon-scented essential oil that can promote sleep and help clear congestion. Both lemon balm and lavender are known to relieve stress and anxiety – sounds like just the ticket for promoting that Seven Mile State of Mind.
So here’s the plan, because herbs are best cut first thing in the morning, after the dew has dried and before the sun gets too hot (which draws out the natural oils that give herbs their flavor). The routine begins with a morning visit to the garden to make the day’s selection. Maybe you’ll start with one variety at a time, but also try using a combination of colors and flavors. Use a sharp pair of shears to clip the leaves; cutting them often is key. Each time you cut a few springs, you’re pruning. I keep a pair of herb-cutting shears in a sleeve right in or near my tea garden, and a small basket for clippings. Gently wash the clippings you’ve gathered for that afternoon’s tea, let dry a few minutes and then place stems in a tiny vase to stay fresh for 4 to 7 hours. I’d say that’s just about the time you’ll return from the beach – perfect! It’s the healthy version of the no-shower happy hour! (Don’t worry, there’s plenty of time for cocktail hour later.) To brew, place a generous handful of the cuttings in a teapot and fill with water just under boiling. Let steep 3 to 10 minutes, then taste, and either strain the tea or continue brewing until your preferred strength is achieved. Sweeten lightly with honey or not, then sip! Make this the time you regroup, connect and relax.
Again, most important, make it routine. As guests arrive for a seashore stay, invite them to join you in the morning for the day’s herb selection and they’ll look forward to afternoon tea all day. Use your special teapot, pretty teacups or mugs in the space you’ve created – a deck, a garden, a front porch or a cozy nook in the house. It’s the place you can be found every afternoon at “tea time.” Soon you’ll count on it for planning an event or special occasion, reminiscing with an old friend, fostering a new friendship, or sitting quietly with someone you love. Do it at “tea time.” Maybe it will become your summer tradition during your Seven Mile stay. And maybe when summer wanes, you’ll harvest and dry your herbs, seal them in a glass container in a cool place and take home a little bit of our Seven Mile State of Mind.
But let’s not rush our summer along. We’ve got many tea times to savor, so plant your tea garden today, and put the kettle on!
