TeaTime

As we ring in the New Year, we do so with great hope that in 2021 we’ll be able to gather with dear ones for afternoon tea and to enjoy traveling domestically and internationally. A few months ago, a friend of mine at church asked me, “If you could h

THE LARKIN TEA COMPANY larkintea.com • 304-707-0142 TEACUP: Raphoe Royal Tara “Vibrant green shamrock sprinkles are a whimsical touch amidst the leaves of this festive, dessert-like black tea with lively notes of chocolate and strawberry.” —Katherine

There are few customs in which the Irish spirit of welcome is better exemplified than afternoon tea, and no visit to Ireland is complete without partaking in it. From a remote 800-year-old castle in the countryside to a modern institution in the hear

While tea’s history in Ireland might be more than a century younger than the island’s neighbor across the Irish Sea, the Irish thirst for the beverage is just as ardent as that of the English. Since tea’s introduction to the Emerald Isle in the 1830s

United Press Photograph from the Benjamin Press archives During our first visit to Ireland, my wife and I explored the Boyne Valley, one of the most sacred spots in Celtic history. We came away with a profound sense that those rolling green hills wer

Makes 12 6 slices firm white bread2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature1 to 2 cherry tomatoes2 hardboiled eggs1 to 2 tablespoons chopped green onion1 to 2 lettuce leaves, finely shredded2 tablespoons mayonnaiseSalt, to tasteGround black pep

Makes 8 2 tablespoons mayonnaise¼ cup whole grain mustard4 slices white sandwich bread3 ounces Irish Cheddar cheese*, very thinly sliced½ pound thinly sliced deli ham½ cup rocket (arugula) • In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise and mustard to ma

For Alison McArdle, owning Cupán Tae, a tea shop/restaurant in her native Galway, is much more than just a business. It’s an investment in a long-standing Irish tradition. The Irish have a huge emotional attachment to tea, Alison says, like what time

John Aynsley Durham Maroon teapot (out of stock); Royal Tara Carina footed cup and saucer set (out of stock) from Replacements, Ltd., 800-737-5223, replacements.com. Gracie China white cake stand ($12.99) from HomeGoods, 800-888-0776, homegoods.com.

Since 1857, Belleek Pottery has made its mark as Ireland’s oldest working pottery, housed in a neo-Georgian building in the company’s namesake village. Throughout the years, the brand gained notoriety for its Parian pieces—porcelain crafted to resemb

Makes 8 2¾ cup almond flour¼ cup coconut flour1 tablespoon baking powder½ teaspoon salt4 tablespoons unsalted Irish butter*½ cup shredded Irish Cheddar cheese*½ cup cooked diced ham¼ cup diced fresh chives¼ plus 1 to 2 tablespoons cup cold heavy whip

Makes approximately 11 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided½ cup chopped napa cabbage1 tablespoon sliced green onion1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided¾ cup mashed Yukon Gold potatoes6 tablespoons sour cream, divided1 large egg½ teaspoon fresh dill¼ teaspo

Buttermilk Frosting 37 Cream Cheese Topping 27 Irish Whiskey Icing 47 Plum Buttercream 38 Red Onion Marmalade 44 Vanilla Bean Glaze 27 Apple & Pork Sausage Rolls 43 Colcannon Potato Cakes with Smoked Salmon 24 Corned Beef & Cabbage Tea Sandwiches 24

Nestled among flowering cherry trees in a hidden garden in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, is Take Thyme. This charming delicatessen is situated between a complex of distinctive boutique shops. I remember the day I was first introduced to this fine