A Storybook Lavender Tea

Although the Traveling Teapot blog is a project of an online chat group called Afternoon Tea Across America, there are many others who have been following along with the adventures of the traveling teapot. They have commented and expressed interest in the teapot's adventures. Some have even offered things to share. Which brings me to the story of Clarice and her lavender tea. The Rosanna Kings Road teapot in the picture, posing with our little plum teapot, has a connection to Clarice, as you will see.

A road trip across the state on a summer day several years past took me to visit Clarice. Of course I had to stop along the way and this little gas station called Teapot Dome Service Station was an interesting place to stop to stretch awhile. Isn't it cute?

 

Clarice blogs at Storybook Woods. She is a creative homemaker, gourmet cook, and the author of a book called Wren Bay. She is friendly and warm, setting one immediately at ease when in her presence. And she invited me to tea! Knowing I loved lavender, she planned a menu of delicious lavender foods.

We had lavender scones, lavender honey, lavender jam, and lavender mousse....

And the most delicious espresso hazelnut cookies. In the crown teapot (like mine) she served a most fragrant pot of Summer Hill tea.

The table was beautifully set with a vintage tablecloth, hankies, and an assortment of pretty pieces of china and silver. It was such a pleasant time and I enjoyed visiting with Clarice and her fun and creative daughters.

The time flew by and Clarice's Lavender Tea is still high on my list of "favorite tea times". Clarice has been following the little plum teapot on its adventures, and when the lavender theme became evident here, she offered one of the special lavender recipes that she developed so it could be shared with traveling teapot blog readers. Here she shares a recipe for Lavender Honey Drop Cookies. Her recipe is perfect for anyone and especially for those who eat gluten-free. 

Lavender Honey Drop Cookies

1/3 cup lavender honey
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 cups almond flour

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. In a saucepan, melt the butter and honey together. Combine with dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. The dough will come together like play-dough. If the dough seems a bit too wet, add more flour until you achieve the desired consistency. Roll dough into small balls of dough. Place on parchment paper or greased baking sheet. With three fingers, flatten each cookie a bit. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature of the oven to 175 degrees F. Bake the cookies for another ten minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Enjoy!

Check the side-bar of Clarice's blog for other inventive recipes that she has developed.

Since returning home from visiting Clarice, I've found a matching Kings Road teapot in a local shop. I purchased it as a reminder of a wonderful day with Clarice.

You can read about Clarice's view of our tea party here. She shares the lavender mousse recipe in the post. And, you can read my review of our tea here along with a review of Clarice's novel.

Please check back tomorrow for the last post about the little plum teapot who's traveled far and near.