Making Teatime Divine

The ritual of preparing and enjoying a cup of tea is centuries old and crosses many cultures. During the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618-907), Lu Yu’s Tea Classic covered the cultivation, drying and preparation of tea. Fast forward to the 17th century when tea was brought to the west. And of course many of us studied the Boston Tea Party when colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to protest British taxation. (Find out more about the history at peets.com/learn/history-of-tea or good old Wikipedia)

According to the Tea Council of the US (teausa.com), tea is the most widely consumed beverage worldwide after water. And the Council notes that there are many health benefits that may be associated with drinking tea including reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke and type 2 Diabetes.

Another benefit of relaxing with a cup of tea is just that - relaxing! In our busy lifestyles, it is good to take a moment to slow down, enjoy a cup of tea and take a minute to reflect on our day.

To help make your teatime even more enjoyable, Seabury is offering a cooking demonstration and tasting on Saturday April 6 from 2 - 4 pm at the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts at 1632 U Street NW. Spend an afternoon preparing and sampling various sweet and savory dishes that will complement your tea. Teatime is the perfect opportunity to slow down and make time for yourself.

With your ticket purchase, you will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a KitchenAid Professional 600 Mixer. Tickets are available here. Hope you can join us for a cuppa.

Meet the Chefs:

Nigel Stewart

Nigel Stewart received his first A.A. Degree in Professional Cooking from Baltimore International Culinary College in Baltimore Maryland in 1989. Mr. Stewart studied at the International School of Confectionery Arts in 1995 with Couverture Decoration and Chocolate Show Pieces with Ewald Notter. Nigel Stewart received his second A.A. Degree in Culinary Arts, Professional Baking and Pastry in 1996 at the Baltimore International Culinary College; where he graduated Summa Cum Laude, and was accepted into the National Honor Society, with a 3.87 G.P.A. Mr. Stewart also studied in Ireland for a Study Program while attending the Baltimore International Culinary College. Mr. Stewart later furthered his studies and craft at the French Pastry School at City College of Chicago with emphasis on Wedding Cakes with Colette Peters in 2000. Last yet certainly not least Mr. Stewart studied Advanced Ice Carving at the Culinary Institute of America.

Nigel’s love for the culinary arts comes from the fact that he likes building food from its base to something that is flavorful and creative. He mixes colors and textures and tries various techniques on food that he prepares. Food is necessary for life and people have to eat, so make it something they will enjoy and have a great experience. He loves to travel, and travels to eat. He feels that through food you learn about the history and culture of the people and the places you visit. You develop an appreciation and understanding thanks to food.

Angelica Wagner

Angelica has been baking since she was seven years old. She lived with her grandparents and decided she would rather bake and cook in a cozy kitchen than work in the one acre field on the farm. In the seventh grade, Angelica signed up for Home Economics but after a semester, the teacher suggested Angelica drop the class because she didn’t follow the recipes. (She added extra ingredients, for example: adding chopped green chili to macaroni and cheese.) The teacher thought Angelica to be too rebellious and too creative. Imagine that!

While in high school and attending college, Angelica baked and sold products to supplement school expenses. Angelica opened her first business in Las Cruces, New Mexico; Angelica’s Delights at Heavenly Yours, specializing in designer desserts, cordial cakes, and “Tea and Whatnots.” She also opened up a sidewalk coffee shop at the local farmers market and started a catering service.

After retirement, Angelica decided to open up a cooking school and share her knowledge, recipes and love of culinary arts. (“Panza llena, Corazon content”, “Full Tummy, Happy Heart”). Hence, Happy Kitchen Cooking School.

Angelica firmly believes that we should all take some time each day to relax with a cup of tea along with sweet and savory treats. Join Angelica as she shares her love for good food and congenial company at Seabury’s Divine Teatime cooking demonstration on Saturday April 6 from 2 -4 pm at the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts at 1632 U Street NW. With your ticket purchase, you will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a KitchenAid Professional 600 Mixer. Tickets are available here. See you there.