Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on December 28, 2017.

Joyce Esterhuizen of Manor House Teas hosts private teas and special event tea parties at Fiddlesticks Farmhouse, her home and Airbnb in Floyd.  Guests recently gathered for a Christmas Tea, held in a library room of the restored farm house, home to the Emily Dickenson, Mark Twain and Jane Austen guest rooms.

In an Old-World atmosphere, which included a fireplace, comfy couch sitting areas and a brightly lit Christmas tree, tea party-goers sipped a variety of black loose teas and enjoyed a flavorful and elegantly presented spread of home-made finger foods and desserts.

“It’s so perfect for the holiday,” said Kathy Gregory, who traveled from Roanoke to partake in the high-tea with her daughter and granddaughter.“The atmosphere is fun and bright. It’s like being in someone’s home,” said Floyd Countian Katherine Chantal of the tea room.  “One is just better than the other,” she said about the savory goodies and sweets.

Esterhuizen said she is thinking of hosting a spring-themed tea in the future and maybe a murder mystery-themed tea.  Following the Christmas Tea, she thanked guests on Facebook, writing, “Thank you for believing that it’s important to relax and appreciate loveliness, and for letting us be a part of that.”