The Tea Tray

I’ve never forgotten a tea tray I received while staying at the Copley Plaza Hotel about 20 years ago. I called room service for a cup of tea in the afternoon and received the most lovely tea tray. I’m not sure what I was expecting – a stoneware mug of tea with a hanging tea bag? It was afterall a venerable old world and expensive hotel. What arrived was a silver plated (or sterling?) tray lined with a snowy white cloth. The short but rotund silver tea pot was hot to the touch with matching creamer and sugar. Stacks of teas lined up, a bone china floral cup and saucer and a matching plate with wedges of sliced oranges arranged around it like the numbers of a clock. In the center of the plate were water crackers and small slices of cheese, perfectly round to fit the crackers. The entire tray was garnished about with red and green grapes. A crystal bud vase held a perfect stem of a violet colored freesia. It was enchanting and I’ve been trying to replicate it ever since…..