The Steeping Chronicles

I'm Erica. I'm a tea sommelier here in San Antonio, a mom of five, and this all started at my own kitchen table in a season when a hot cup was about the only thing I could manage. Then my kids started sitting down with me. We talked. This is where I put the things people actually ask me: how to host a tea party without losing a whole week to it, what to send when you don't know what to say, and why your green tea tastes like regret. Pick the part you came for.

Earl Grey tea cake recipe result: a honey glazed loaf sliced beside a cup of black tea
Know Your Tea

Earl in the Garden Honey Tea Cake: Baking With the September Box

One loaf, one tea, and a honey glaze made from the same pot. The Earl in the Garden tea cake from my September box, written so you can bake it tonight.

Know Your Tea

Earl in the Garden Honey Tea Cake: Baking With the September Box

One loaf, one tea, and a honey glaze made from the same pot. The Earl in the Garden tea cake from my September box, written so you can bake it tonight.

A cup of tea, a blanket, and get well cards on a side table in a quiet living room
Tea Gifts

Get Well Soon Gift Box Ideas for Someone Recovering at Home

What someone stuck on the couch actually wants: something warm, something easy, something to do that isn't a screen, and a card they don't have to answer.

Tea Gifts

Get Well Soon Gift Box Ideas for Someone Recovering at Home

What someone stuck on the couch actually wants: something warm, something easy, something to do that isn't a screen, and a card they don't have to answer.

Virtual tea party on a laptop screen beside a teacup and kettle on a kitchen table
Host a Tea Party

What Happens at a Virtual Tea Party (and What to Bring on September 28)

75 minutes, one shared tea, a story, a game and real conversation. Here is what actually happens at my monthly virtual tea party, and what to have on your table on September 28.

Host a Tea Party

What Happens at a Virtual Tea Party (and What to Bring on September 28)

75 minutes, one shared tea, a story, a game and real conversation. Here is what actually happens at my monthly virtual tea party, and what to have on your table on September 28.

Bridgerton inspired tea party set up in a living room, not affiliated with Netflix
Host a Tea Party

Bridgerton Tea Party Ideas at Home: Watch Party, Girls' Night, or a Solo Soirée

Two pots of tea, a dress code nobody has to shop for, and a Lady Whistledown mystery. How I run a Regency night at home, and how you can.

Host a Tea Party

Bridgerton Tea Party Ideas at Home: Watch Party, Girls' Night, or a Solo Soirée

Two pots of tea, a dress code nobody has to shop for, and a Lady Whistledown mystery. How I run a Regency night at home, and how you can.

Comfort in a cup of tea on a San Antonio kitchen table in early September
Pour Into Yourself

Comfort in Every Cup: On Self-Care, Culture and the Season of Coming Home

My September letter from the box: Self-Care Awareness Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and what a warm drink says in kitchens everywhere.

Pour Into Yourself

Comfort in Every Cup: On Self-Care, Culture and the Season of Coming Home

My September letter from the box: Self-Care Awareness Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and what a warm drink says in kitchens everywhere.

Office break room table set with teacups and a tiered tray for an employee appreciation tea break
Pour Into Yourself

Corporate Tea Party Ideas for Team Appreciation (That People Actually Enjoy)

The appreciation event nobody dreads: thirty minutes, everyone seated, no bar tab and no forced fun. Here is how I run it for San Antonio teams.

Pour Into Yourself

Corporate Tea Party Ideas for Team Appreciation (That People Actually Enjoy)

The appreciation event nobody dreads: thirty minutes, everyone seated, no bar tab and no forced fun. Here is how I run it for San Antonio teams.

Questions I get asked

Who writes The Steeping Chronicles?

I do. Every word. I'm Erica Powers, the tea sommelier who packs the boxes and sets the tables. The blog shares its name with my newsletter and it has the same 2 sides: the sweet side, and the real side where the honest stories live.

What kind of tea party do you write about?

The kind you can actually pull off on a Saturday. Bridal and baby showers, birthdays, church and senior groups, office gatherings, Galentine's, watch parties, and a table set for one on a Tuesday. I write for the woman hosting it, not for a magazine shoot.

Do I need china and a teapot to host a tea party?

No. You need hot water, something to steep in, and a table people can sit at. My own collection started as mismatched cups I picked up one at a time. If you want the vintage look without buying 40 of them, I rent china around San Antonio and my team washes every piece afterward.

Where do I start if I have never brewed loose leaf tea?

Start in Know Your Tea. Water that is too hot and leaves left in too long are what turn a good cup bitter, and both are easy to fix. Then pick 1 blend and brew it 3 times before you decide how you feel about it.

Send Someone a Tea Party

I started packing these boxes so I could send my kitchen table to people I could not get to in person. Every one holds loose leaf tea and something to do while it steeps, because the part that matters is the hour you sit down for. Pick the one that sounds like the person you are sending it to.

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