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.

Small tea party at home for 3 with mismatched teacups, cookies and sugar cubes on a kitchen table
Host a Tea Party

Tea Party in a Bag: Turn 1 Subscription Box Into a Gathering for 3

One monthly box holds a whole afternoon for 3. A sachet each of 3 teas, the cookie split, 1 question to open and 1 game to close.

Host a Tea Party

Tea Party in a Bag: Turn 1 Subscription Box Into a Gathering for 3

One monthly box holds a whole afternoon for 3. A sachet each of 3 teas, the cookie split, 1 question to open and 1 game to close.

A cup of dessert tea beside a slice of apple pie, cinnamon sticks and dried apple
Know Your Tea

Dessert Teas: Tea That Tastes Like Apple Pie, Candy, and Mint Chocolate

Somebody at every party tells me they do not like tea. This is the cup I hand them. Five dessert teas, what each one tastes like, and how to serve them.

Know Your Tea

Dessert Teas: Tea That Tastes Like Apple Pie, Candy, and Mint Chocolate

Somebody at every party tells me they do not like tea. This is the cup I hand them. Five dessert teas, what each one tastes like, and how to serve them.

Rooibos sachets beside a cup of deep red Caffeine-Free rooibos tea on a kitchen counter
Know Your Tea

Rooibos: The Caffeine-Free Red Tea That Won't Go Bitter

Rooibos is not tea at all, it is a South African red bush with no caffeine in it. Here is what it tastes like, how to brew it, and the vanilla cream recipe from this month's box.

Know Your Tea

Rooibos: The Caffeine-Free Red Tea That Won't Go Bitter

Rooibos is not tea at all, it is a South African red bush with no caffeine in it. Here is what it tastes like, how to brew it, and the vanilla cream recipe from this month's box.

Simple Pleasures tea party in a box with a teacup and saucer, ready to gift
Tea Gifts

A Tea Party in a Box: What's Inside and Who It's For

Someone asks me at almost every event what is actually inside a tea party in a box. Here is exactly what arrives, which size fits one person or a table of eight, and why my flagship box is priced the way it is.

Tea Gifts

A Tea Party in a Box: What's Inside and Who It's For

Someone asks me at almost every event what is actually inside a tea party in a box. Here is exactly what arrives, which size fits one person or a table of eight, and why my flagship box is priced the way it is.

Chai latte recipe and iced dirty chai made from one Classic Chai sachet
Know Your Tea

Chai Latte Recipe With One Sachet, Plus an Iced Dirty Chai

Two chai recipes off the September box recipe cards. One sachet each, real milk, no concentrate and no syrup, and the iced one takes a shot of espresso or cold brew.

Know Your Tea

Chai Latte Recipe With One Sachet, Plus an Iced Dirty Chai

Two chai recipes off the September box recipe cards. One sachet each, real milk, no concentrate and no syrup, and the iced one takes a shot of espresso or cold brew.

Friendsgiving tea party table set for eight with mismatched teacups, teapots and tiered dessert stands
Host a Tea Party

Friendsgiving Tea Party: A Warmer Way to Gather This November

You do not need a turkey to host Friendsgiving. Here is how I do it with a dessert table, three autumn blends, and one round of gratitude that changes the room.

Host a Tea Party

Friendsgiving Tea Party: A Warmer Way to Gather This November

You do not need a turkey to host Friendsgiving. Here is how I do it with a dessert table, three autumn blends, and one round of gratitude that changes the room.

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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