Last month I had the pleasure of spending two days with my friend and colleague Faith Durand at her home in Columbus, Ohio. I landed in Columbus at the beginning of what would end up being one of the coldest weekends of the season thus far, and as I waited for Faith outside the airport terminal, the snow was just beginning to fall.
Faith and I were about to start a two-day editorial retreat. (One of the perks of this job: brainstorming fun ideas for The Kitchn!) It was mid-afternoon by the time we arrived back at her house (and still a work day), so after dropping my suitcase upstairs in the guest bedroom I set up shop in her dining room—laptop, Google reader, Twitter, posts that just went up, posts due in 15 minutes—and soon we were both in "editing and writing" mode.
After a few quiet minutes of working, and with the wind gathering strength outside, Faith declared it was time for tea. She disappeared into the kitchen and within a few moments brought out a pot of black tea and a plate of snacks, beautifully arranged: orange slices, almond biscotti, dates, and something chocolate-filled and delicious from Trader Joe's. The house was chilly (as most charming older homes are), but nothing the wool blanket I snagged from the reading chair in the living room couldn't cure.
Suddenly I realized: even though I'd only been there for an hour at most, I found myself feeling completely at home. Was it the tea? The snacks? The wool blanket wrapped around my shoulders? The accumulating snow outside? I guess true hospitality is like that: it's subtle. It's seamless. You don't realize you're getting it until after you're already comfortable.
How do you welcome guests into your home? Do you have a go-to way of making your guests feel comfortable and cozy?
Related: 8 Simple Tips To Make Your Dinner Guests Feel Comfortable
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I think this is really sweet. Faith seems to be such a thoughtful woman and this little tribute piece about her is very nice. What a great group!
Thanks!
This is sweet. I've found that as I've gotten older (and I'm not old at all) and become more comfortable in my own skin and asking for what I want (like a blanket) it's much easier to adapt and be content with where you are. Loving your job and being happy in general helps too! That said, this is a lovely touch!
This is really wonderful. Lately I've been appreciating the power of a good pot of tea, especially as a tool to connect with another person and make them feel at ease and cozy. Some recipes for tea time (including some gluten-free, please) would be really wonderful, too!
One of the ways I make people feel welcome is just letting them know where everything is and to help themselves to whatever they need, whether it's a blanket or beer. I want them to feel free to open any cupboards, etc. And it works both ways...while staying at a friend's house, I noticed that I got up much earlier than she did so I made a pot of coffee with extra for when she was ready for it.
I really like how your host offered whatever snacks she had on hand, rather than feel like she had to have the most impressive tea service around. When I think about it, I am always the most charmed by hosts who offer something unusual, like sliced oranges, or homemade chutney with crackers, whatever they happen to have.
Love it. Tea is underrated in the U.S. and simple snacks like sliced and/or dried fruit, crackers with cheese, and/or cookies are perfect with a pot of hot tea.
On my first day of sixth-form, a girl introduced herself and invited me back to her house for "tea." I was 15 and had been in the UK for a week (living with people I'd just met) and was still unfamiliar with the new lingo and customs. We ended up walking to her house where (to my surprise) we had Coke and Kit-kats.
It wasn't the 'tea' I was expecting, but being invited to someone's house and being served something small... in retrospect, was a great way to start feeling at home where I was.
Offer something yummy straight away, and for impromptu guests, invite them to stay for dinner (or lunch, depending on the time of day).
After spending a few months in the UK, it suddenly seems so ridiculous to NOT have tea time, or at least some other ritual like this.
I try to be very hospitable. Make sure they are warm or cool. Offer a blanket or turn on a fan. Offer drinks such as tea, hot chocolate or something cold if it's warm out. I want to make them comfortable. I will go to any lengths to make my guests feel welcome. I can't help it! The only downside is that usually having people over is not "relaxing" for me although I love people in our home.
"Suddenly I realized: even though I'd only been there for an hour at most, I found myself feeling completely at home. Was it the tea? The snacks? The wool blanket wrapped around my shoulders? The accumulating snow outside? I guess true hospitality is like that: it's subtle. It's seamless. You don't realize you're getting it until after you're already comfortable."
Lovely prose, perfectly describing true hospitality! It's really the quiet, natural, little things, isn't it?
I think that, maybe, it's being with someone who wants the same thing that you want at that moment. Coziness, tea, snacks, a blanket, and a creative atmosphere in a lovely vintage home is what you both cherished. It's conducive to work and kinship. I agree totally. I also agree that perhaps a beer and some boxed cheese crackers are also appropriate for someone who isn't used to a proper tea, right? My very best friend introduced me to canned oysters with saltines and hot sauce the other day and that was probably the most endearing and interesting 'tea' I'd ever had. We proceeded to drink sweet tea vodka with club soda and watch reality television. It was totally perfect and made me feel at home, even though I never do those things in my own home. It's camaraderie distilled with nuance introduced as flavor. OK, i'm rambling.
This looks so inviti g and at the same time homely too,..
I frequently invite friends over for tea instead of lunch or dinner. I normally serve dried fruit, some kind of cookies or loaf and nuts. I find that just snacking lightly and drinking tea gives you more time to pay attention to each other than when you're filling up on food :)
@Kiana. So true -- hosting a dinner party sometimes leaves you more preoccupied on the meal than on the company!