Warmer weather brings out the desire for lighter dishes and interesting flavors for meals. I love Asian influences in food and tablescapes, and today I’ll share a new table along with some of my original recipes for the food. This would be so fun to share with friends! A few years ago, I did an entire month of Japanese inspired posts, and I’ll link a few of those here today, along with a brand new tablescape. From time to time, I am contacted by companies to see if I would like to try their products. Sometimes I say no, sometimes I say yes, but I only share what I like. This lovely Japanese tea set came from Umi Tea Sets, who sent me the set of my choice to try. I chose a gorgeous set called Purple Clay Cranes Automatic Tea Set with gold swirls representing mountains, white clouds and cranes. It came with the teapot, fair cup, utensil set (for a formal tea ceremony) and eight cups.

The set is made from purple clay and has a unique steeping teapot that rotates when the tea is ready to be filtered into the fair cup (a small pitcher). The teapot holds about a cup of water with the tea leaves, and has a strainer in the bottom. It sits on a base that keeps the tea in the pot until it is turned for the draining holes to line up.

The little teacups will hold about 1/4-cup of tea, but if filled only half full, the pot will serve 8. I put the set and four cups in the center of the table as a centerpiece, and one cup at each place setting. The little cranes fly toward the clouds on a muted blue background.

I set the table with some of my Japanese lacquerware. Knowing that a Japanese luncheon would feature small plates and tempting bites, I put three little plates out. The black lacquer plates have a gold emblem in the center. Then the solid gold lacquer plates are placed in the center, and finally on the right are small, round, black lacquer plates with gold butterflies. Chopsticks are placed horizontally as is traditional, and the teacup completes the service.

The table is simple and uncluttered in the Japanese style, ready for a relaxing luncheon.

OK, now what to serve? My Asian Broccoli and Cabbage Salad is a light choice with a mild spicy sriracha dressing, topped with crunchy Asian noodles.

I could get out some bowls for a ramen noodle dish, also a traditional food. My Ridiculously Simple Ramen might fit the bill. Download the recipe – Asian Noodle Bowls.

My Pork Shumai make an ideal tidbit. You could make them with ground chicken or shrimp.

My version of Zhenzhu Qiu – Asian Pearl Balls would be yummy too.

The high quality tea set will look lovely as a decorative accent as well. Visit Umi Tea Sets to see all the sets they have to offer, so many choices for every taste! They also carry many types of tea leaves, and even more accessories. I chose the traditional purple clay tea set, but they also have sets made of cast iron, other clays, and glass. It was a hard choice!

Itadakimasu! Do you enjoy tea served in the Japanese style?

*****************

New April deals at Fat Quarter Shop – 20% off the Basic of the Month Grunge by Moda, 30% Off the Notions of the Month from Clover, 30% off Patterns of the Month from Cluck Cluck Sew, and see the Book of the Month – The Kaleidoscope Quilt & Cross Stitch Book. Check out Today’s Flash Sale and see the Precuts of the Week, plus The Cross Stitch Sale of the Month will be from Needleminder.