FORTNUM & MASON, Queen Anne Blend, 25 Tea Bags

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The first tea tables (explicitly so called) were sold in the late 1690s before Queen Anne's reign," says Markman Ellis, professor of 18th-century studies at the Queen Mary University of London. "But the idea of 'the tea table' as more than just a piece of furniture, but also a social event at which women and men met together for gossip and conversation, begins in Anne's reign especially." And here's where this story takes an unforeseen twist. It turns out that the term "Queen Anne furniture" simply did not exist until almost 200 years after Anne's reign. These lines are usually thought to diminish the importance of the queen's counselors or her interest in politics," says professor Ellis, "but equally, it suggests that her morning tea table was an important part of her governing practice. Incidentally, Pope's rhyme suggests that tea was pronounced 'tay' in polite circles at this time."

When using Queen Anne’s lace to prevent pregnancy, it is commonly suggested to use 1 teaspoon of Queen Anne’s lace seed in a small amount of water. This mixture should be drunk 8 hours after intercourse and repeated every 8 hours for a total of 3 times to prevent egg implantation and conception from occurring. Herbalists such as Robin Rose Bennet, Phyllis Light, Donna Eaton, and Lise Wolff have all reported success with clients looking to use Queen Anne’s lace (flowers, seeds, and sometimes both) to avoid pregnancy—both in tea and tincture form (Peters, 2014)! When looking at any plant’s wellness benefits, I like to first focus on the primary body systems the plant has an affinity for. When it comes to Queen Anne’s lace, these body systems are the digestive, urinary, circulatory, and endocrine systems. Digestive Takeaway: Queen Anne’s lace is an aromatic plant. Its volatile oils soothe smooth muscle cramping, help expel gas, and have antiseptic properties.

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The use of Queen Anne’s lace to prevent pregnancy stems from its ability to act on the endocrine system. Several scientific studies have shown wild carrot to have mild estrogenic and anti-progestogenic activity (Jansen & Wohlmuth, 2014). Because progesterone is needed for egg implantation, Queen Anne’s lace is believed to inhibit conception by reducing the egg’s ability to implant in the uterus. Animal research using carrot seed extract has shown some support for this as well (Bhatnagar, 1995). Queen Anne’s lace ( Daucus carota ) is a fascinating plant with a long and storied past. Because it has poisonous look-alikes, it’s vitally important that you properly identify Queen Anne’s lace if you’re foraging for any part of the plant. Read the first part of this two-part series in Queen Anne’s Lace Part I: Folklore and Identification for more info. We see tilt-top tables very often," says Sebastian Clarke, a furniture expert and appraiser for the Antiques Roadshow on PBS. "They could be set out for tea, and once the social event was over, placed against the wall, as was the custom until the mid-part of the 18th century. Also known as occasional tables, they were used for gaming and meals as well as tea."

Across the Atlantic, American landowners and merchants who took their cultural cues from England eagerly aspired to acquire these tables. Martha Washington owned one. Benjamin Franklin contemplated getting one for his sister as a wedding gift, before priggishly changing his mind and buying her a spinning wheel instead because, as he explained in his letter to her, "the character of a good housewife was far preferable to that of being only a pretty gentlewoman." Easy to reproduce, they were soon widely available. Indeed, it is impossible to browse through an antique store today without stubbing one's toe on a reproduction.But why did this style of furniture, which constitutes Anne's most prominent cultural legacy, become such a rage? One of the chief reasons can be distilled into a dark and delicious word: tea. Boiling Queen Anne’s lace root is said to release the plant’s emollient properties, which is used internally for gastrointestinal ulcers and externally as a poultice on skin wounds. I’ve not found much evidence about how or why the plant works in this way other than anecdotal reports. However, I have seen several mentions of Queen Anne’s lace having antiseptic properties, which is likely due to its high volatile oil content, so this may be another reason it’s beneficial for these conditions. It’s even been said that Queen Anne’s lace was an herb used on soldier’s wounds during the American Civil War (Richey, 2010).