Carol Meeder checks her tickets at the Red Hat Society themed table she decorated for Zelienople Historical Society's tea held April 26.

For some people hot tea is just something to drink on a cold day. For others tea represents a time when people share elegant foods and genteel conversation.

For Laura Kacy tea represents a livelihood.

Kacy, of Sarver, teaches the social graces of years gone by in her class "Tea and the Social Graces," held at the Succop Conservancy Heritage School in Penn Township. She teaches participants about the history and significance of afternoon and high teas and the proper way to serve.

"You will leave a Laura Kacy tea more educated and refined," Kacy says to all her students.

In addition to her work at the Heritage School, Kacy also serves in-home teas for bridal showers and other events.

Kacy's class teaches everything involved in serving a tea including boiling water, choosing and steeping tea, baking scones, setting the table, holding a cup and saucer and eating a scone properly.

The class refers to books such as "Vintage Hats and Bonnets 1770-1970" by Susan Langley and "The Young Housekeepers Friend" by Mrs. Cornelius, revised in 1859.

Local organizations and churches also take on the task of bringing tea traditions back, usually in the spring. Among these are Old Union Church in Mars and Freeport's 175th anniversary committee, that held spring teas Saturday.

The Zelienople Historical Society has held a tea each year for the last six years to help raise funds for the society and to allow guests to reconnect with the past. Their spring tea was held April 26 at Park United Presbyterian Church in Zelienople.

Joyce Bessor, society executive director, said that though teas are typically geared toward women, men also attend. Funds raised go toward the society's many projects such as renovating historical homes and running educational programs.The society tea brings in about 100 guests each year. Society members are responsible for decorating tables, and each table is strikingly different, but the same in one way. Each includes a three-tiered serving stand, a staple in Victorian tea service.Kacy teaches the proper way to serve with a three-tiered stand is to place finger sandwiches on the top tier, scones on the middle and desserts on the bottom.Nancy Korczynski of Zelienople, who caters the society event, said the most popular item at a tea is cucumber sandwiches, but she also enjoys other recipes."I have made mini rum cakes, fruit tarts with almond custard, chocolate-covered strawberries, mini quiches, several kinds of sandwiches, wonton wrappers with chicken salad and so many more. And we always make something with lemon," Korczynski said.Though every tea is unique with its foods, china patterns and drinks, a tea will always be focused on those who attend.Kacy says, "Tea is a central theme of hospitality, and relationships are central to tea. I find that women, in particular, love to go back to a time of leisure when you could just enjoy time without distractions."

• <b>Teapot: </b>Proper teapots are fatter on the bottom than the top. They can be simple or very ornate.• <b>Kettle: </b>A kettle should be in convenient proximity to the service area. A British man once said, "Pot to the kettle, not kettle to the pot." Bringing a hot unsightly kettle to a beautiful tea table is not acceptable. Take the teapot to the kettle.For black teas, water should be used at a rolling boil and the tea should steep for 3 to 5 minutes.For green or white teas, water should be used just before boiling when small "fish eye" bubbles come to the top. These teas should steep for 2 to 3 minutes.Remember — brew by time, not by color.• <b>Tea: </b>Use either sachets, bags or loose tea. A rule of thumb is three sachets or bags or 3 teaspoons of loose tea per pot.• <b>Food: </b>A typical afternoon tea includes finger sandwiches in three varieties, meat, cheese and vegetable; scones; and a variety of small desserts.• <b>Table: </b>the table can be set with all that is needed to serve, and guests may be free to mingle in the room or rooms. Sometimes, guests may also sit at the table. Items needed for each guest are cups and saucers, teaspoons, salad-sized plates and napkins. A slop bowl should also be on the table for guests and the host to discard used tea bags or sachets. A three-tiered stand holds the food, and a small vase of flowers is also appropriate.<b>Guidelines for guests</b>• Hold your cup correctly. An acceptable way to hold the cup is to hook the forefinger through the handle and rest the handle on the middle finger.The proper way to hold the cup is to pinch the handle between the thumb and the first two fingers. The turned-up pinky finger happens as a natural counterbalance to the cup's weight.• Do not dunk tea bags — dunking shows impatience. Guests also should not strangle or squeeze tea bags with string or fingers. Used tea bags go in the slop bowl.• Be considerate of your host. A tea guest should arrive on time and leave at the acceptable time, about 90 minutes after tea begins.Guests should turn off cell phones and other disruptive devices.Nothing should be left on the tea table that was not already there, including gloves, hats and purses.Source: Laura Kacy, tea instructor for the Succop Conservancy Heritage School

2 cups flour2 tsp. baking powder¼ cup sugar1/3 cup unsalted butter½ can sweetened condensed mild plus 2 Tbsp. regular milk2 tsp. almond extract½ cup dried cranberriesPreheat oven to 400 degrees.Place flour, baking powder, sugar and butter in food processor and mix until butter is blended into pea-sized pieces.Add the condensed milk and regular milk, almond extract and cranberries.Mix and knead dough until moistened. Flatten dough with hands on floured surface. Cut into desired shapes, typically triangles.Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on rack.Makes 10 to 12 scones.Source: Laura Kacy, tea instructor for the Succop Conservancy Heritage School

Zest of one lime (do not zest down to the white, which is bitter)Juice of 2 limes1 cup sugar1/3 cup butter, cut into cubes2 beaten eggsPlace all ingredients into a double boiler or a glass mixing bowl over a sauce pan of boiling water.Stir and cook continuously for about 15 minutes until thickened. Use a whisk so to not let the eggs scramble in the mixture.Some prefer to leave the zest in the curd, while others strain it while warm.Use within five days to complement scones.Source: Laura Kacy, tea instructor for the Succop Conservancy Heritage School

1 large loaf white bread, sliced and frozen1 or 2 large cucumbers, peeled with small strips of peel still on the cucumber for color, sliced thin1 cup sour cream1/3 cup mayonnaiseLemon pepper seasoningCut bread with a biscuit cutter, about 3" diameter.Mix sour cream and mayonnaise. Spread on bread.Place one cucumber slice on each piece of bread and sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning.Makes 2 dozen open-faced sandwiches.Source: Margo Hogan, President of the Zelienople Historical Society.

2 cups flour1 Tbsp. baking powder2 Tbsp. sugar½ tsp. salt6 Tbsp. butter, cold½ cup milk or buttermilk¼ cup dried blueberries1 Tbsp. orange zestMix dry ingredients. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.Make a well in the mixture and pour in milk. Add fruit and orange zest. Mix until the dough is clingy. It will be sticky.Turn onto a floured surface and form with hands into a six to eight inch round. The dough should be 1½" thick.Cut with a round biscuit cutter and place on a baking sheet.Bake at 425 for 10 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool for a few minutes and drizzle on a sugar glaze, which is 1 cup of powdered sugar mixed with 1 Tbsp. milk.Dried cranberries or other dried fruits may substitute for the blueberries.Source: Margo Hogan, President of the Zelienople Historical Society

Tea guests from left, Jane Springer, her twin sister Jean Streeter, Shirley Wahl and her daughter Sue Krysinski, talk with friends while waiting to begin afternoon tea.