Change in a Teacup - Obama and the Lincoln White House China

From and article by Ana Kincaid at examiner.com:

February 11
by Ana Kinkaid, Seattle American Food Examiner

Seattle has long loved its legendary Market Spice Tea. Founded in 1911, its teas and spices have been enjoyed from Pike Place Market to China (yes, Seattle sends tea to China).
And now, Terry Hill, new general manager of Market Spice, is forwarding Market Spice Tea samples to Sam Kass, the new personal chef of the Obama family, for his review. What made this exchange possible was a recent conversation about a little known piece of American culinary history.

During the recent Obama Inauguration, tea was served using a reproduction of the Lincoln White House china. Few senators at that luncheon probably knew the amazing history of those china teacups, which were also a favorite of Jackie Kennedy.

Each cup and sauce used was bordered by a broad band of “solferino” purple - the 19th century newest and most fashionable color. This new deep purple dye had been created early in the 1800’s by the porcelain craftsmen of Solferino, a town in Northern Italy.

In 1859 a massive battle between the leading European powers of Austria and France engulfed tiny Solferino. The great nations involved decided to use their new mechanize weapons for the first time.

The resulting causalities were shocking. Over 40,000 men died in a single day. Another 40,000 died the next day because medical care was non-existent after the battle. Henri Dunant, a Swiss mechant, had come to Solferino on business, watched in horror the carnage of the battle and the needless aftermath of death. On returning home he wrote about what he had seen in a stirring book entitled, A Memory of Solferino. His book called on all the nations of the world to set up commissions to deal with war casualties. His story was read across Europe and slowly the concern for those injured by war or tragedy increased.

Probably unaware of the double legacy of the name solferino, Mary Todd Lincoln purchased her original plates, banded in solferino purple during the first years of her husband’s presidency.
Soon the War Between the States had split the nation and the same weapons of mass destruction were being used on American battlefields. And our nation wept as Europe had wept at the senseless loss of life.

But in October of 1863, while the American Civil War still raged and the Lincoln drank sad thoughtful tea from the beautiful solferino teacups, a committee of five concerned men met in Geneva, Switzerland to wonder if some sort of support organization to help the injured could be created. Henri Dunant, of course, was there. Their passionate courage to meet and create a better world laid the foundation for what would become the International Red Cross. For his work, Henri Dunant won the first Nobel Price for Peace.

Today this amazing organization works for the relief of the wounded and injured around the world. The American Red Cross is our branch of this great humanitarian organization.
One can only wonder how many of those who lunched with Obama in Washington this past January knew that their teacups contained such a heritage of caring - one that reaches far beyond a single day or any one presidency.

The staff at Market Spice, however, knows the story and hopes you will join them in not only enjoying a cup of their historic tea, but will also stand with them in supporting regional hospitals and disaster relief charities.

If you’d like to share this story with others, consider enjoy one of Seattle’s very best teas in a replica of the actual Lincoln solferino teacup, available from the gift shop at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, Iowa.

We live in what many call ‘troubled times’. But these are also times when we can change our national story for the better. All we need is a good cup of tea and some courage!

For more info: Market Spice Tea

85A Pike Street

Seattle WA 98101

206-622-6349