OUR MISSION
Honor the rich history of tea.
Oliver Pluff is an all-American company preserving the tradition of time-honored teas and early American coffee blends. The tradition of tea and coffee spans American history in its entirety. Our teas and coffees honor this history through flavors, ingredients, and more.
OUR PROMISE
Sip a Cup of History
A cup of Oliver Pluff tea or coffee is a toast to superior quality of ingredients, and a tribute to the American story. We would love to share a cup of history with you!
Owner and Tea Blender
Darren Hartford
Darren was born and raised in Smithfield, Maine. Darren spent over 28 years in the Air Force where he had the opportunity to travel the world and experience many different tea and coffee cultures. He and his family settled in Charleston and he is enjoying sharing the story of Early American Beverages!
darren@oliverpluff.com
Our Team
Sales Manager
Carol Rice
carol@oliverpluff.com
General Manager
Victoria Latham
vic@oliverpluff.com
E-Commerce Manager
Cara DiGiuseppe
cara@oliverpluff.com
Assistant Warehouse Manager
Victoria Velez
Food Safety and Inventory Specialist
Victoria Jenkins
Graphic Designer
Brandon Frye
Bookkeeper
Mary Hanckel
sales Representative
Michelle Strager
The Warehouse and Production Team
The Project Gutenberg eBook: Tea Drinking in 18th-Century America:... by Rodris Roth
In 18th-century America, the pleasant practice of taking tea at home was an established social custom with a recognized code of manners and distinctive furnishings. Pride was taken in a correct and fashionable tea table whose equipage included much more than teapot, cups, and saucers.
It was usually the duty of the mistress to make and pour the tea; and it was the duty of the guests to be adept at handling a teacup and saucer and to provide social “chitchat.” Because of the expense and time involved, the tea party was limited to the upper classes; consequently, such an affair was a status symbol. The cocktail party of the 20th century has, perhaps, replaced the tea party of the 18th century as a social custom, reflecting the contrast between the relaxed atmosphere of yesterday with the hurried pace of today.
The Author: Miss Roth is assistant curator of cultural history in the United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Find the entire book here: