Those dainty tea candles serve many useful purposes. They keep gourmet dishes warm at lavish buffets; they spread pleasant fragrances throughout homes; and they add a cheerful ambiance everywhere, especially at the dining table. 

CASE IN POINT: Several years ago, a friend and I had an alarming encounter with a tea candle during a night out at Goya, my favorite nightclub in Aschaffenburg, Germany. That seemingly harmless tea candle was within striking distance of my friend, and...