Sometimes you try and try and try and you just can't find the perfect recipe. Other times your disasters turn out to be successes. That's the story of my rice pudding. I have been trying to make a creamy rice pudding and each time it has come out grainy or chewy, never quite right. I've tried using different kinds of rice, different kinds of milk, baking it, steaming it, cooking it on the stove-top and finally using a pressure cooker.



This had to be at least my fourth attempt. I was expecting the arborio to give it a "risotto" like texture but it didn't. I also was expecting it to be fairly dense. It isn't. When I first opened the pressure cooker I thought it was way too mushy and liquidy, but as it cooled it firmed up quite a bit and the end result was very creamy and rich.



So it's with great pride that I can say I have finally conquered rice pudding! This is one of those simple recipes that only has 4 ingredients, well, five if you count the water. And they probably all live in your cupboard so even when you don't have fresh milk in the house you can make this one. The only tricky part is, you need a pressure cooker. But if you are looking for a recipe to make with your pressure cooker, or even a reason to invest in a pressure cooker, this is the one.



Note:If you want to try making this without the a pressure cooker, I imagine you could make it in a rice cooker or tightly covered pot over a low flame, you might need to increase the cooking time and perhaps the liquid, let me know how your experiments turn out!



Creamy Coconut Rice Pudding

serves 4-6



1/2 cup arborio rice

1 can unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 oz)

1 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 t vanilla extract



Mix the rice, coconut milk, sugar and water in a pressure cooker. Put the lid on and bring up to full pressure then lower to a low pressure for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool on the stove for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and stir. It will seem very liquid, but it will thicken when it cools. Let cool to room temperature, stir in vanilla then refrigerate.



Enjoy!

9 am Sunday: bubbling oil and beignets

After a few weeks’ hiatus, it’s high time that I recommitted myself to what has clearly become the celestial purpose of Orangette: making Jimmy famous. He may be the gay husband of my former employer Rebecca, but he’s also much more, and that’s where I come in. My commitment to Jimmy is truly the highest of callings, a fanatical devotion to a church where a choir of deep-fryers sing sweetly from

A Day at the Farm

Say you live in a big city. You love eating fresh-from-the-farm produce. You frequent the farmers' market, maybe you even subscribe to a CSA. But every once in a while you long to feel the soil, dig a little, pluck some weeds, pick some fruit and vegetables and get back in touch with mother nature.

Here in San Francisco we are lucky to have a four and a half acre farm, and it's just a stone's throw from the Alemany farmers' market. Long neglected after the demise of the San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners, it is now coming back to life under the nurturing care of the Alemany farm managers. Best of all, it's completely open to the public.

This past weekend a whole bunch of Bay Area food bloggers helped out at the farm, including four Bay Area Bites bloggers. One of the farm managers, Jason, showed us around and put us to work and gave us a tour. We climbed up the hill to see the remains of an orchard, viewed the beds of chard, tomatoes, strawberries, swung by the herb garden and meandered over to the swampy pond surrounded by cattails. It was dirty and gritty and everyone worked up a sweat, but the farm is positively gorgeous and the experience (despite my allergies) was gratifying.

You may have read about the recent campaign to bring back victory gardens in San Francisco. But if you don't have the space, you can easily volunteer at the Alemany farm just check the calendar for available dates. As an added bonus you might get to take home some fruits of your labor as a thank you. The rest of the produce is sold to residents of Bayview Hunters Point to support larger food security efforts. You don't need to be an experienced gardener, and even children are welcome.

READ MORE Over at Bay Area Bites is my review of a terrific new book The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook

FOOD

The Christmas Traveling Teapot

Christmas can be a time of hurried activity and stress, as Christmas presents are bought, holiday decorating is done, and traditional holiday foods are prepared. Christmas preparations, parties, pageants, and concerts fill the days surrounding Christmas with much activity. With the whirlwind, sometimes it's easy to forget the true meaning of the holiday. Christmas is about relationships as illustrated by God's gift of His Son. The love represented by this gift becomes ours to share. Having an object or tradition that causes us to stop to pause and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas can help us to remember what the season really is all about. Thus the traveling Christmas teapot becomes an integral tool in finding the meaning of the holiday.

Preparing for and participating in a personal traveling teapot project is one technique that can be used in sharing the meaning of Christmas. Too often there are those around us who find the holiday season lonely and sad. It can be our privilege and joy to create a memorable and warm holiday season for them. The elderly, single, divorced, or young living away from home keenly feel the sadness of not having someone to share Christmas with. Memories of holiday's past become a time of poignant introspection. Even those with families nearby can get caught up in the frenzy of the holiday season and simply need a quiet reminder to help them identify more clearly the meaning of the season. The traveling Christmas teapot can be your way of sharing the real meaning of the Christmas with them. It is a method that can be used to share the love of the Christmas season. It helps by slowing down life's pace and replacing some of our Christmas tasks with things or events that promote relationships and can change the pace of the holidays. By so doing, the shift changes from doing things to being ourselves and enjoying quality relationships with those around us.

[to be continued]

Thank you for visiting Gracious Hospitality. Please come back soon!

Taken from http://www.gracioushospitality.blogspot.com/

DPA and Tea Board meet in Darjeeling

The three-day workshop will focus on finding ways to improve the efficiency of workers and will be attended by managers and other garden officials. The programme will help the garden staff understand the changes in the global scenario. Organised by the Tea Board in association with Darjeeling Tea Association, the workshop will be coordinated by Maitreyi R. Kollegal from the Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bangalore.

Sources said apart from providing an overview of the new challenges in the tea industry, resource personnel and the tea officials will be working towards understanding markets in the new competitive context.

Over the years, the Indian tea industry, including Darjeeling Tea, has been facing stiff competition from other tea producing countries like Sri Lanka and Kenya especially with regard to pricing. Keeping this aspect of the trade in mind, a special session will be dedicated to discussing cost control and competitiveness.

The workshop is also expected to discuss the fact that though quality of Darjeeling Tea is still unmatched, the annual production has not crossed the 9-million kg-mark for the past few years. The emphasis will also be on strengthening estate and supply chain management, which is most essential to improve the condition of the gardens.

New product development and marketing initiatives will also be dealt with in detail so that the industry can capture new markets. The Darjeeling Tea Association in collaboration with the Tea Board have conducted many promotional tours in Europe in the past and industry observers believe that understanding modern marketing techniques would further boost their efforts.

Source > The Telegraph

Taken from http://teanewsdarjeeling.blogspot.com/

Nilgiri Black Tea

If I didn't know better, I would guess that this was a white tea, or an oolong, but not a black. The dry leaf smells almost exactly like Froot Loops (thanks Brandon). The handmade leaves do look wonderful and long, although, what accounts for this is the usual inclusion of stems into the finished product.


The brew (208°f/3m) comes out a full, golden-yellow color. Smelling very similar to a Darjeeling oolong. Tasting delicate and smooth, with heavy notes of fruit. This tea is really good! It manages do go down smoothly, with a delicate bouquet of fruity notes, accompanied by a muted floralness, and yet it still packs a punch! This is a very good tea, and I am going to be buying a big bag.


The second steep (208°f/3.5 m) is still wonderful, delivering the same flavors in their beautiful profile, albeit somewhat weaker.

Going 5 minutes for a third steep helps this tea to dish out yet another palatable two cups. This Nilgiri "black" even managed to turn some hot water into a good 4th steep. Because of this good turnout of multiple infusions, I'm going to gongfu this using my Darjeeling oolong standards.

Just look at those beautiful leaves...

Taken from http://thegreenteareview.blogspot.com/

Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas

This is my first post, and I'm hoping my very smart and eco-minded friends will chime in and make additional recommendations. I'll post these at least once/week between now and the big X day.


Idea #1: Adopt an Acre or a Reef
Check out the Nature Conservancy's site that explains how you can save an acre of rain forest from development or help protect fragile coral reefs. Both start at $50. While that might be a bit pricey on a single budget for someone like your boss, I think this would make a delightful group gift!

Taken from http://stephcupoftea.blogspot.com/

Tea adds life

The tea taste, if it's there at all, is very subtle. In a glass, it smells exactly like regular Coke. The overall taste is largely the same, too, just ... cleaner, fresher, a crisper finish around the edges. I kept coming back to the word "fresh," which is not one I've ever used in describing Coca-Cola, I can assure you. I'm tempted to add that the rum I splashed in the last of it perked up, too, but that's probably just the rum itself talking.

Be on the lookout for an American launch later?

Taken from http://teasquared.blogspot.com/

Teacup Tea Class - February 2011

Thursday, February 17, 2011 - 10:00 to 11:00 AM
Black Tea Cupping Workshop - In this class we will sharpen our tea tasting skills by "cupping" several rounds of unscented, loose-leaf black teas. The selected teas will represent most major black tea growing regions which will provide guests with a great opportunity to compare and contrast many unique and delightful flavors.

This class is being offered in the morning for any black tea drinkers who are sensitive to caffeine.

My tea classes are great for tea lovers of all levels, so feel free to bring a friend or family member that you'd like to "get hooked" on tea. The cost is $3 per guest and a RSVP is required. You may RSVP anytime by visiting or calling the Teacup (206-283-5931) or by emailing me at blackdragontea@gmail.com.

I will let you know as new classes are scheduled, and please feel free to suggest a class idea on a subject you'd like to learn more about. I hope to see you soon at a class!

Taken from http://www.blackdragonteabar.blogspot.com/

第二屆彩霞之春無我茶會 Second Rosy Spring Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony

Second Rosy Spring Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony

時間 Date 2011年03月09日晚上 In The Evening Mar.09, 2011

開始泡茶Brewing Starts 7:10pm
地點 Location
陸羽茶藝中心教室 Lu-Yu Tea Culture Institute Classroom
第3期茶之專業英語
Third Class of Specialized English for Tea
英文之無我茶會是一個不錯的學習英文方法。
人人泡茶、人人奉茶、人人喝茶，
大家邊聽著解說員用英文解說無我茶會的流程以及七大精神。
“一石二鳥Kill two birds with one stone”

英文無我茶會
This intensive Specialized English for Tea Studies course is held at Lu-Yu Tea Culture Institute in Taipei and is designed for setting a standard for tea terminology and to meet the demands of the students’ future role in Tea Studies. As part of the curriculum the students must arrange a tea ceremony event in English. I having only been an advisor for this event, but it has been the students that have put it together. This Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony will be small; but it is a complete step forward for the upcoming International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony next year held in Taiwan. To help complete this goal and to continue preparing with this year’s events (2011) 13th International Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony 第十三屆國際無我茶會 , we will organize an in-class tea ceremony. All the standard measures will be completed as any other Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, including a Public Announcement in “English and Chinese中英文公告事項 ”, narrators, instruction, as well as banners and signs all in English. This will be a practical use of Tea Terminology as well as a chance to test run an “English Language Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony英文無我茶會 ”. Photos, instruction, and Public Announcement will be taken and posted. This learning experience is for all to share. Your suggestions are appreciated.  Thanks for also helping teacher 林淑珍, and teacher 謝宛珊,

--- Steven R. Jones

https://picasaweb.google.com/icetea8/Class2011wuwoteaceremony

students blog:
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/mei_xio/article?mid=316

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Below are reports from our students:

Written by Shiny Lu (Mar. 14, 2011)

What I think & feel about participating in Rosy Spring Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony

This is my second time to participate in a Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony. But the main difference this time is that I was the narrator instead of tea brewer. When I was a tea brew last time, I was busy and focused on memorizing the steps of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony and the tea making process. So honestly I did not pay much attention to the important spirits and values about Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony. 

This time, since I was the narrator, I needed to explain each step of this tea ceremony.  Therefore, I needed to prepare the narrator speech (narration) before the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony. I revised the speech content which has been written by previous students in other tea class of TenfuTeaCollege (from last year 2010 in China). While I was revising the content, I learned about these 7 important spirits of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony in more details and how they can be applied to our daily life. I think they are really important and more people should know about them. These 7 spirits of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony include:

1.        To cooperate and appear in group rhythm and harmony (all participant remain silent in the tea ceremony) – cultivate tacit understanding.

2.        No priority to seats to matter of social status.

3.        Serve tea in the same direction, no reward is expected.

4.        Concentrate and improve the (tea brewing) skills  

5.        Not confined to any tea brewing manner-no distinction of school or region.

6.        No bias- accepting and appreciating different teas.

7.        Follow the agreed schedule and practices, and no director of MC.  Everyone follows the public announcement

Actually it’s not that easy to apply all these spirits or principles in our life, but if we can apply some of these spirits in our daily life, our world will certainly becoming a more peaceful and happier place. Sharing and embracing are important in tea culture too. So as I played a different role this time, I have a different and deeper feeling about how the values in tea culture can actually change and make our life better and different.  

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Written by 蕭媄文 Mei, HSIAO,  (Mar 2011)

Follow the movements of the brewer next to you, no matter if you have experienced or never attended an Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony. That is a key point of the tea ceremony; because everyone has to keep silent expect the narrators.

  Last week (Mar. 9, 2011), my class (Lu Yu Tea Studies – Specialized English for Tea) had a practical lecture on Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony. That was the first tea ceremony which I have ever attended. In fact, we had a lecture of tea ceremony too, I also had an assigned task as a site arrangement team member, and the ceremony schedule was posted on the wall before the ceremony began. To be honest, I was still out of line for the process of tea ceremony.

Luckily, from setting up of tea ware, brewing the tea, serving the tea to three neighbors that sat on my left hand side, serving the tea to spectators, sang a song together, and packing the tea ware; all the processes were guided for me by many instructors.

We shared our impressions after the ceremony. Many mistakes I made during the event, for example, my teapot still had tea liquid left, till the end of ceremony. I did not know how many minutes my tea leaves have steeped. Also one of my neighbors mentioned that the taste of my tea was not so well.

 From this ceremony, I learned the etiquette during the tea served, also enjoyed drinking the four different teas from each brewing. The most important thing is I completed my first tea ceremony. There are many tea cultures have to study, this is only the beginning for a fresh person as me. I believe, my skill of making the tea is going to improve. Practice makes perfect, isn’t it?

無我茶會

總覺得【茶會】是適合氣質高雅，動作溫柔的貴婦專屬遊程。沒想到；粗枝大葉的我也竟然完成一次無我茶會的演練。

  讓！喝太多茶，會全身顫抖的我~~來話說從頭 ；2010年底，承辦經濟部商業司~鹿谷採茶、製茶、品茗、換宿遊程後，發現無論是台灣或是外國朋友，對茶充滿喜好，但卻不懂其中的奧妙。想當然爾 ；我也不懂茶。但~~各位看官一定知道台灣人『打腫臉充胖子』的文化，我是主辦人，雖然不懂還是要裝著似有其似的樣子，中文＆英文講的頭頭是道，整個活動辦的非常成功，但我心中卻卡著一個【梗】，想說算了，我又不太喝茶，幹麻跟自己過不去！什麼都要弄懂？會不會太認真了一點。

沒想到，我真的是那個非常認真的人，2011年初花錢報名了天仁茗茶所屬的陸羽茶藝中心所辦的【英語茶學課程】，根本不懂茶的我，還真的出了蠻多笑話，還記得有一堂課要描述茶的品種、形狀、湯色。茶葉不就是茶葉，弄得那麼複雜，教科書上雖然中英文並列，但不懂還是不懂，對我而言根本就是本無字天書，還要用英文說明，心理冒出了 O.S. 我會不會太認真了一點 。

終於到了茶會演練課程，從報到、抽號碼牌、就定位、茶席設製、泡茶、奉茶，在完全搞不清楚茶壺內裝的是哪種茶？到底要泡多長的時間？奉茶正確的動作為何？僅能靠著不斷模仿旁邊老師的動作，她倒水我跟著倒水、她倒茶跟著倒茶、站起來奉茶反正跟著做就不會錯了，在不斷被指正情況下，這樣就完成了無我茶會。

會後心得分享時，捷克朋友竟然說..我泡的茶真的還蠻難喝的。每個人都有第一次不是嗎？就別計較太多嘛！若想試喝我所泡的茶，歡迎跟我ㄧ起來玩【茶會】。相信我，你一定也會手忙腳亂，但~~ 真的特好玩的。

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Written by Chris Tseng (Mar. 2011)

Second Rosy Spring Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony

I’m so excited that I could attend this special event in Taiwan. I’ve heard that it might be over 40 years or longer the English Tea Ceremony in Taiwan since last year the first rosy spring Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony was held by Teacher Steven.

It’s so wonderful to be with all of you in this English tea class to experience the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony. I am very lucky that Teacher Lin just randomly sat next to me and she taught me the process of proceeding the Tea Ceremony step by step. She looks so elegant and smooth. By the means of correct steps we could feel so peaceful in our mind (if I could do the procedure correctly…Hahaha…next time I hope I can.)

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Richard Lin (Mar. 2011)

Wu Wo Tea Ceremony
The first time I head of Wu Wo Tea Ceremony was at a class I was attending in Lu Yu Tea School. The straight translation of “Wu Wo” literally means “No Me” in Chinese. Which pretty much sums up what the ceremony about.

Wu Wo tea ceremony is a ceremony where every attendee can meet and executed according to a prepared “public announcement” with his/her own tea set and tea brewing method no matter where you are from.

The goal of ceremony is to share tea knowledge and culture internationally hence the meaning of “No Me” emerges. It is a quite ceremony where everyone is seated accordingly and begin their brewing at same time so all attendees can concentrate on what they doing and brew the best tasting tea to share with everyone no matter you are just an onlooker or the one doing the brewing.

Taken from http://teaarts.blogspot.com/

Nanfang Zhuni Xiao Pin (2)

Cette petite théière de 6 cl est un peu en hauteur et mince que celle que je vous avais présenté il y a quelques jours. En chinois, on dit qu'elle a une forme de poire. En Chine et à Taiwan, la poire (Li) est un fruit noble aux sonorités semblables au mot cadeau 'Li', si bien qu'on offre souvent des poires en cadeau à Taiwan. Les meilleures atteignent des formes impressionnantes car elles sont cultivées dans les hautes montagnes, notamment à Lishan (qui signigie montagne de poires!) Elles sont très juteuses et sucrées aussi, avec une chair blanche bien croquante. En France, le mot poire a des connotations souvent familières: "Je me fends la poire" ou bien la Renault 14, dont le renom fut ruiné par son surnom, la poire. Les connotations de poire et de Li ne sauraient être plus opposées. C'est pourquoi, je préfère ne pas employer le mot 'poire' pour la décrire.

Une autre curiosité de langage en chinois concerne la poire: 'fen li' veut dire couper ou partager une poire, mais les sonorités sont les mêmes que pour mettre un terme à une relation (amoureuse). A cause de ce double sens, la plupart des couples chinois ne partagent pas leur poire avec leur partenaire. Couper une poire en deux et offrir une moitié à sa petite amie est très mal vécu, alors qu'on a tendance à partager tout le reste (les plats sont communs à table). La symbolique de ce fruit est donc assez complexe: il est poli de l'offrir, mais pas de le partager.

En vous présentant cette théière, je crains également commettre un faux pas. En effet, seules ses photos m'appartiennent encore. La petite zhuni, elle, est déjà en route pour la France. L'autre Nanfang zhuni Xiao Pin avait suscité de nombreux commentaires et au moins autant de courier direct. Je suis désolé de m'avoir pu satisfaire que 2 personnes cette fois-ci. Mais comme l'attente fait aussi parti du plaisir, je vous propose ces photos pour mieux passer le temps d'ici à ce que j'ai l'occasion de retourner chez le collectionneur qui m'a vendu ces 2 théières.

Taken from http://teamasters.blogspot.com/

‘No plans to revise import duty’

A section of the Indian tea industry has been demanding that the import duty on tea currently pegged at 100% should be reviewed in the light of massive influx of cheaper tea varieties from Vietnam and Nepal at the cost of Indian tea. “We have no plans to bring down the duty on tea import. Not currently,” Scindia said during his inaugural address at the 19th Session of Inter-governmental Group (IGG).

Clarifying the government’s stand, the minister added, “Tea production is improving. So are prices. The production is going to touch the threshold of 1 billion kg this season.”

On rebranding of Indian tea to make it more acceptable to foreign customers, the minister said a task force has been set up—of which he is the head—to provide ‘pragmatic solutions’ to the hurdles faced by the sector.

“Making tea suppliers capable of matching the global standards in the domestic and world market is essential,” Scindia said, adding that there is an urgent need to augment domestic production to compete in the world trade .

“There are lots of supply side constraints which we are trying to address through the Special Purpose Tea Fund. We are urging the industry to take up the replantation so that India could regain its number one position,” the minister said.

Scindia also discounted talk that the global economic crisis had any impact on Indian tea exports last year. “Despite the recession, tea export has been consistent and the government congratulates the industry for that,” the minister said.

India is the world's largest tea grower. It produced 960 million kg of tea in 2009-10 and exported close to 200 million kg, up from 190 million kg in 2008-09. “The government has raised the budget allocation for tea sector to Rs 800 crore in the Eleventh Plan from Rs 350 crore,” he added.

Source: Financial Express

Taken from http://teanewsdarjeeling.blogspot.com/

Sconnie Land and I/t/s Chinese Girl Infes/t/ation

I woke up this morning feeling like I needed cigarette.  Fuck, I don't have any cigarettes, I thought.  What's the next best thing?  Come on Duke, you know this...sex? no. cigarettes are fun after sex...smelling those awesome fruity scented markers? no.  they don't even taste like fruit!  fuck that I want something that smells and tastes like fruit. ok Duke, come on, think...oh yeah Lapsang Souchong is like cigarettes.  duh.  I went to my cabinet and grabbed my Twinings Lapsang Souchong.  Heated up my water and poured it in my loose-leaf tea pot.  My smoke alarm went off.  Shit.  Smokey-ass Lapsang Souchong.  Get Smokey Bear up here to supervise my L'Chong brewing.

You like my French-Chinese name for it?  It seems appropriate to me since it tastes like French people protesting a reduction in their 37 days of paid vacation a year by burning down the Louvre and Chinese girls with bound feet waddling around a hillside filled with my future tea.  Lapsang Souchong is a "smoked" tea, so its smokey flavor is either taken from the wood used to smoke it or the smokey flavoring infused into the leaves.  I don't know how Twinings does theirs, but god damn I thought I was drinking a campfire.  I assume it is actually smoked.  The campfire in my mouth was smooth too, likely due to it being loose-leaf tea.

Twinings is cheap as shit too.  I don't even remember how much I paid for it.  I actually had to go to the store to figure that out, after I finished my tea though.  On my way I couldn't help but think that everyone was driving like little Chinese girls with bound feet.  I heard my smoke alarm go off in my head and remembered something I heard when I was a little kid:


"Only riot police can prevent French protest fires."

What: Lapsang Souchong aka L'Chong (Twinings)

How much: $7.33 (3.53 oz listed),  $5.59 (3.53 oz on sale)

What kind: Black - smoked

Taste: Like getting my mouth raped by Smokey Bear
Repeat Drinkability: 5/10 (I mean do you want to smell like a Texas barbecue every day?)

Manliness: 8/10 (smoke is manly cause fire is manly)


Sincerely,
DukeOEarl

Taken from http://theteablag.blogspot.com/

Tea for Cherry Blossom Time

Good news from Darjeeling. Some of the workers' associations broke off from the main group and settled for a considerable raise, all the way up to a little over $2.00 a day. I don't know how this fits in with average wages in India. This affects 42 gardens, but I do not know which ones. The larger group of associations is still on strike. I hope it can be settled amicably, and the workers receive what they need.



I know many tea enthusiasts are also gardeners and a rosarian friend of mine, Lee Ginenthal, has started a blog about roses, Thorny Issues, which can be found at http://derrosenmeister.blogspot.com/. I like to blend roses with my tea, as well as lavender. I will be planting some of Lee's roses this spring, as well as some lavender. I am intending to only plant things which smell good, if I can find enough of them the deer don't like.



For those of you who have ordered tea from the Imperial Tea Court, Stephanie, from Steph's Cup of Tea - see the list at right for her address - just visited and took some great pictures.



To celebrate the sun and spring hopes, I am going to try some Sencha Green Cherry Rose from the Briar Patch here in Owego. It's a pretty tea, with rose petals in the green leaves. It smells mostly of cherry and green tea, with just a touch of rose, and not cherry candy, either, hooray. This carries through in the brewing, with the same delicate scent. The brewed tea is a soft, greenish old gold color. Much as I am not a fan of fruity tea, I find this to be a very good blend, where both the tea and the flavoring meld into one lovely taste. This would be a perfect tea to have in among the cherry blossoms. There was no rose taste, but the petals made the tea pretty, and sometimes, pretty is enough.

Taken from http://teafortoday.blogspot.com/

Kalahari’s Zambezi Red Chai Review

Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $3.50 for 20 Pouches)
Vendor: Kalahari
Brewing Method: 1 teabag, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F, steeped for 4 - 5 minutes
Overall Score: 3.8 out of 5

Zambezi Red Chai is a rooibos base blend with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper. The dry leaf aroma smells of chai spices with the ginger and cloves standing out more than the rest. I cannot see much of the dry leaf blend because of the opaque tea bag, but from what I can make out there lots of colorful specs of spices throughout.

The cinnamon and clove aromas are more distinguishable as the tea is steeping. The liquor before milk is added is a light copper color. The liquid is rather foggy, but I have found that to happen whenever cinnamon is an ingredient in the blend. After milk is added, the liquid becomes a light brown or tan color.



The taste is… warm. I can taste the cloves, cinnamon, and ginger which provides for the overall warm feeling. The milk helps cut some of the harshness from the spices, but I can still feel the heat in the back of my throat.

This rooibos base chai seems to be sweeter than the Assam base chai’s. There is a lack of bitterness and astringency that normally comes with the Assam base blends. It is also mellower than chai’s made with black tea… even though the cloves are always relentless no matter what else is in the blend.

Taken from http://mysteepedidentitea.blogspot.com/

Kid's Day! Teapot Maze

Help the princess through the teapot shaped maze to find her tray of tea.

More mazes here
(Click on image to enlarge, then print out)

Taken from http://uniquelytea.blogspot.com/

Peter Meanley

Peter Meanley saltglaze studio pottery teapot from 1989.
A lovely saltglaze teapot from Craft Potters Association member and top teapot maker, Peter Meanley. It is marked PM 89 just beneath the handle.
SIZE: Just over 20cm long from spout to handle. 13cm high to top of handle.
Sold at Auction 18th October for £261.09

Taken from http://teapotsteapotsteapots.blogspot.com/

Photo du Jour - Coco Rose

These are a stunning sight at the market. The bright pink vibrates against all the surrounding green.

Haricots coco rose, also known as le haricot marbré or borlotti beans.

This Morning in Béziers

Our visit to the sous-préfecture this morning went very well...

They did want to see us for the 10 year cartes de séjours.
The interview included questions to find out if we've integrated into our community and how well we speak French. It was all surprisingly simple and the man behind the desk was really nice and had a good sense of humor.
Don't know what happened to the cranky women who used to work there.

Another step in the right direction.
What a relief!

Virginia Woolfe, On Writing

"...And in her long essay about women and literature, A Room of One's Own (1929), she [Virginia Woolfe] wrote: 'So long as you write what you wish to write, that is all that matters; and whether it matters for ages or only for hours, nobody can say. But to sacrifice a hair of the head of your vision, a shade of its colour, in deference to some Headmaster with a silver pot in his hand or to some professor with a measuring-rod up his sleeve, is the most abject treachery, and the sacrifice of wealth and chastity, which used to be said to be the greatest of human disasters, a mere flea-bite in comparison.' "

I love this quote! It says what I wish every middle-school girl in the world was taught - each and every day in school. To think her own thoughts, write her own truth. That is revolutionary.

Taken from http://stephcupoftea.blogspot.com/

Cold and Crisp on Mountain Ridge

It was breezy and cold on the mountain today. Tari, our friend who's wiring our cabin, arrived before we did this morning and had a warm fire blazing in the stove when we arrived. The canyons and ridges are difficult to see in the distance, as fog and clouds nestled in the ridges and took away from the crisp autumn air of last week-end. It was definitely coat weather today!

Thank you for visiting Gracious Hospitality. Please come back soon!

Taken from http://www.gracioushospitality.blogspot.com/

The Power of Yerba Maté

Move over caffeinated energy gels; yerba maté has arrived. An article from The New York Times announces this South American tea is “the latest buzz among endurance athletes,” including cyclists and distance runners. It goes on to explain that aside from caffeine, maté contains “theobromine, the stimulant in dark chocolate, and theophylline, tea’s pick-me-up.” Because of this combination of natural stimulants, “maté drinkers don’t experience the rapid upward trajectory and then the quick crash of coffee.”

Whether an athlete or not, the energy boosting power of yerba maté is worth a try. Check out Teaquilibrium’s Energizing Sport Tea in 3 flavors: Endura, Zest, and Burst.

Source: The New York Times, "A Cupful Puts Wings on Wheels"

Taken from http://teaquilibrium.blogspot.com/

How to Brew a Cup of Green Tea

Use one tea bag, or 2 - 4 grams of tea,* per cup.
Fill a kettle with cold water and bring to a boil.
After unplugging the kettle, allow it to stand for up to 3 minutes.
Pour the heated water over the tea bag or tea, and allow it to steep for up to 3 minutes. If using a tea bag, remove the bag.
Allow the tea to cool for three more minutes.

*One to two teaspoons, depending on the variety of green tea you are brewing.

Taken from http://teaposur.blogspot.com/

TRICK OR TREAT!

Happy Halloween!

From The Halloween Encyclopedia by Lisa Morton

Taken from http://uniquelytea.blogspot.com/

Nostalgia-Inducing Sesame Street Food Videos

Do you remember those Sesame Street videos that revealed the origins of common items like crayons or peanut butter? I do. They were seared into my brain by repeat viewings during formative years.

Of course now they're easy to revisit thanks to youtube, and I've made it one step easier by including a couple in this post. These two were some of my favorites, probably because they focused on food. Inspired by the one about making cheese, my sister and I used to swirl the water in the swimming pool pretending it was separating into curds and whey.

v/FP4aXT7iNxU

v/snHTca2jRTwThe funny thing about these videos (besides how all of the cheese makers have huge beards and how the narrator is that 80's kind of androgynous) is that they show where food comes from, but in both cases the answer is "a factory."

Taken from http://teaandfood.blogspot.com/

Getting Great “After Season” Tea Time Deals

Read the rest of the article on The English Tea Store Blog.

Now is also a great time to stack up — uh, I mean stock up on those Peeps!

Taken from http://teatimewithaccargill.blogspot.com/

Emerald Spring Lung Ching

One thing this company does that stands out against the rest; they go green.
This is a company driven by the idea of sustainability of agricultural products.
Their teas are all organic certified, their packaging is compostable (a clever idea) and a large selection of their tea is produced under the FairTrade label, which I believe to be beneficial to those who profit by it; the farmers. This is a touchy subject amongst the tea world though, so I shall move on.

The first tea being reviewed out of the set is their Lung Ching.

Dry leaf;
dominantly toasted notes, along with walnut and alfalfa aromas. The pan firing process sure imparted its scent into these leaves.

The liquor was lacking in aroma. All I could pick out was the toasted scent.
Sweet walnut comes through as the opening flavor of this tea.
A cooling basil taste follows, which leaves my mouth feeling quite refreshed.
The finish is of a very delicate toast, which I find surprising due to the pungency of this specific attribute in the dry leaf.

There was not much astringency to be found.

Following infusions display lemongrass and a light resemblance to basil, still.
The toast is definitely on the decline as well.

One aspect I did enjoy in the latter cups was the more potent astringency.
I enjoy a dragonwell with a bit more of a bite. Not bitter, mind you, but just enough astringency to leave a lasting impression.

This tea overall was not the best dragonwell I have tried.
I enjoyed it on the whole, but probably wouldn't order it.
The flavor profile was in line with the "classic" dragonwell profile, but this was not a shining star.
If I wanted to introduce someone to the vast assortment of green teas, this would be a tea I might use.

Another thing that did surprise me about this tea was this curious leaf.
Lung Ching teas normally have a plucking standard of "one leaf and a bud."
It was a bit of a random stumble to find a set of "two leaves and a bud."
This has nothing to do with the quality of this tea, it just seems that someone missed the extra leaf as it passed on through the stages of processing.

A thank you to Arbor Teas for this sample.


~billy

Taken from http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/

Un très vieux thé de Taiwan

Ces quelques feuilles de thé datent des années 1920! Teaparker m'en a fait cadeau hier pour me remercier de lui avoir offert du foie gras et du Pinot gris d'Alsace (que mes parents m'ont ramené de Strasbourg). Je m'étais dit qu'avec la fin de l'année qui approche, c'est une bonne occasion de lui faire partager ce qui vient de mieux de chez moi. Lui m'a déjà fait partager tellement de bons thés de sa collection personnelle et il m'a tellement appris de choses sur le thé.

Celui-ci provient de la ville de Lugang, entre Taichung et Tainan. Il l'a acheté il y a plus de 20 ans, durant sa période de journaliste professionnel et amateur de thé. Personnellement, j'ai aussi déjà fait un tour à Lugang. Cette ville est une des plus ancienne de Taiwan, et c'est là-bas qu'on trouve la plus grande concentration d'antiquaires de tout Taiwan. Or, justement, en sentant l'odeur des feuilles sèches, j'ai senti cette odeur typique de vieux meuble en bois.

Je le garde pour un autre jour, cependant. Il me faut un peu de temps pour le désirer et me préparer mentalement à un thé d'un tel âge. Je ne vous oublierai pas non plus ce jour-là! J'en ferai un autre article sur mon blog afin de le partager (un peu) avec vous tous.

Taken from http://teamasters.blogspot.com/

Why Chai?

It’s a good question. After all, loving tea (or any product) is not a sufficient reason to start a business. (Can’t take the lawyer out of the girl, can you?)

Yes, I love tea. I always have. But tea has become more than a product for me. It has become a series of journeys. And all of them have pointed naturally toward a tea business.

My first journey: learning about tea itself. This is a wonderful plant! Significantly less caffeine that coffee, chock full of antioxidants, and always a tasting adventure. Not to mention the proliferating research regarding a tremendous array of potential health benefits. It has been enjoyable to develop the “Chai, Baby!” brand, but far more important to me that the underlying product is useful and healthful and wholesome.

My second journey: learning about myself. I’ve spent my work years advising clients and counseling them on running their businesses. Now, I’ve learned that I like doing more than advising. I like managing my own mistakes, not worrying about the mistakes of others. And now, I get to be a client myself sometimes, and it feels gooooooood.

And my third journey: learning about I truly want to accomplish in my lifetime. Over the years, I often had only one feeling at the end of the work day. I felt that my only accomplishment had been rearranging my desk’s paper and the world’s money. Now, I know I want to create something that never existed before. I want to influence the business community to make charitable giving part of the course of business. And I want my business to build a community of women.

So, “Why Chai?” you ask? Because it’s a perfect fit!

Taken from http://www.chaibabyusa.blogspot.com/

A Man and his Bike, in the Land of Oolong

Tea farm at the base of Alishan Mountain

Next in our series on Taiwanese winter oolongs at Miro Tea, we are going to introduce you to the man  behind the teas, my good friend Drew.  It is Drew who helps me locate the best oolongs of each season and makes sure we are always well-stocked with the highest quality Taiwanese oolongs that are most representative of each category.  I met Drew on my first day in college and to this day, he's the friend who doesn't let me live down certain events in my life that he had the fortune/misfortune to witness.  We should all be so lucky to have such a good friend.  In my first post, I had mentioned how a good friend was responsible for introducing me to what great tea was all about.  Well, that good friend was Drew.  He had already been studying and learning about teas long before I even met him and by the time we met, he demonstrated to me the variety of teas that existed outside of my limited knowledge of tea, at time, and introduced to me the concept of artisan teas, direct farmer sourcing and gung fu tea preparation. In my mind, the idea of Miro Tea was born the moment he served me that first cup of gorgeous delicious tea.

Since our college days, Drew left Seattle for warmer climates and settled down in Taiwan with his lovely wife Joyce, where they've established an envious life of teaching, exploring, and writing, as well as lots and lots of biking across the Taiwanese countryside.

I never considered how conducive the terrain and landscape of Taiwan was for cycling until I learned of Drew's cycling endeavors and from reading his blog, Taiwan in Cycles.  There, he chronicles all his excursions and the very rich cycling culture in Taiwan,  all the while taking lots of photos of the people, locales, bikes and of course, tea!  Some of the tea related rides that he's written about are his Nantou trip, Ali Mountain, and my favorite piece on the Lugu tea district and it's prestigious bi-annual tea competition.

And so it is during these bike rides that Drew ventures out to the Taiwanese mountainsides and discovers some of the obscure but talented tea growers whose teas we enjoy at Miro Tea.  We're so lucky to have him as our exclusive liason to help us insure that our customers have access to some of the most exceptional teas that Taiwan has to offer.  He's been generous by allowing us to access his long developed relationships with the tea farmers and has become our "feet on the street" or in this case, "wheels on the mountain" for premium quality, yet reasonably priced Taiwanese Oolongs. With his friendly disposition, sense of curiosity, and utmost respect for the farmers, he's been able to establish great relationships with many of the local tea growers from each of the major tea growing regions.

Handmade Tea Baskets

One thing that people often misunderstand is the process of gaining access to teas grown by small tea farmers. It's not as simple as picking up a phone or knocking on a door.  Cultural rules dictate and respect for the farmers must be acknowledged.  Relationships based on personal interactions and trust are established over time.  Thankfully, Drew is the person that we trust to develop that special relationship for us in Taiwan.

Teas in Taiwan are usually hand plucked by the family members who own and cultivate the tea farms

When selecting teas, Drew knows the characteristics of a truly premium oolong and starts by looking for only hand-made, organically-grown Oolongs that are typically cultivated at a high elevation.  This ensures that care was taken in making the tea and it further increases the chances that the cultivated oolong tea will be delicious. Also, Drew and I share a very similar palate for oolong teas, which allows me to put my full trust in his selections, enabling us to get premium oolong teas to our store and customers in very short order.

Fresh tea leaves being spread out to wilt in the sun before the bruising and rolling process.

The photos shown on this post were all taken by Drew this winter on Ali and Dong Ding Mountain.  We'll be sure to post more photos of the tea farms as we get them from Drew.  Be sure to check our blog again for the final three oolong tasting posts, which will be posted in the coming weeks.  Cheers! 

Taken from http://mirotea.blogspot.com/

Comfort Me With Mackerel

The first time I heard the phrase "comfort food," I was ten years old. My family and I were having lunch at a trendy new South Florida restaurant that served kitschy diner food in metal TV trays. I was not comforted, and it was barely food.

Since then, I've learned what comfort food really means to me: mackerel. Specifically, smoked mackerel, on a bagel, with a schmear and a thin strata of onion. Granted, my photo above features toast and lettuce, as Jay has pointed out.

I would be eating smoked salmon instead except for what I call the "twice dyed" factor. First, farm raised Chilean Salmon are fed food pellets with beta carotene to improve the color of their flesh, which would otherwise be a dull gray. When that meat is then turned into lox, colors with numbers start showing up. Sure you can get the good stuff, but it'll cost you. And they might still be lying.

Conversely, I can get locally caught and smoked mackerel at Pemberton Farms for under four bucks. I've had a soft spot for this greasy little fish ever since one formative summer during college. Living on our own for the first time, mackerel was the only seafood we could afford besides crab with a "k." We ate it "fresh" from the local grocery store in Waltham, as sushi in Maryland, canned during a hike in West Virginia, and caught with a pink, children's fishing pole in Maine.

Historically, salmon isn't the be all and end all de rigueur smoked fish that we think it is anyway. In fact, you may remember that we didn't eat a whole lot of salmon until about eight years ago, when an explosion of information about it's health benefits made it the pomegranate of 2000. Conveniently, that's also when massive amounts of the farmed raised stuff started flooding in, and when I first became aware of twice dyed lox.

Sure, people have been eating smoked salmon for thousands of years, but it was a lot better than the stuff you're getting blended into your cream cheese. And while it's heavily associated with Jewish food, "my people" were just as likely to be smoking and eating whatever finned and scaled fish they could get their hands on while scattered around the world. And when I build my smoker, I'm going to do the same.

That's a bottle of home brewed kombucha in the background. It imparts that citric tang I crave when I eat bagels and fish, thanks to growing up with ample access to Florida orange juice. Also, it's kind of Russian.

Taken from http://teaandfood.blogspot.com/

Enchilada Sauce

Enchilada Sauce

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. flour*
1/4 cup chili powder
2 cups water
3 Tbsp. McKay's Chicken-style seasoning
10 oz. tomato paste
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt

*Since we use gluten-free flours for family meals, I used sorghum flour and it worked great; garbanzo bean flour or cornstarch would also work well in this recipe.

Blend together the olive oil and flour. Add seasonings. Stir in water and mix until smooth. Heat and add tomato paste. Stir until bubbly and thickened.

To create enchiladas: in a casserole dish, layer corn tortillas, pinto beans, brown rice, onions, garlic, corn, green chilies, olives, and crumbled tofu. Heat in oven until bubbly. Serve with salad and enjoy!

Thank you for visiting Gracious Hospitality. Please come back soon!

Taken from http://www.gracioushospitality.blogspot.com/

New Blend: Anyone's Tea

Musicians and singers rely on drinking (mad pots of) tea in order to maintain and soothe their voices - so when I get the chance to design a tea for a music artist, I get particularly excited. The inspiration comes not only from what they write on their form, but also from their art.

This next blend is truly unique brew inspired by an alternative rock band out of Orlando, Florida called Anyone's Guess. I heard them on the Qs House Radio Show (listen live every Tuesday night or podcast here) and should they ever make it up to the Northeast I look forward to rockin' out with them in person.

This blend struck me as especially mad and eccentric and unlike any blend I had made prior. It is sweet & warming with a soft finish and altogether surprisingly good. The base of this tea a licorice root - which is a sweet flavored root which is known to be medicinally beneficial for the throat. Add a touch of orange peel, cardamom, fennel and lavender and you have Anyone's Tea.

Maybe it was the mix of the band itself -- 4 members from different genres having some together in 2006 to form an alternative rock band with a strong female vocal lead. That's right -- Listen up because Sanja kicks ass!

The band has already had requests from their loyal fans about purchasing the tea, which at this time is not up on the website. So until the time that I can get that updated...

Get your own stash of ANYONE's TEA

*******************************
My favorite quote, taken from their website:

Anyone's Guess is a female fronted, musical love child of Alanis Morissette, The Cranberries, 30 Seconds to Mars and The Police.

Taken from http://teaguru.blogspot.com/

Welcoming in the New Year

As the curtains open to reveal a shiny, brand new year, I thought I would take a moment to reflect upon some of the highlights of 2008.

A new kitten. Poor little guy was abandoned at the age of 2 weeks. We took him in, fed him, cared for him, and now he rules our house.

A new American President. Finally, someone I can be proud of after 8 years of embarrassment.

The acceptance of my Demande de Nationalité Française application. I still can't believe it. Somebody pinch me!

A trip to Paris. Four absolutely perfect days in September complete with friends, cheese, Thai food, Korean food, Phở, chocolate and Naughty Paris. My fabulous hosts have since moved to Thailand so we have a new place to visit one of these days.

The Dollar got a bit stronger and the price of fuel dropped. We love having a some extra Euros every month. I can actually buy shoes again.

My first taste of frog's legs and tripe. The former, a welcome taste treat. The latter, not so much.

Another trip to Cognac. How much Chinese food and distilled alcohol tasting can three people fit into three days? Copious amounts, I can tell you.

A new ice cream maker. Hadn't owned one in 5 years and quickly made up for lost churning time. Sour Cherry Frozen Yogurt has got to be the best, most refreshing thing on a hot day, ever.

Smoking was banned in restaurants and cafés in France. My lungs continue to be thankful.


So, I bid adieu to 2008 (I know many would say good riddance!) and bienvenue to 2009!

Zagat Survey

The best thing about the Zagat Survey is how tremendously convenient it is. While an online subscription may give you access to all the guides, having the actual book also has its merits. It's a great thing to throw in the glove compartment or keep on your desk so you can quickly browse for a place to eat. It may not be the ultimate guide to finding undiscovered great little restaurants, and while I don't always agree with the ratings, or even trust the pricing information, I have to concede it is a very good measure of popular opinion.

If you would like a free copy of the Zagat Survey 2006 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants, all you have to do is participate in their online survey by April 17th 2005 (but do it now before you forget). When the guide is published, the folks at Zagat will send you a copy. If you say something witty they might even publish your comments.

Cherries Wild!

I am doing a tea tasting this afternoon with some friends. We are going to do three white teas and a yellow. Having nver had yellow tea, I really don't know what to expect. I'll tell you about it tomorrow.



This morning I had some tea which was quite different from yesterday's. I had bought it locally, in the Briar Patch in Owego, NY. The owner got this from a wholesaler, it's not one she made up. It is called Wild Cherry and it smells exactly like Smith Brother' or Luden's Wild Cherry Cough Drops. It's pretty strong, with an earthy not at the end. But I brewed it up as usual for black tea - 1 teaspoon, 212 degrees for 3.5 minutes. It still smells just as it did dry.


However, the proof is in the taste. Oh boy, tastes just like cough syrup. I tried it with milk. Oops, swampy cough syrup. No sugar with this one, it is very sweet. The best I can say is I hated it. Some of you may really like it, but it is not this lady's "cuppa"


A paraphrase of something my husband read to me - You don't see a cardinal in snow-covered winter, your gaze concentrates and distills and concentrates and distills to the one essence of the red bird.

Taken from http://teafortoday.blogspot.com/

No title

I just remember I am down to a very thin roll of toilet paper, but I am not going anywhere at this hour even if I had a stomach ache. I'd be too paranoid, even a fly would scare the crap out of me. The after trauma effect that is! It's been extremely insanely busy lately, that's why I am low on stock, I usually have a spare pack of the 12 big rolls some where. But still not a good excuse. I am being incoherent here...

Taken from http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/

Phoenix Oolong

Tea: Supreme Phoenix Oolong
Vendor: Aroma Tea Shop
Price: $16.00 / 2 oz
Source: Guangdong, China
Vendor Description:Our Supreme Phoenix Oolong has an even more astonishing fragrance and aroma compared to the lower grades. This top grade Amber Oolong also originates from the Phoenix Mountains of Guangdong Province of China. Not to be missed for those who love a rich Amber Oolong.

Leaf: This tea has a smaller leaf size than most Phoenix Oolongs that I have tried. There are a fair amount of smaller pieces in the mix and a light sweet characteristic phoenix aroma to it.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5oz, 208F, 5s rinse, 45s

1st Infusion: This infusion has a rich chocolaty brown hue to it. The aroma is bold and intense. It is less floral than some others I have tried, but still strong and distinctively phoenix. The flavor is very bodied and bold. It feels centered in the front and middle ending with a light aftertaste. The aftertaste is light and clean.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 208F, 45s

2nd Infusion: This infusion has the same rich brown hue to it. The aroma is still bold, it has an almost savory aroma to it. The front of the flavor is very bold and intense. It is very smooth all the way through tapering down to a light bitter aftertaste. It is strong and has quite a bit of intense flavor to it.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 208F, 1:30

3rd Infusion: This time the color was a little lighter brown. It was still crystal clear with a bold and rich aroma to it. The flavor was a lot lighter than before, but it finishes with a clean aftertaste and just a hint of astingency.

4th Infusion Parameters: 208F, 3:00

4th Infusion: This infusion has the same brown hue to it. The aroma is light, and there is not much left to it. The flavor is light and crisp, it is showing signs of letting up. There is a medium astringency on it, but it is still flavorful.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: This is a pretty good phoenix oolong for the lower end spectrum. At it's price it's about on par for what it should be. It's not as specialized in flavor as the specific variety bushes, and the flavor shows that. It is about where it should be for it's price. While bold and intense it is broad and unrefined. What it lacks in clairty it tries to make up for in intensity.

Taken from http://meandmytea.blogspot.com/

Oreiller à théière

Certains appellent cela un plateau en céramique, un socle, voire même un bâteau, mais Michel de Teajar a appelé cette création un 'oreiller à théière'

Revenons fin 2007: je suggère à Michel de créer un accessoire pour poser sa théière lors du gongfu cha. J'avais en tête ces plateaux réalisés par une de mes amies étudiant chez Teaparker également, et lui envoyai quelques photos.

Mais au lieu de les copier ou de s'en inspirer, Michel a repenser cet objet avec une démarche artistique et presque métaphysique qu'il nous a dévoilé en détail. Bravo! Cela va au-delà de mes espérances et témoigne de la sensibilité de ce jeune artiste céramiste. Toute sa douceur se retrouve naturellement aussi dans son vocabulaire: oréiller à théière!

Pas étonnant qu'il ait fallu créer cette nouvelle expression pour cet objet si spécial: en porcelaine (dure) il semble doux également, sa forme est carré et ronde à la fois, vide pour accueillir l'eau, il est plein de sens et de signes... C'est l'objet idéal pour nous donner de la matière à disserter ou à contempler durant un Cha Xi!

Et, en plus, il marche! Sa contenance permet de nombreuses infusions. Lorsqu'on verse l'eau bouillante sur la théière, les eaux usées s'écoulent dedans grâce à sa forme concave.
Merci encore Michel de m'avoir fait l'honneur, après plusieurs mois d'essais pour passer du concept à l'objet, de m'avoir envoyé ta création.
C'est une chance de te compter parmi notre petite communauté de buveurs de thé. Et je te souhaite beaucoup de réussite et de coups de génie à la Leach Pottery. (Voir les vidéos ici.)

Taken from http://teamasters.blogspot.com/

Scanning paper stationery with tea themes

"Ali of the Al Themaat tribe makes tea while herding his father's sheep in rural Jordan."
Photo by SIT Study Abroad Alum Peter Di Campo



From "Evil Thoughts: 22 Postcards" by David Shrigley



Sara Schneidman note card



Wenham Tea House postcard, Wenham, MA



World in a Tea Cup speaker and vendor event card(March 1, 2008)
Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology, Berkeley, CA

Taken from http://notesontea.blogspot.com/

Virtual teapot museum!

Neil Turner has created a virtual environment using OpenGL and C++. Because OpenGL has a built-in routine for creating teapots. Neil decided to create a teapot museum with various differently-sized and coloured teapots. This is what he ended up with.
Neil's World

Taken from http://teapotsteapotsteapots.blogspot.com/

No-Raisin Zone

I hadn't thought about compote in a long time, though, until I spotted a version stewed with tea in the October 2008 Gourmet.

The original recipe called for serving it over couscous, but I'm hooked on Irish oatmeal right now, so that's what I paired it with. You could certainly use any grain (quinoa would be good- and quick), depending on how long you can wait to eat.

Oatmeal With Fruit-Tea Compote
Makes: 4 servings.

Compote:
1 1/4 cups water
3 tablespoons packed dark-brown sugar
1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit (I used cherries, cranberries and chopped pears)
1 teaspoon loose black tea (Darjeeling), in a tea ball, or 1 tea bag
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Oatmeal:
4 cups water
Pinch salt
1 cup Irish oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Toasted almonds and warm milk, for serving

1. For compote, simmer water, brown sugar and fruit in a small saucepan over medium heat, uncovered, stirring, until liquid just starts to become syrupy, about 8 minutes. Add tea and let steep off the heat for 10 minutes. Remove and discard tea, then stir in lemon juice.

2. For oatmeal, bring water to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Stir in oats and lower to a simmer. Cook 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Mix in cinnamon.

3. Spoon oatmeal into bowls and top with compote, then almonds and milk, if desired.

This is the perfect breakfast for a crisp, almost-winter morning; the black tea plays off the concentrated flavor of the dried fruit and readies you to face the day.

And if you brew a plain cup of the same type used in the compote to sip alongside it, you can really detect the notes in the tea- and take in that much more caffeine.

Taken from http://teaspotnyc.blogspot.com/

Going Green - and I don't mean tea...

The term "going Green" is finally being taken seriously and is seeping into corporate policies and changing products. And contrary to the line of trash that Mr. Prez says, going green will not hurt the economy - it will not cause less jobs (offshoring will cause a decrease of jobs much faster, no?)... and should we keep polluting the earth (and ourselves) in the name of "economy".

I woke up this morning to hear about the first solar power trash compactors now being used in Brooklyn. Imagine this technology that's been around for years is finally being employed for the good of everyone. I couldn't have been happier and more encouraged....

Maybe you saw the movie "An Inconvenient Truth" - if you didn't, go and see it -- really, you should know and understand that all of our actions effect the world. All the garbage we create, the emissions from the car we drive, the choices of what we buy and what we give back (if anything) leave what people are calling a "carbon footprint".

In order to make this concept a visual reality, there is a a TV program called "The Human Footprint" - which stages a variety of stunts to depict what consumption (the driving force behind our economy) really looks like. Check the link for the story and cool pic to boot!

Today, April 25th, they have lined up 75,000 cups of tea (the amount of tea an average briton will consume in a life time, or the amount of tea MadamPotts consumes in a year) in London's Trafalgar Square. I really wish I was in London today. But I'm not...but I did find this picture:

Taken from http://teaguru.blogspot.com/

Welcome!

Welcome!

This is the very first post of Miro Tea's informational tea blog. For those reading this blog who haven't visited our tea bar, we're located in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, WA. Our mission is to reinvent the way people experience tea, which can be a challenge in Coffeetown, USA! We aim to combine respect for tea traditions from around the world with a modern, urban spin--you won't find stuffy, tea cozy tea service or doilies here, but you will find a vast array of different high-quality teas from around the world (over 250!), and a staff that is enthusiastic and eager to help you explore and learn more about the beautiful, ancient simplicity and potential of the world's most popular beverage (second to water, that is).

As Miro's Tea Specialist, I've been studying tea for long enough to learn that there's always something new, more advanced, and more mind-blowing to learn about tea--no matter how much you think you've learned! It's with the attitude of a constant student that I intend to share as much information about tea as possible--from brewing and tea fact basics for readers who are new to the exciting world of tea to some more advanced topics for tea fanatics who are interested in refining their knowledge and tea experience from the bottomless well of Asian tea culture and history.

The most important thing to remember about tea is that there's no single right way to do it; every tea culture has different ways to get the most flavor out of premium tea leaves, and the best way to learn about tea is by personal experience. By trying new teas and new tea brewing methods, you can find the solution that works best for you and suits your personal tastes. I'll do my best to provide clear, accurate information, but please keep in mind that I'm constantly learning new things about tea as well! There is a wealth of information (and misinformation) about tea, and I try to draw my tea knowledge from reliable sources and personal experience. Feel free to ask specific questions regarding tea and I'll tailor my blog posts to your informational desires. I'm always on the lookout for more info myself, so if you've got 2 cents to chip in, feel free to comment on a blog entry!

Please stay tuned for forthcoming blog entries; I hope you find them stimulating and enlightening!

Elliot

Taken from http://mirotea.blogspot.com/

Photo du Jour

The church in Beaufort, a village a few kilometers away, not the Beaufort where the sublime cheese comes from. It's vaulted chapel dates from the 15th Century.

Tencha

The method I used for brewing my experiment consisted of 3 minute infusions with decanting at 1 minute intervals. This resulted in three different cups of tea for each infusion. This was repeated for a first and second infusion at 140F and a third infusion on the same batch at 185 F and one infusion on fresh leaf at 185 F. Eatch batch used 5g of Tencha leaf for a total of 5 oz of water

1st Infusion (Batch 1): 1 minute
The tea has a very sweet aroma from the dry leaf all the way through infusion and the first cup. The sweetness reminds me a little of a yutaka midori. The infusion has a light pale green color to it with lots of small flecks of tea leaf floating around in it. The flavor is incredibly thick umami flavor to it. It very much reminds me of a gyokuro. It feels as though the tea is actually much thicker than it actually is. There is a very strong and intense flavor at initial onset, which then tapers into a rich full bodied thick flavor. There is a very strong lingering aftertaste.

2minute:
This infusion was thicker and stronger than the 1 minute infusion. There was a grassy flavor, but not as apparent and noticeable as the thick rich flavor. The infusion was darker green in color with the same small flecks present. The flavor was strong and tapered on the back to a strong aftertaste that lingers at the back of the tongue.

3 minute:
Again the flavor is best described in one word as thick. The middle flavor had a tinge of bitterness to it and there is a barely detectable hint of astringency here.

2nd Infusion (1st Batch): 1 minute
The flavor this time around was lighter, and the tea had a pale yellow-green color to it. There was not nearly as much of an umami flavor as the first time around. It almost felt like there was just a light residual thickness at this point.

2 minute: The flavor was thicker than the 2nd infusion, 1 minute cup, and had a bit more of a light and grassy flavor. The flavor was still very light.

3 minute: This cup had a light sense of astringency to it. The flavor was light and grassy. The infusion had a darker yellow green color than the 2nd Infusion 2 minute cup.

3rd Infusion (1st Batch) (185F): 1 minute
There was a light and crisp warm water taste to this infusion. There was a light flavor to the tea, but therew as not much left here.

2 minute: There were hints of a grassy flavor and a light tinge of astringency, but it had the same light flavor as the 1 minute infusion.

3 minute: There was a stronger flavor this time around, it was a light gyokuro like flavor, but it was apparent that by this point the tea had lost most of it's flavor.

1st Infusion (2nd Batch) (185F): 1 minute
This infusion had a pale light yellow color to it, the infusion was slightly murky and had a sweet aroma. It had the same thickness as the 140F infusion, but the flavor felt sharper. While sharp, it still had a very thick and rich flavor which tapered into a long lingering aftertaste. There was a light grassiness, but the flavor was much sharper than the 140F infusion.

2 minute:
This infusion was more yellow in color. It has that initial strength of flavor as the other infusions, but not the same flavor on the back end. There was a strong almost bitter flavor in the middle that lingers on the tongue. It still reminds me greatly of a gyokuro in flavor.

3 minute:
At this point the flavor was a definite yellow color infusion. It was back to a strong lingering flavor, but this time with a sharp tangy bitterness. The tang of the flavor masked most other flaovrs that were noticeable.

Conclusion so far: So far it looks like this tea acts just like a gyokruo does in flavor. Infuse with cooler water (140F), and go for a number of short steeps. I will probably try brewing this like it were a gyokuro next to verify that it will behave in a similar manner. This is definitely an interesting tea though.

Taken from http://meandmytea.blogspot.com/

Carmelized Onion and Roasted Garlic Jelly

For the past several years I have enjoyed making Sweet Onion Jelly from a recipe my mother shared with me. It's delicious for tea or when entertaining guests. For a pretty presentation, place a block of cream cheese (soy if preferred) on a pretty plate and then pour a portion of the jar of jelly over the cream cheese. Garnish with some chive blossoms and place crackers in a basket nearby. Perfect for dipping, it's a delicious combination of savory and sweet jelly with salty, crispy crackers.

I found another recipe today for a similar jelly. It was published in the Syracuse Post Standard. This version has the addition of garlic for enhanced flavor.

The recipe:

2 large heads garlic
Olive oil
4 large onions (Walla Walla Sweet or Vidalia)
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons butter (may substitute olive oil)
1 cup white vinegar
4 cups water
6 cups sugar
1 package powdered pectin

Cut top off each garlic head and drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 275 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool completely.Caramelize onions: chop onions into small pieces (save half of 1 onion and cut into large slivers; set aside to be used later as a garnish). Place 2/3 cup sugar in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until melted; mix in butter until melted. Add onions and cook until coated by caramelizing mixture (onions should be soft and pierce easily with a fork). Caramelize large slivers and set aside.Add garlic cloves from one head and simmer 5 minutes. Add vinegar and mix while still over medium heat; mix in 4 cups water and simmer 5 more minutes. Sieve mixture through a jellybag or cheesecloth, allowing to drip until all liquid is through.Measure 5 cups of the garlic/onion liquid into a saucepan and add pectin. Bring to a full boil and add all the sugar at once. Cook at full rolling boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.Remove from heat and ladle mixture into hot, sterilized jars.

Garnish top of each jar with a large sliver of caramelized onion and a clove of roasted garlic.

Put lids on and process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Store in a cool, dark place.

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Taken from http://www.gracioushospitality.blogspot.com/

How Do I Love Thee?

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need; by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath.
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death."

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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Taken from http://www.gracioushospitality.blogspot.com/

Waiver for Jalpaiguri tea center

“The tea market is in good shape and this is the time to open the few estates that are closed in the Dooars,” the minister said. He was at the Alipurduar Parade Ground this afternoon to inaugurate the third Tea Garden and Forest Village Festival organised by backward classes welfare department. The minister said the government was ready to give Rs 25 lakh for the programme held annually, but everybody associated with the tea industry and the forest sector had to be involved.

“I have talked to the forest officials and we have decided to remove the dolomite dust from Hatipota under Buxa Tiger Reserve and use it for agriculture.”

The minister promised to make pucca the four bridges over the Buri Torsha and two streams between Falakata and Palashbari. “The central government had said it would do the job, but failed. We will do it at the earliest. The mahouts and patawalas working in forest department will get two sets of uniforms in a year.”

Taken from http://teanewsdarjeeling.blogspot.com/

UNTEA — It’s Not What You Think

Years ago there were commercials touting the “uncola”! Today, there is the UNTEA. No, it’s not Rooibos, honeybush, chamomile, yerba maté, guayusa, or a host of other plant matter being called “tea.” It’s not even true tea, the kind made from the tea bush (Camellia Sinensis). So, what is this thing called “UNTEA”?
Read the rest of the article on The English Tea Store Blog.

Taken from http://teatimewithaccargill.blogspot.com/