New Year's Tea Lunch--Making Tea

There is nothing quite like a good cup of tea on a day like THIS:


Which is what Northern Connecticut is looking like AT THIS VERY MINUTE. Snowfall predictions are 5 to 9 inches.

I'm so glad that I don't have to go anywhere today.

For those of you who DISLIKE tea...

For those of you who have made tea with only hot water and a teabag from a box...

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE UNTIL YOU HAVE TRIED MY TEA!

Are you still there? Good. Please don't be scared--for your own wellbeing or mine. I just want you to try my tea. Please???

Tea is simple to make, but you need to pay attention to WHAT you use for both equipment and ingredients.

Starring in our tea-making session...

One teakettle, one little teapot, looseleaf tea, and COLD water.

Is it okay that I didn't include the water? I didn't want it to warm up while I took the picture. Because it needs to be COLD.

Anyway, let's take each of these starring characters and explain why each one is important. First, the tea kettle.

The tea kettle is what you heat the water in for the tea. It is not to be confused with the teapot.

The teapot is never ever used to heat the water on the cooktop. It is what holds the tea leaves and water while the tea is steeping and then comes to the table to serve the tea. This is a small teapot for one or two people. It's my everyday teapot.

It comes with a straining basket for the tea leaves.


If your teapot is larger like this one...

Or doesn't come with a strainer, you have a few options.

First you can use a ball strainer.


You could also use a tea filter. It looks like an over-sized teabag.

Or you can forego the strainers all together and let the tea leaves steep in the water and then strain them out with a beautiful tea strainer that fits on the side of an individual teacup.

I don't have one of those, so I use one of the three above options.

Note: If you are only going to drink one cup of tea, you can use a straining basket like the one below...

It has room for just one teaspoon of tea leaves and will steep the tea right in your teacup.

Okay, that's the equipment. Now let's talk about the ingredients.

INGREDIENT #1: LOOSELEAF TEA

Harney and Sons Tea is the kind I use most often because 1) it's really good, and 2) I can buy it a mile from my house at a local shop. I've tried other looseleaf teas when I have had the chance. If you find a looseleaf tea you really like, use it.

Some of you may still be skeptical about the whole "looseleaf vs. teabag" difference. In the interest of science, I submit to you...

"Exhibit A" a teaspoon of looseleaf black tea from Harney and Sons.

Now...

"Exhibit B"--black tea from a teabag

(produced by a well-known English tea company--which I received as a gift this Christmas.)

Here they are side by side...

Which one looks better to you?

I believe that better looking = better tasting.

For you coffee fanatics, which one is better--freshly ground beans or instant coffee granules?

I rest my case.

Now, excuse me for a moment while I carefully return "Exhibit A" to its home in the tea tin.

INGREDIENT #2: COLD WATER

Cold tap water tastes fresher than hot tap water because it hasn't been sitting in the hot water heater for a while waiting to be used. Even a water filter can't change that.

Okay, now that we have our tea lesson over, let's make some tea!

First, fill your teakettle at least halfway with COLD water. More if you're making a larger pot of tea.

Since I have great tasting water straight out of the tap, that's what I use. If you are not so fortunate, use filtered water.

Next, set your burner for medium-high heat...

And give yourself 10-15 minutes for the water to boil. During that time you can wait for the water to boil, get ready for the day, throw in a load of laundry, fire up the computer, start a fire in the wood stove, watch the snowflakes fall...you get the idea.

Unless you need to figure out how much water your teapot holds.

Mine holds over 2 cups of water.

Now, to measure tea leaves, we use the ratio of 1 teaspoon for every teacup of tea.

That's teacup, not cup.

In the regular world, a liquid measure of 1 cup = 8 ounces.

But in the "tea world," 1 teacup = 6 ounces.

To determine how many teacups my teapot holds, I multiply 8 ounces by 2 cups to get my total number of ounces--16. Then I divide 16 ounces by 6 ounces to give me how many teacups of tea I can fit in my teapot.

Sorry. I didn't warn you about the math word problem earlier, did I?

Find someone good with math word problems to help you. And then never forget how many teacups your teapot holds.

So my teapot holds about 2 1/2 to 3 teacups of tea. Therefore, I will add 2 1/2 teaspoons of tea...

Plus one more teaspoon "for the pot."

ALWAYS add one more teaspoon for the pot. We don't want to make the teapot jealous. It would make for some not-so-good tea.

Now, right before or right when the teakettle starts to "whistle" that it's ready...

Add the water to your black tea and let it steep for 4-5 minutes. The time will depend on what type of black tea you have purchased. Try it at different lengths of time until you find what you like.

If you buy green, oolong, white, or herbal tea--the steeping time will be different.


Again--finish getting ready for the day, throw in half a load of laundry, read an email or two, check the wood stove, watch the snowflakes fall...

When your 4-5 minutes is up...

Take out the tea straining equipment...

And enjoy a steaming cup of tea!

Paired with some slices of Banana Bread (with chocolate chips instead of nuts) and you can deal with ANY kind of "frightful" weather.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! bjh

Christmas Breakfast Tea Recipes: Quick breads

Homemade: Banana Walnut Bread, originally uploaded by FoodieJP

An essential element to ANY breakfast or brunch celebration is the “quick bread”—an all-American treat that, according to Food Facts and Trivia, originated at the end of the 18^th century when pearlash, a leavening agent made from wood ash, became widely used in cooking. Pearlash produced carbon dioxide in the dough, lightening the baked goods without the use of beaten egg whites or yeast. For the last 150 years, we have used baking soda and baking powder to accomplish the same “quick” results.

Here are three delicious quick breads that take just a bit more effort and time than a “box mix” with exponentially better taste. The first two are from Kathleen’s Bake Shop Cookbook and the second is from Totally Teabreads, both a part of my cookbook library.

FIRST NOTE: Any personal comments or changes are in underlined italics.

SECOND NOTE: All quick breads should be cooled to room temperature before serving.

Banana-Nut Bread

(Yield: 2 large loaves)

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup butter

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

4 ½ cups fully mashed bananas (about 10 medium to large bananas)

2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease two 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add dry ingredients alternately with mashed bananas to butter mixture, Fold in nuts. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Pumpkin Bread

(Yield: 2 loaves)

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 cups mashed fresh pumpkin, or 1 (16 ounce) can solid-packed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground allspice

¾ cup water

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease two 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except nuts with an electric mixer. Stir in chopped nuts. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 1 hour, or until center springs back when lightly touched

Lemon Blueberry Bread

(Yield: 1 loaf)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 container (8 ounces) lemon yogurt, a room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries

Lemon Drizzle (optional)

3 to 4 tablespoons sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350º F. Butter a 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan.

To prepare bread:

1. In a medium sized bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, vanilla, and lemon peel until blended
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until blended. One at a time, add eggs, beating well after each addition. In three additions each, alternately beat in flour mixture and yogurt mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
3. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of bread comes out clean.
4. Remove pan to a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes before removing bread from pan; finish cooling on rack.

To prepare lemon drizzle:

1. In a small bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice.
2. Add more confectioners’ sugar, if necessary, so that mixture is thick enough for drizzling.
3. Drizzle mixture over the top of the loaf.
   

Bon Appetit! bjh

All I Want for Christmas is My...Christmas Tea Party!

After an unbearably long hiatus...I'm back in the blogosphere.

Although I am not going to divulge any uncomfortably personal details, I will say this--I'm ready to write again. And just in time for my Christmas tea party!

I'm unsure how many people will be attending because 1) I sent out the invitations this past Saturday and 2) I've set the date for December 2oth, the Saturday before Christmas. But I do have something in my favor--it's a breakfast tea party.

So, my guests are selecting a type of breakfast dish (egg dish, muffins, fruit, and so forth) while I provide the festive atmosphere, refreshing drinks (which will include tea, coffee, and juices) and...well, a surprise.

Over the next few posts, I will be giving some of my ideas for great breakfast dishes for any winter gathering--so come back soon!

As for my tea party surprise? No more hints. It wouldn't be in the Christmas spirit to give away too much, would it? bjh

Tea with Nana Update

Nana and I won't be having tea on Monday. She has a doctor's appointment that conflicts. So...we'll be rescheduling.

At any rate, tomorrow there will be another "Much Ado" post, and on Monday I will post the recipes for the tea. Then stay tuned for when Nana and I do have our tea party because I would love for you to join us! bjh

Tea with Nana

I believe my introduction to tea was the typical one for most Americans.

I can't remember the exact day I had my first cup of hot tea, but one experience sticks out in my mind. I was over at Nana's (my maternal grandmother) watching some television show. I remember sitting on a kitchen chair way too close to the television sipping Lipton tea out of my grandmother's Liberty Blue china teacup.

(Nana had originally acquired the Liberty Blue place settings through her bank, adding pieces until she had enough for several guests; she uses it everyday, three times a day. I never thought of her stuff as antiques, but now I see Liberty Blue ware in antique stores selling for at least $15 a dinner plate.)

From that point on, hot tea was always brewed from a teabag and drunk out of a teacup. Iced tea came one of two ways: brewed from Lipton decaf teabags with plenty of sugar and lemon (Nana's preference) or brewed from Celestial Seasoning's Red Zinger teabags with honey added for sweetness (my Auntie Joyce's favorite). Tea may have come from mass-produced teabags, but it was an integral part of our lives.

However, my introduction to home cooking was not so typical, I guess. I say that because a good number of women in my generation (I guess it's Generation X) don't make food like I do--from scratch. For example, their recipe for potato salad dressing comes from a product called "potato salad dressing" in the grocery condiment aisle. Mine is a variation of my Nana's mayonnaise dressing that I watched her make several times for all sorts of things--egg salad, chicken salad, potato salad, and cole slaw. It's a basic mixture of mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika that's finger-lickin good (I happen to really like mayonnaise). I tweak the seasonings a bit depending on the salad's composition--for coleslaw I add cider vinegar and some sugar; for chicken salad I add some lemon zest and fresh herbs; for egg salad it's mustard and dill weed.

And pies were ALWAYS homemade from crust to filling--NEVER store-bought. Now, I know some people struggle with pastry crusts, but in my family it's genetic--all the women in the family from my mom's side make REALLY GOOD pie crust. (In fact, Nana, my aunt, and my mom still follow the basic recipe of Nana Edwards--my great-grandmother: shortening, flour, salt, and water ; it's the one that's in the old Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks. I make that one sometimes; I usually make one that has some sugar, an egg, and butter--I try to avoid hydrogenated stuff like shortening and margarine--and eat the real thing.)

Anyway, back to why I'm rambling on about my Nana's cooking: she taught me a lot about cooking by just watching her. How important it was to learn how to cook; how good made-from-scratch food tasted; how cooking could show people the depth of your love for them.

So, I'm making a date with Nana for tea. She's eaten my cooking many times over the last few years at family gatherings and such. But I'm going to have a tea party with my Nana--tea for two. I don't think she's ever experienced a tea party before. Maybe she's had looseleaf tea...but that would have been decades ago.

I'm bringing my Victorian teapot given to me by my Great-Aunt Dot (my dad's aunt) and my new teakettle to brew the tea. And we'll use Nana's Liberty Blue plates and teacups for the meal--just like we do every time I stop over for "just a snack."

What will we have? Well, some looseleaf tea, definitely made-from-scratch chicken salad, maybe some homemade tomato soup (or Campbell's--I'll see what Nana prefers), and absolutely some dessert because Nana has a sweet tooth.

Don't worry if you can't make it. I'll post the recipes and if you want, you can still have lunch with us around 1:00 on Monday. bjh

The-Sweet-and-Savory-of-Yummy: SCONES!

Hazelnut scones!, originally uploaded by serosenkrantz.

Doesn't this scone look delicious? Mmm...

Unfortunately, it's not mine, or I would be enjoying it right now. SIGH.

For all of you scone lovers at Gracious Hospitality and beyond, here's a recipe for what I think is one of the best scones on earth. I found it at www.epicurious.com while looking for Christmas Tea recipes last fall. I made it for my tea, and everyone loved them.

One thing I did differently--per the advice of some of the recipe reviewers--was to cut out individual scone tops and bottoms with my biscuit cutter and then sandwich some raspberry jam between the rounds before baking. It worked quite well with this revision.

Also, you can substitute any kind of jam or nuts based on what you have on hand.

On to the recipe!

Oh, did you vote for your favorite comfort food in the poll to the right? Please do.

NOW--on to the scones!

Raspberry-Hazelnut Scones

Make and shape the dough one day ahead for convenience, then just transfer from fridge to oven 20 minutes before serving.
Servings: Makes 12.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled whipping cream
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped

4 tablespoons raspberry preserves

PREPARATION

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter and blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3/4 cup cream. Blend, using on/off turns, just until dough comes together. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup nuts. Gently knead with 4 or 5 turns to mix in nuts. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; shape each into ball. Press out each to 6-inch round (about 1/4 inch thick). Spread preserves over 2 rounds, leaving 1/2-inch plain border. Place 1 plain dough round atop each preserve-covered round; seal edges. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic and chill.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter large baking sheet. Place rounds on work surface. Brush each with 1 tablespoon remaining cream; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup nuts, dividing equally and pressing to adhere. Using large knife, cut each round into 6 wedges. Arrange wedges on prepared sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake scones until puffed and deep golden, about 16 minutes. Transfer to platter or napkin-lined basket. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy any time of day--even midnight! bjh

A Blog-a-Thon Fit for the Blue Jeans Hostess

La Tea Dah at Gracious Hospitality has been hosting a fantabulous blog-a-thon about the pleasures of afternoon tea. I've enjoyed reading the posts and blogs; please check it out if you have the time.

Anyway, back to the task at hand... I FINALLY have something to post in Gracious Hospitali-tea's Blog-a-thon! This week it is on foods served at an afternoon tea. I have some fantastic recipes from what I served at my Christmas Tea and some others that I plan to post. So be prepared for some double posting this week...I need to make up for the other blog-a-thon sections I couldn't participate in!

Stay tuned and bring your appetites--it's going to get delicious over here! bjh

P.S. Did you choose your favorite comfort food in the right column poll? Please do!