teaspoons & petals

tea sweets @ kyotofu

I'm always in search of a something sugary to pair with my tea, but the ultimate find is a sweet treat made with tea. I had my first taste of this decadent pairing over a year ago at Kyotofu, a Japanese Dessert Bar & Bakery in NYC. But until I can make the next visit, I'm satisfying my hunger with sweet shots and details below. Here are a few tempting treats from their menu to nibble on. Enjoy! warm miso chocolate cake  valrhona chocolate soybean ganache, green tea cream  genmai tofu cheesecake  roasted brown rice, lychee pudding, kabocha squash caramel black sesame sweet tofu  hoji-cha roasted green tea syrup, black sesame tuile, goji berry

award-winning cupcakes (Mini or Large) Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes

Homemade Macaroons Yuzu-Coconut, Black Sesame-Red Bean, or Chocolate-Green Tea Nama Chocolates (Japanese Fudge) Hojicha Roasted Green Tea or Matcha Green Tea 

Chocolate Anko Truffles Green Tea, Strawberry Black Sesame, Aged Sake,  Raspberry, and more! Okara Soybean Cookies Hand-dipped Green Tea Chocolate

shortbread Tea Cookies Matcha Green Tea, Hojicha Roasted Green Tea, or Genmaicha  Rollcakes with Nama Whipped Cream Matcha Green Tea or Hojicha Roasted Green Tea  Almond Tea Financiers Matcha Green Tea, Kocha Black Tea, Genmaicha, pr Seasonal Fruit

And if you're looking for a soothing cup to pair with these edible delights, they've imported a lovely selection of japanese teas: hoji-cha roasted green tea, ginger tangerine sencha green tea, soba-cha roasted buckwheat tea, organic lavender, jasmine pearl, cinnamon rosehip rooibos, genmai matcha brown rice green tea But if you can't make it over to this NYC spot (705 ninth avenue-between 48th and 49th), then just ship the sweetness to you and buy online.  What are some of your favorite sweet tea treats?

tea in philadelphia: part 2

I recently worked on a new batch of haiku teacups, and specifically focused on handwriting a few more haiku about my experience with tea in my favorite city, Philadelphia. There is something so special about enjoying a cup of tea in the city; the soothing tea balances the vibrant energy and atmosphere of this city of brotherly love (and sometimes an invigorating blend competes with the hustle and bustle). Instead of rambling, I'll just let my haiku express thoughts about tea in Philadelphia: and just in case you can't read the haiku:  

Sip for a second

As the bright lights are flashing

Brotherly love warms

 

Sitting with Franklin

Sipping on brotherly love

This is tea for two

 

Bright lights of philly

Reflecting in my teacup

Sip in the city

tea today: Quangzhou Milk Oolong from DavidsTea

DavidsTea was created after David was in search of the perfect cup (which he obviously failed to find-but resulted in the creation of his very own tea company). And I'm glad he did. My first experience with his tea was the Spicy Chocolate Rooibos, unfortunately I lost my notes that I wrote while reviewing the tea. However, I can recall how fabulous the tea was. The rich, yet slightly spicy chocolate, banana aroma and taste proved to be the perfect desert tea. I highly recommend ending a nice meal (possibly dinner due to its lack of caffeine) with a cup of Spicy Chocolate Rooibos. This recollection of a review does not do the tea justice! However, I did not lose my the notes that I jotted down while reviewing the limited edition Quangzhou Milk Oolong tea:  The metalic pouch has a detailed description of this tea and the story behind it (I adore details):

This limited-edition oolong from the Wuyi Mountains of China is velvety smooth and lightly creamy, with a subtle hint of orchid. It’s said that it came about when the moon fell in love with a comet. The comet passed her by, as comets will do. The moon cried milky tears, which chilled the tea fields, withering the leaves and giving them a delicate creaminess. It’s been a rare luxury ever since. 

Upon opening the pouch, I instantly smell the creamy, sweetness of the tea. The aroma instantly reminds me of shortbread cookies. The dark green, semi-fermented oolong nuggets unfold in the infuser as I pour the almost boiling water over the leaves. I steeped it for about 4 minutes (3-5 was recommended), although I might opt for 5min during the next steep to produce something just a tad richer. Once steeped the golden liquid has a rich, creamy aroma.

First sip: creamy, soothing, smooth taste that has a nice burst of subtle orchid. The aftertaste has a velvety, creamy quality that finishes with a hint of sweetness that lingers. Similar to the dry aroma, it actually finishes with a shortbread cookie taste. The milky quality tricks my taste buds into thinking I’ve added a nice dose of whole milk to the cup. In fact, if you tend to love a milky, sweet indulgent beverage and are looking for a healthier alternative, I highly recommend this tea.

I would pair this tea with afternoon sweets (a few cookies, a cupcake). Milky Oolong and cookies! I could also imagine that this rich tea would also complement hors d'oeuvres of cheese and fruit.

I am not a connoisseur of milk oolong tea, however, I have to admit that I have fallen in love with this tea. I am smitten and will surely be treating myself to more very soon! This limited edition tea is a fine, luxurious, indulgent treat for any tea lover

I've also heard that milky oolong teas re-steep rather nicely, so I am looking forward to brewing a few more cups to sip on while I nibble some afternoon sweets. In fact, I would love to pair this tea with a few honey lavender shortbread cookies from Whimsy & Spice (must make a visit to brooklyn soon).

happy tea drinking!

tea today: yogic chai (fennel masala chai. coconut masala chai)

the warm spices of yogic chai's chai blends are truly intoxicating. I attribute this sensory experience to the fact that their blends are 100% organic (fair traded assam too). for those of you not familiar with chai: "In India, Chai means Tea and the word Masala defines a combination of herbs and spices." as a true chai lover, I am pretty picky about finding the right blend. however, the moment I opened up the pouch to catch a glimpse of the dry blend, I knew I was in for a special chai treat. I was thrilled to see whole spices instead of ground dust. The aromas were fresh, clean and tantalizing. First up: Fennel Masala Chai (assam (black) tea, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Fennel) Quicker than you can say chai, I grabbed a pot and filled it with two cups of water (as per their directions). I added two teaspoons of the blend and waited for the water to boil. I then simmered the tea for 4 minutes. While brewing, the spicy aroma grew stronger as the fennel seeds floated to the top of the amber liquid. I poured the chai through a strainer into a large mug and mixed in a splash of creamy milk and a bit of agave to sweeten it up. The invigorating aroma preceded the clean yet spicy taste of the first sip. The traditional masala spices were blended perfectly, as each held their own in the cup. the fennel (the unique addition to the blend) was not overpowering and rather proved to be a fresh (slightly licorice) surprise. above all, the pure taste filled with firework bursts of spices excited my senses and stayed with me well after the last sip, as the ginger lingered on my tongue.   Coconut Masala Chai I prepared the Coconut Masala chai exactly like the Fennel Masala chai. The bright white shreds were slowly stained by the spiced amber liquid. I added a bit of agave but decided to forgo the milk for a change of taste. upon first sip, I quickly discovered that this chai was once again perfectly blended. the toasted coconut added a subtle hint of sweetness. by not incorporating the milk, the spices were much cleaner and the subtlety of the coconut had room to shine (that might have otherwise been muted by the creaminess of the milk). above all, I sincerely enjoyed brewing and sipping each blend. besides the lovely warming aroma, yogic chai notes that their tea promotes healthy digestion, aids in weight control, helps restore alertness, boosts the immune system, etc. in addition to benefiting your body, yogic chai should also be praised for their sustainable efforts as their blends are packed in rice paper pouches that keep tea fresh with zipper pouches (and save space in your tea pantry if you're a tea enthusiast like myself!). if your taste buds are now longing for some soothing spices, then you're in luck. snag a free sample from the yogic chai site. sometimes free tea tastes better :)

etsy hearts tea

it is obvious that my heart belongs to etsy. the creative wonders never fail to amaze me. I especially love searching for "tea" and feasting on images of caffeinated crafts. here are a few of my favorites:

they said what? : haiku teacups reviewed

whenever you share a passion with the world, a tiny bit of anxiety lurks behind your excitement. this anxiety builds as you await the response of friends and anyone else who cares to share an opinion. that being said, the moment I created my haiku teacup store on Etsy a small ulcer began to form as I awaited opinions, thoughts, etc. however, that imaginary ulcer is losing ground as I continue to read such nice reviews (although I am enjoying quips of constructive criticism from friends-coupled with my own critical eye-that will only push me to create a better cup in the future).  anyway, here are some snippets and links to what others are saying about my haiku teacups: Zach Luye and Dana Schuermann are hosts of the fabulous online show Bottles, Blends and Brews ("Bottles, Blends, and Brews is a drink culture review show dedicated to finding the most quirky forms of “deliciousness” out there, and serving it to you weekly"). The dynamic duo kindly reviewed my cups on their stellar show. I highly recommend that you watch all of their episodes, but if you're in a rush skip to minute 3:27 to hear their thoughts on my cups.   THE TEA REVIEW  the creator and administrator behind this oh-so-kind tea review site shared some words about my cups!   VEETEA  Tea extraordinaire, Lyndsey Goodwin, wrote a sweet snippet about the cups on her site.   Haiku By Two  The lovely ladies of Haiku by Two (a site with "a small poem posted daily by one of two friends") posted their experiences with my haiku cups.  I adore their site and wish them well on their haiku adventures.   I truly hope that this post does not come across as braggadocios. Just thought I would compile the thoughts of others to share with you!

tea today: orchid oolong cafe mocha @ Bean Exchange

One of my favorite spots to grab a cup of tea and snuggle up with my laptop is the Bean Exchange. This cozy, corner cafe in Bella Vista offers a nice selection of the ever so fabulous Mighty Leaf Tea. Although I have their tea selection memorized, I often browse the list just to see which one my eyes land on first. This time I serendipitously chose my all-time favorite, Orchid Oolong. When I ordered the cup, I excitedly told the barista about my love for the sublime taste of orchid oolong. After expressing my fondness for tea, most baristas just respond with a smile, however, this time I was greeted with a question, "do you like almond joys?"   At this point, my smile grows wider as I quietly squeal, "yes!" (Almond Joys are in my top 5 candy list). He then proceeded to make me a fabulous cafe mocha of sorts with the sachet of orchid oolong. His creative concoction tasted exactly like a refined version of an Almond Joy! The sweet creaminess of the steamed milk and chocolate blend ever so nicely with the delicate floral and coconut of the tea. It was love at first sip.   Curious to learn more about my new favorite blend, he informed me that the process for his concoction is similar to that of a Cafe Mocha (mocha syrup, steamed milk), except that instead of espresso he uses the lovely orchid oolong tea. The decadent tea treat offers just the right amount of sweetness while maintaining a delicate quality that is refreshing. I highly recommend that you stop by the Bean Exchange and ask Keegan for his Almond Joy Orchid Oolong Creation!

from philly with love: mini craft show

I consider myself to be an etsy enthusiast and sometimes even an etsy evangelist, simply because I absolutely adore any creative community. In an effort to take etsy offline and to the streets of Philadelphia, I organized a mini craft show "From Philly With Love" at Tbar (one of my favorite tea spots in philly). The show will feature the work of 5 local artists/crafters, including my haiku teacups. I have to admit I am a bit anxious to see how the show goes, as this is my first attempt at organizing a craft event (so happy it's mini!). Many thank to Melissa of melissahead designs, for creating these lovely digital flyers that share all of the details: So if you're in Philly on Feb 7th, stop by and say hello! I'll be working on some new haiku while sipping on some of my favorite tea from Tbar (black jasmine cream or maybe some honeydew bubble tea!). And if you're looking for a personalized Valentine's day gift for the tea lover in your life, I'll be taking orders for custom haiku tea cups (they'll be ready for pickup on Thursday, Feb 12th at Tbar from 12-6pm).  If you haven't visited my etsy store, here is a peak at some of the cups I'll be displaying at the show!