teaspoons & petals

tea talk: marisa mcclellan from food in jars

One of Philly's favorite food writers and resident canner, Marisa McClellan, treats her readers to delicious posts and recipes on her blog, Food in Jars. Within the past year, Marisa has inspired me to pick my own strawberries on a local farm, write an article about her, and begin pairing jams and teas. So, in an effort to soak in just a bit more of her creativity, I asked her a few questions and jam and tea:

If you hosted a tea party, what would jams would you serve?

I think a good marmalade might be the best thing for a tea party. I can also see a delicate lemon curd being a nice part of a spread as well (with good scones, there's nothing better).

marisa's three-citrus marmalade

marisa's lemon curd

Do you have a favorite tea? 

I'm a big fan of the Mango with Leaves from the House of Tea on 4th Street. I first tried it at Ants Pants Cafe and have been hooked ever since. 

Have you ever incorporated tea when making your jams?

I did make a Vanilla Rhubarb Jam with a bit of Earl Grey tea once. However, I don't do it regularly enough. I've actually been planning on trying to incorporate more herbal flavors into my jams. 

Do you have a special mug that you like to drink your tea from?

I most certainly have a favorite mug. It's one I found at a thrift store in Portland, about five years ago. It's handmade, and seems to have been designed to fit perfect in my grasp. You can see a picture of it here (although, in that moment, it was holding coffee, not tea. I realize that's blasphemy around here).

tea today: white pear from revolution tea

The sun is pouring through windows and blanketing mountains of snow on this sunday afternoon at a nearby cafe in Philadelphia. I recently steeped a cup of silver needle white tea combined with natural pear flavor.

Each delicate sip sends my taste buds into the subtly sweet terrain of silver needle tea. Notes of melon, often lingering in white tea, shine through.

I'd prefer the taste to have a stronger essence of pear, although every now and then I think my palate stumbles upon bits and pieces of the refreshing fruit. I'll steep it longer when we meet again...

A delightful afternoon treat.

fluffy clouds of roses served with blossoming buds

Ever since the lovely Jenna Park shared some insight into her favorite sweets, I have been craving the treats from her shop, Whimsy & Spice. I indulged my sweet tooth and recently purchased a dozen of their vanilla rose marshmallows from foodzie, my favorite online shop for artisan edible treats.

Suddenly I am dreaming of spring tea parties, and pairing these "fluffy pink marshmallows [that] are flavored with the fragrant aroma of rose" with a flowering tea. maybe a jasmine blossom or even a white tea blended with rose petals?

I just want to float away on a vanilla rose marshmallow cloud while sipping flowering tea in the the delicate spring air...

tea & chocolate

The aroma of Mighty Leaf Orchid Oolong's steeped leaves delicately dances with your senses. The floral notes & coconut mingling and luring you closer to the cup. The subtle smokiness of the oolong is dramatic and nutty.

This decadent and smooth blend is no doubt one of my favorites. In fact, I tend to carry a few of the Orchid Oolong sachets in my purse when I travel.

And during the winter months when my sweet tooth seems to dominate my cravings, I often steep Orchid Oolong in a warm cup of hot chocolate (Shhh don't tell the tea masters, they'd be very upset). The coconut, floral notes, and woodsy oolong blend ever-so-perfectly with the rich milk chocolate, creating a velvety indulgence. At times you'll experience a sip that will conjure taste memories of Almond Joy candy bars.

you're invited to tea...

There are so many reasons to celebrate tea in March: the nearby arrival of spring (yay flowering tea!), Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland (will you be having your own mad tea party?), and the 2nd birthday of the teaspoons & petals blog. Hooray!

But before we jump ahead to March, let's stay grounded in February for a second and celebrate Saint Valentine. In honor of the the day of love, February 14th, I wanted to offer you all a special treat: If you order my tea for two set before March 1st (Valentine's day can be every day, you know), then I will happily personalize the interior of the cups for free.

But let's get to the heart of the matter, the events!

If you call the city of brotherly love your home, then please join me at two tea events that I am organizing and hosting:

A Mad Tea Party at the Rosenbach Museum

A Mad Tea Party invites museum-goers to celebrate Lewis Carroll’s Alice books, examine a first edition copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland up-close, sample unique teas from Cha Cha Tea and NecessiTea, learn how to brew the perfect cup, and view several tea sets from the Rosenbach's collection. Scott Chamberlin Hoyt, the director of the documentary The Meaning of Tea and I will be hosting the tea party and sharing a bit about the important role that tea plays in our fast-paced daily lives, our personal journeys with tea, etc. Scott Hoyt will also be screening the trailer of his film and I will be introducing my spring line of haiku teacups that are inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

When: March 3^rd 6pm-8pm

Where: The Rosenbach Museum & Library, 2008-2010 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103 

Admission: A Mad Tea Party is free with museum admission, registration required. Admission to the Rosenbach is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for students and free for children under 5. To register, please contact Mary Duffy, Development Associate, at (215) 732-1600 ext. 123 or [email protected]. For additional information, visit www.rosenbach.org. 

 

Exclusive screening of the tea documentary, The Meaning Of Tea at Tbar 

Treat yourself to a special screening of the tea documentary, The Meaning Of Tea, a film that travels through India, Japan, Taiwan, Morocco, England, France, Ireland, and even Tea, South Dakota asking a variety of people about their relationship to tea as a beverage, a means of relaxation, and a way of life. Meet the director, Scott Hoyt, and sample complimentary teas from Tbar. Tbar will also have their entire selection of delicious loose tea, specialty beverages and edible goodies for sale. The screening will begin at 7pm and will be followed by an exclusive Q&A session with Scott Hoyt. This is the first time the film will be screened in its entirety in Philadelphia.

When: March 4th 6pm-7pm Meet director, Scott Hoyt, & sample tea 7pm-8:30 Screening of the film followed by Q&A with the director

Where: Tbar 117 South 12th Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 www.tbarteas.com

Admission: free

Although, if you have rested your roots in the island of New York, then please come to:

Asia Society on Thursday, March 17 for a tea tasting, reception, and screening of the acclaimed documentary film The Meaning of Tea with filmmaker Scott Hoyt, author Phil Cousineau, and renowned tea authority James Norwood Pratt.
TEA AND THE WORLD: The Meaning of Tea
Registration: 6:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Film Screening and Q&A: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Book Signing and Tea Tasting Reception: 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
 http://www.asiasociety.org/events-calendar/meaning-tea

Hope some of you can join me for for these tea-tastic events! If not, then make sure to set aside some time to throw your own tea party to celebrate spring's  arrival (well, it's only a little over a month away)!

sweet tea talk: jenna park of whimsy & spice brooklyn confectioners

In addition to being a talented designer and creative co-owner of whimsy & spice brooklyn confectioners, Jenna Park also shares her "visual record of business and family life in NYC and a journal of projects both in and out of the kitchen" on her fabulous blog, Sweet Fine Day. 

Considering that she is a connoisseur of sweets, I asked Jenna a few questions about creative confections and tea:

as co-owner of whimsy & spice, have you ever tasted your treats with a cup of tea? if so, do you have any pairing recommendations?

I have to admit that I am a big coffee drinker so I don't drink tea as much as I'd like. When I do drink tea, I reach for chamomile when I'm in the mood for an herb tea, and Earl Grey or English Breakfast when I need a little pick me up later in the day. I love our Honey Lavender cookies with chamomile. I think they compliment each other nicely. 

honey lavender shortbread cookies

what whimsy & spice sweets would you serve at a tea party?

I would serve the honey lavender shortbread cookies, the earl grey sandwich cookies, our pink peppercorn hearts and probably our Rose and Black Pepper Thumbprints at a tea party. I think these are the right size and textures to accompany tea.

earl grey sandwich cookies

 

Black Pepper & Rose Thumbprints

do you have any favorite teas?

When I feel like I am feeling a sore throat coming on, I immediately reach for a throat coat tea that contains licorice and slippery elm root. It's so soothing! My other favorite teas are ones that I've picked up traveling. There is an amazing tea that we bought at our hotel in Hawaii that is a black tea with lilkoi (passion fruit), papaya, pineapple and pikake (jasmine) flowers. It's heavenly and reminds us so much of our vacation there. The other tea that I love is this Chocolate Truffle Easter Tea bought at the Tea House in London. I still have a little bit of it left from a trip 6 years ago and it still smells wonderful.  

as a designer, can you describe a few visual details about your ideal tea party?

I tend to like monochromatic table settings with a few bursts of complimentary colors, perhaps in the flowers of some colorful sweets. I'm a minimalist so I love white table linens with mismatched white tea cups and other tableware. I like having the tea, flowers and sweets provide the color on the table, but I also love printed napkins and tea towels. The idea of outdoor tea parties under a leafy, shady tree sounds so nice right about now!

many thanks to Jenna for taking the time to inspire us with her answers!

tea talk: ashley english of small measure

 

Last week, I mentioned that the lovely Ashley English had featured teaspoons & petals in her weekly column on design sponge, Small Measures. (I'm still excited about this shout out! hooray!)

As an avid reader of her personal blog, Small Measure, I was familiar with her culinary abilities to craft delectable jams and jellies (not to mention the fact that she wrote a book Homemade Living: Canning & Preserving with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Make Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Chutneys & more.)

Considering that she devoted an entire column to her love of tea and is a master when it comes to jams & jellies, I was curious to learn just a bit more. 

Without further ado, here is an interesting and delicious Q&A with Ashley English:

If you were hosting a tea party, what jams, jellies or fruit butters would you serve?

Oh, I love tea parties! The ritual of it, the slowness, the savoring...I'm ready for one right now! I would probably serve a palate-wide array of options. Alongside buttery scones and berry-riddled muffins, I'd serve something spicy, like a clove/cinnamon/nutmeg-laced apple butter, something floral, like a peach and lavender jam, something herbal, like my Meyer lemon & lemon verbena curd, and something unexpected, like a lemon/orange/grapefruit & star anise marmalade.

beyond sweet tea, Lapsang souchong & homemade chai, what other teas do you enjoy sipping?

Well, I'm sipping on my old standby, Earl Grey, right now! Otherwise, I hold a very special place in my teapot for jasmine tea. It's my go-to green tea of choice. I also enjoy Gunpowder and Sencha green teas for their grassy, yet mildly metallic flavors. Herbal tisanes and infusions are pretty big in my pantry, too. I usually brew up a large mug of nettle & red raspberry tea for sipping on throughout the day. My winter herbal tea of choice lately has been wildcrafted Douglas Fir tips-lemony and piney, at the same time.  I once found a black tea infused with rose petals that was absolutely transcendent. As you can see, I'm pretty open to almost all varieties of tea. I'm an equal-opportunity tea imbiber!

have you ever considered incorporating tea when making your jams?

I've considered it, but I've yet to do it. I've worked Earl Grey into ice cream and crème brûlée, but never into a preserve. I could see that happening in the future, though. Lapsang Souchang would also definitely take a jam to a whole different realm, too. 

do you have a favorite cup, mug or jar that you like to drink your tea from?

Yes I do! Several years ago, my husband and I attended the summer showing of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, an Asheville-based crafters organization. We found beautiful pottery from a local ceramicist, John Ransmeier, and purchased two of his mugs. They're stunning, sort of a mustard and coffee gradient blend. I do worry about breaking them, though. Fortunately, John lives nearby and sells more of his mugs at the neighboring Folk Arts Center.

tea today: spicy revelry from serendipiTea

 

while treating my taste buds to a delicious meal at Mario Batali's Babbo Ristorante, I anxiously awaited the dessert menu to see what teas he had selected to complement his savory dishes. I was delighted to see a spicy blend of Cloves, Cardamom, Ginger & Blood Orange, otherwise known as SerendipiTea's Spicy Revelry.

this tisane was flavorful and fragrant. The spices were warming and soothing after an evening of edible treats. the deep red color seemed to glow in the delicate, white teacup.

teaspoons & petals mentioned in designsponge!

Last Friday, teaspoons & petals' blog and haiku teacups were mentioned in design sponge's weekly column, small measures, written by Ashley English. Last week's featured column was appropriately titled "time for tea," as Ashley spoke of her childhood memories of sweet tea, the celebration of national hot tea month, and all of the aesthetic appeal that is associated with the ritual of tea (teaware, tea gardens, etc).

I was thrilled and honored to see that Ashley had given a nod to t&p when she noted, "Teaspoon and Petals maintains a gorgeous blog of all things tea, from artfully designed tea packaging to her own line of Etsy original haiku tea cups."

Hooray! Many thanks to Ashley for this sweet shout out! I highly recommend that you steep a cup of tea and sip while you read this fabulous piece that celebrates the small measures that make the act of tea such a wondrous experience.

come back and visit soon. I'll be sharing an interview with Ashley that takes a closer look at her love of tea...