teaspoons & petals

lavender simple syrup

Lavender buds have been revealing their deep shades of purple and delighting my senses with their soothing aromas. sipping the floral tisane, I've been looking for a way to experiment beyond the single steep.

As I read the blog of my new favorite show, The Fabulous Beekman Boys, I was inspired by their recipe that captured spring blossoms in a sweet sip, Lilac Simple Syrup. Since Lilac's pungent petals bid adieu in the spring, my mind suddenly skipped to the thought of lavender.

When I incorporated the sugar with the vibrant buds, the relaxing aroma filling my tiny kitchen, I anticipated the sweet lavender simple syrup. I dreamed of icing brisk and citrusy earl greys and effortlessly stirring in the syrup to add to the complexity of the flavors. Maybe I would steep a few sprigs of pineapple sage, allowing the perfumey syrup to highlight the exotic fruity notes and gently mask the often waxy flavor of the sage leaf? Or I could freeze it with my Jasmine Green tea mint granita. Time to let my imagination continue to soar in the land of lavender....

What would you make with sweet lavender syrup?

Ingredients & Recipe for Lavender Simple Syrup

2 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lavender blossoms

1.      Add water, sugar and lavender blossoms to saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Stir. Reduce heat         and continue stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

2.    Remove from heat and let steep for approx 30 minutes.

3.    Remove lavender blossoms and allow syrup to cool.

4.    Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

photo courtesy of diametrik

sip & style: iced tea party

  

An avid Oh Joy! reader, I particularly adore Joy's "this & that" posts that showcase her beautiful pairings of home decor, accessories, clothing, furniture, etc. Her creativity has inspired my "sip & style" category, where I will share carefully selected teaware & fashion duos.

Considering that June is National Iced Tea month, I thought it might be best to honor this chilly treat in my first "sip & style" post. Anthropologie's precious pink & green fleur-de-lys tumblers will be the standout teaware pieces at any iced tea party. The tinted glass will catch the summer sun just right and still allow the iced tea liquor to shine through. Delicate and whimsical, these tumblers pair perfectly with Whitney Eve's vibrant and playful tap shorts (I would love to fill my closet with every piece in Whitney's feminine collection).

So, slip on these bright shorts and steep a tea with bold flavors to match the vibrant summer hues. Maybe a hibiscus tisane or jasmine pearl? Fill up the tinted tumblers, step into the sun and celebrate your chilly sip with a few friends.

What would you wear to an iced tea party?

tea today: pineapple sage tisane from the garden

 

Nature tends to amaze me.

As I attempt to grow into my new title of "gardener," my little urban garden is sincerely giving me hope. Amongst the lavender, bail, parsley, purple sage, and mint, my most promising bit of green is the pineapple sage. Their vibrant green leaves seem to multiply every morning, as though they are pronouncing themselves as Queen of the garden.

This incredibly fragrant herb releases an intoxicating, exotic aroma of pineapple and a hint of the savory sage when gently pressed between my fingers. In an effort to put this flourishing herb to use, I quickly snipped several leaves, ran them under cool water and then placed them in the infuser (no infuser? just drop these leaves into a boiling pot of water). After covering them in boiling water, I let them steep for 20 minutes as I anxiously anticipated a pineapple sage tisane.

Although fragrant to the touch, when steeped or used in culinary creations the pineapple is mild to taste. The pineapple aroma is strong as the steaming scent escapes from the pot. First sip: the faint fruity burst flavor is only intensified as you breathe in the pineapple fragrance. Unlike regular sage plants, the pineapple sage only offers a hint of sage's savory notes. The golden liquor, although mild, has a bright flavor profile that is soothing and delicately savory with a subtle burst of pineapple that fades. First taste comparison that comes to mind: a beeswax candle (which makes sense, considering that this herb is know to soothe the throat. the flavor that I recognize might be associated with coating and soothing the throat).

I recommend serving the pineapple sage tisane as a hot beverage rather than iced, as you tend to loose the flavor complexities without the heat and steamed aroma. However, you might be able to turn this golden liquor into an icy fruit treat if a touch of honey and fresh pineapple juice are added.

This tisane is mild yet bright with gentle fruity notes. I recommend sipping this tea slowly and enjoying the delicate flavors while soaking in views of your garden.

teaspoons & petals' haiku teacups featured in dailycandy!

I was so thrilled to hear the dailycandy wanted to feature teaspooons & petals' haiku teacups in their "Throw the Mother Of All Tea Parties" guide. Beyond our cups, they gathered a fabulous group of tea related goodies, including tea, sweets, decor, etc.

From rose petal macaroons, vintage teapots to decadent jams and honey, I was blown away and inspired by their selection. Although the true temptress in the guide hails from Amada restaurant in my city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. Mr. Top Chef, Jose Garces, has created a beautiful Truffled Lavender Honey and has even shared the recipe (although I recommend making a reservation before trying it at home). Maybe it's time for tea with Garces?

Many thanks to dailycandy for featuring our haiku teacups. It's such an honor!

tea talk: alyssa shelasky from apron anxiety

A few weeks ago I serendipitously stumbled upon my new favorite blog, apron anxiety. Alyssa Shelasky ("Kitchen-phobic writer turned culinary goddess. Creator of ApronAnxiety.com, reporter for PEOPLE, freelancer, fiancee and much more"), shares her thoughts on her daily activites in life and the kitchen. I adore and admire her honest, edgy, funny, and witty writing style.

As I perused her culinary posts, I was intrigued to learn a bit about Alyssa in terms of the tea world. After she retweeted my question about cooking with tea, I jumped at the chance to ask her a few tea questions, and her answers didn't disspoint. Read below to take a closer look at the email interview with Alyssa about her ideal tea party.

at your ideal tea party....

what food would you serve?

AS: Um, have you met me?! I'd serve sweets! Good "dunkers," as my mother would call them. Homemade hazelnut biscotti, chocolate-chip 'n macadamia cookies, apricot scones.... Id put out TONS of fresh fruit too. It would be fun to go the cucumber sandwich route, as well, but knowing my friends, they'd rather be sinful.

what teas would you steep?

AS: This is where you'd have to come in. I'm teafully-challenged. I have the basics at home - English Breakfast, some fruity stuff, but tea is an enigma to me. I'd serve sparkling water, lemonade, Prosecco and I'm going through an expensive-champagne phase too.

who would you invite?

AS: After 2 years in DC, I've finally made some amazing girlfriends. I cherish them. A few are actually my neighbors, so on most nights, we actually DO have impromptu tea parties (otherwise known as cocktails) on our stoops. That said, I'd invite every woman I know and love living in Washington, DC. All 5 of them.

where would you have the party?

AS: I live on the second floor of a beautiful corner brownstone in Capitol Hill. My living room is all windows; it feels like Paris. We'd all hang there, perched on my rug or mid-century couch - which Spike loathes and I love.

what would it look like?
AS: I entertain extremely casually. I have lots of mix-n-match tabletop. A lot is from ABC Carpet & Home, where I worked 10 years ago. Everything from ABC is magical. I learned from my "style idol," Jennifer Rubell, to almost-messily display everything on a big table, and let your guests control the rest. Jennifer has these huge dinner parties with Vogue editors and famous actors, and literally just puts a box of utensils in the center of the table, with stacks of plates and scattered tumblers. I'm always surrounding myself with cool women who I can learn from. I'm totally not ashamed to ask for help.

many thanks to the fabulous alyssa for letting us in on her perfect party. for those of you still thinking about the homemade hazelnut biscotti from the first question, well, keep reading for the recipe...