teaspoons & petals

chai tea milkshake at shake shack

My grandmother's wise words, "Always ask questions," have helped grow my inquisitive nature. Far from nosy, my lingering inner question-mark has rather pushed me to seek out opportunities. This past June at the glorious Shake Shack opening party in Philadelphia, a friend introduced me to the infamous restauranteur, Danny Meyer. While briefly talking tea (their fresh-brewed iced tea is a custom Harney & Sons blend), my mind made a quick jump to milkshakes. I asked Mr. Meyer if he had ever considered adding a tea-infused milkshake to his seasonal sweet menu. He seemed genuinely intrigued. Not quite sure what might come of this conversation, I was satisfied with simply meeting a culinary icon.

To my surprise, I received an email the very next day from Shake Shack's culinary manager, Mark Rosati. A few rounds of emails, meetings and tastings later, my chai tea concentrate (for a chai tea milkshake) was approved and slated to launch as a limited-edition treat on their menu at the Philadelphia location. Needless to say I was ecstatic and jumping for joy. But let's step back to the concentrate for a second.

vanilla honey cravings

This photo was taken as summer was fading into fall. I started to embrace the season's change with one of my favorite warming sips, Terrain at Styers' Vanilla Honey Tea Au Lait. The black tea milk infusion is the canvas painted by smooth vanilla wisps and decadent dashes of caramel. But beyond the flavors, let's take a moment to peek at the drizzled honey work of art. It's almost too pretty to sip, but then the aroma draws you in. What do you reach for as the winds chill you to the core?

garden gin & assam tea

I know my way around a proper tea steep, but when it comes to cocktails I'm clueless. And just to be clear, I've never been a fan of artificially flavored alcoholic sips. If I wanted a chocolate covered strawberry or green apple, I'd rather have a bite than a bright pink or neon green drink. But offer me a glass of a botanical spirit, and let's just say my spirits would be lifted.

The creative mixologists at Art in The Age crafted a botanical spirit that sends my mind into the garden. SAGE garden gin is instilled with rosemary, sage, thyme, dandelion, angellica, lavender...and assam black tea. Yes, assam black tea. Even though the rich, malty tea didn't sing through the spirit, it effortlessly mixed with the herbaceous and woodsy flavors.

world tea expo

This past May I made my way from the City of Brotherly Love to the City of Sin, but I was only betting one thing, tea. Having the opportunity to join one of my clients at the World Tea Expo, I forutnately found time to sway through the aisles of international tea experiences.

From reading the first issue of Tea Magazine in flight, exploring New Zealand through a steep of Zealong oolong tea, to watching green tea leaves being ground into matcha powder via a 400 year old stone mill, to chatting with with the beloved James Norwood Pratt, I was swept up in the whirlwind of steeped adventures. Throughout the expo I continued to gravitate towards a particular table in the Taiwanese Oolong section of the show. Max was a tea farmer from Nantou who shared some of the most luscious sips of floral oolong that I've ever tasted. Walking away with a tin of his very best and a business card, I was armed with the ingredients that I needed to continue this semi-oxidized journey. However, I was disheartened to return home and find that his website was no longer in service.

As I savored the green oolong that was layered with perfumed floral notes, I desperately searched to find a match for the tightly rolled leaves lingering in the unnamed tin. I scribbled down what I could about the tea leaf appearance, dry leaf aroma, taste and suggested steeping time printed on the foil bag. I am happy to say that I may have identified this special steep as a Nantou Si Ji Chun Oolong from In Pursuit of Tea. But it will take an email and an order to determine the full truth.

Let me step back to reflect on the magic that existed in that Las Vegas convention center, aligning steeped stars and bringing tea enthusiasts together from around the world to celebrate what we all keep in our cup. I'm anxiously awaiting next year's expo and am hoping that the mysterious Max returns so that I can fill my bag with his spring 2013 si ji chun oolong. Consider it the ultimate carry on.

coffee & tea fest 2012

Even though I've created a world of tea within my tiny kitchen, I like to skip outside of my home and see how others steep. Next weekend (Nov 3rd & 4th), I'm packing my travel tea mug and making the quick trip to Atlantic City for the Coffee & Tea Festival. Open to the public and trade, the two-day event will feature tastings, classes, demos along with rows of exhibitors featuring their caffeinated wares and concoctions. Thinking about bringing your brew to the boardwalk? I'm happy to share a fifty percent discount on tickets with this exclusive promo code: ATB12

Considering that tea is something that I'll always bet on, I couldn't be more excited to celebrate camellia sinensis at this Atlantic City festival. Now if only we could convince the salt water taffy folks to add a "green tea" flavor to the mix...

tea talk: jolene hart from "beauty is wellness"

Ever so often, I discover the tea rituals, steeped memories and infused advice of friends. That being said, I'm thrilled to share this guest post written by my friend and colleague, Jolene. Jolene Hart, CHC, AADP is a Philadelphia-based writer and founder of Beauty Is Wellness, a natural beauty and health coaching practice. She teaches women to use their nutrition and lifestyle choices to look and feel their best from the inside out. She is regular contributor to wellness and lifestyle publications including Whole Living, Organic Spa, Healing Lifestyles & Spas, Yoga Journal, Allure, Boho, Delicious Living, Dr. Oz’s YouBeauty.com and The Huffington Post‘s Healthy Living section. So steep a cup and peek at her tea memories and beautiful wisdom below. And if you're still hungry for more, skip over to her site for deliciously thoughtful recipes.

Guest Post from Jolene Hart of Beauty is Wellness:

As a girl, I didn’t go for soda (the bubbles tickled my nose), I couldn’t stand milk (a few times, out of protest, I even ate my Cheerios with water) and I never begged for Kool Aid or Capri Sun.  Those drinks just weren’t me. Tea, on the other hand, has been a perfect fit since the beginning. Every night my family would share a pot of tea, usually a chamomile or herbal blend that would give us all warm bodies and sweet dreams.

Sometimes my siblings and I would even use tea as an excuse to delay bedtime (“We can’t go to sleep, we haven’t even had our tea yet!”).  And it usually worked, because tea was our ritual.

Fast forward twenty or so years, and it’s no surprise that tea occupies such a prominent space in my kitchen.  A more stringent cook might use the prime, eye-level shelf for ready access to spices or other pantry staples, but for me, teas come first.  My work as a beauty editor and health coach broadened my interest in tea, and now I also love it for its beauty benefits, which I’m thrilled to share with readers of Teaspoons and Petals. Sipping always makes me feel more beautiful, and I hope it does the same for you.

petals & blossoms

I tend to serve my tea with petals on the side, hence the name, teaspoons & petals. But I try to borrow the blossoms from my urban garden. All summer long, I kept my cool with sips of iced formosa oolong topped with a nasturtium blossom for a pretty touch and a spicy kick for the last sip and bite.

But now that we're steeped in the fall season, I'm still holding on to petals as my dahlias bloom in over-sized pots on the patio. There's something about steeping leaves and peering at petals that sends a smile to my face.

precious pearls: how to make bubble tea

 

What I love most about tea gatherings are crossing paths and sharing tea tidbits with fellow steeped enthusiasts. At this year's World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, I serendipitously met Evan from Bubble Tea Supply (earlier that week I had been pondering how I might make the sweet steeped treat at home). While I love to skip over to the Chinatown section for a bowl of hand-drawn noodle soup and a bubble tea sip, there are days when I want to recreate it in the comfort of my kitchen. Thanks to Evan's knowledge, tips and generous package of bubble tea goodies, I was able to stay in my slippers and simmer on the stove.

We can wax on about our favorite flavors for hours, but first, let's talk bubbles, boba, pearls, whatever you call those shiny, chewy, tiny spheres gathering in the bottom on your plastic bubble tea cup. Fortunately, Evan shared the quick, at-home recipe that set my mind at ease (although tea shops use a different method). So time to get your bubbles boiling.

How to Cook Bubble Tea Tapicoca Pearls at Home:

• 1 cup Dried Bubble Tea Supply Tapioca Pearls  
• 6-8 cups water

Approximately 6-10 servings for a bubble tea party, of course

1. The ratio should be a minimum of 7:1, water to tapioca pearls.
2. Boil water in a large pot.
3. Add in the tapioca pearls to boiling water (they should float)
4. Cover pot and boil tapioca pearls for 15 minutes.
5. Turn the heat off and let tapioca pearls sit in the water for 15 minutes.
6. Rinse the cooked tapioca pearls in warm water and drain.