teaspoons & petals

tea gift guide - COOK

For those of you who braved the crowds on Black Friday or risked your eyesight while staring at the screen during Cyber Monday, I tip my winter hat to you. I've never been able to master either shopping extravaganza. But if you're still craving a dose of retail therapy that's bit more calm than crazy, then this gift guide is for you. I skipped over to one of my favorite Philadelphia spots, COOK, and snapped photos of their steeped goodies for the tea lover on your list. 

Known for their collaborative cooking classes, COOK also offers a curated collection of culinary finds. I stepped into their pantry and peeked at the coveted tea ware on their shelves. And don't forget to spend time browsing their library of cookbooks, delicious magazines and other foodie friendly reads. Stop into their shop at 253 South Twentieth Street from 12-4pm.

And now for the tea infused gifts...

(top right: tie tea mug $25 , lower left: half pint creamer $15, lower right: tea bag strainer $25)

keep a tea journal

While teas often leave taste memories on my palate, mind and heart, I've realized that it could be complicated to store every sip. Enter the tea journal. Filled with scribbles of new tea-infused recipe, my tea journal is truly there to capture tasting notes. Beyond the first sip, there are so many sensory experiences to note. Share the name of the tea, the name of the tea company, the date (when you sipped it and the harvest-if you know it). Note the preferred steeping vessel (glass pot, gaiwan, yixing pot). Start with the dry leaf (its appearance and its aroma). Note the water temperature and brew time (often you will have many versions as you test to see which temperature and time brew your favorite cup). After you strain the leaves, take a closer look at the wet leaf and consider the new aroma after being steeped.

Now to the steeped tea liquor. Note its color, the aroma and the taste of the complex flavors. Capture how they might change with subsequent sips. Do they build complexity? What is the aftertaste? Really try to take a moment after you swallow the first sip to let the steamed flavor settle on your taste buds. Yes, this may sound a bit strange. Although, once you have taken the moment to breathe after the first sip of a high mountain oolong or milk oolong, you'll understand why this is such a splendid part of the tea tasting adventure. 

teaspoons at the table: earl grey infused hot chocolate

At the stroke of midnight on Halloween the season quickly shifts from ghosts and goblins to menu planning and mistletoe. While I don't like to rush the holidays, I do welcome them with open arms. To celebrate the season, my lovely friend Holly (of Turquoise Autumn) invited me over for treats and talk of wintry recipes. Even though her kitchen was beyond comforting (endless rows of glorious cookbooks, Judy Garland's Christmas Pandora station and the scent of freshly baked bread), she setup and styled the most precious tea party in her beautiful backyard. If it wasn't for the whipping winds I could have stayed there all day.

Let's just take a moment to admire her Pumpkin Chai Chocolate Chip Bread. Isn't it stunning? The rich chocolate paired perfectly with the warming chai spices and sweet pumpkin flavors. I could imagine that beyond being served hot from the oven, it would be wonderful toasted (with a bit of pumpkin butter) and served with tea for a holiday breakfast bite. Lucky for you (and me), Holly has shared her scrumptious recipe on her site just in time for your holiday meal planning. We paired a slice with my earl grey infused hot chocolate.

Keep Reading for the Earl Grey Infused Hot Chocolate Recipe...

tea today: nantou white

Before you place the leaves in the pot, just stop for a moment to peek at their details. I was simply struck by the natural beauty of The Meaning of Tea's Nantou White. The full leaves still seemed to cling to the stems as if they just left the tea garden. Each tin of tea varies every season depending on the sun, rain and soil at that moment in time. So slow down and give yourself a moment or two to soak in the dry leaf, wet leaf and several sips that follow, for one is never like the other.

This particular white tea is from the Sun Moon Lake area of Nantou County in Taiwan. Nestled in hillsides amongst orange groves, this delicate tea can surprisingly withstand 205 degree water for a two minute steep. The light flavor is sprinkled with faint hints of citrus. Subtle sips like this are perfect for the morning when your taste buds are pure.

 

 

green tea smoothie

Mornings really are better with sips of green. Maybe it's the vibrant color or bold flavor combinations that brighten the early hours? Either way, I like to infuse it with a bit of iced green sencha for a burst of tea flavor. While I'll miss the nasturtium and kale from my garden (as winter winds send them on their way), I'll just have to skip over to the store for my in-green-dients. Just be sure to chill the tea before adding it to the blender to ensure that you don't "cook" the fresh flavors with hot liquids. What's your go-to green smoothie recipe? I might need to add a new one to the AM routine.

lychee love

If I look closely through fruit finds at street side vendors in the Italian Market section of Philadelphia, I can often find a small batch of lychee fruit hiding behind cold-weather's apple and pear delights. These photos seem like a distant summer memory, but I still crave lychee's sweet and floral flavors. If you can seek and find these petite treats, save a few to slice and add to iced sencha green tea. Yes, I said "iced." Even though the air is chilled, I still crave a cold sip throughout the day. The bright grassy green teas infused with sliced lychee is my ideal way to indulge.