teaspoons & petals

hooray for handkerchiefs

The art of being a collector walks quite the fine line between an enthusiast and a hoarder. Fortunately for me, tea cups can be perfectly tucked within a bookshelf and handkerchiefs can be folded into a tiny, tidy stack. I can still recall the very first moment my eyes met the embroidered details that revealed the most precious petal. The ladylike lace and scalloped edges sent me swooning.

I was taken by the notion that these petite gems were once an everyday accessory. So, I intended to make them part of my daily rituals with the steeped leaf. The deliate dimensions and details seemed like the perfect pairing for a cup of tea. I've smoothed out their wrinkles and covered them with cups or tiny teaspoons, transforming them into perfect placements. I've folded them into squares to serve as miniature cup coasters. I've hung them from a clothesline to make the most airy bunting banner and lined up their edges for a vintage table runner (anchored by small vases of flowers).

As one who favors the aesthetic and decor of decades past, I felt within my heart that each possessed their own story that threaded memories of ladies who lingered in parlors. Needless to say, when I thoughtfully unfold a handkerchief from the tiny fabric stack, I take a moment to explore each printed pattern, embroidered bit, crease, and stain as I slowly sip my cup of tea. It's a ritual for me that's two fold, signaling the start of a quiet cup of tea where I can let my imagination wander and wonder and dream. Yes, honey and tea might be the darling duo, but handkerchiefs are the unsung hero for a steeped sip, quietly lingering and waiting.

 

teaspoons at the table: campfire tea ice cream sandwiches

Even though the cool air is creeping in, I'm still craving cold, creamy scoops of ice cream. Top that spoonful with marshmallow spread sandwiched between tea infused dark cocoa cookies, and well, my heart  skips a beat. Seeking a whimsical take on s'mores and ice cream, I infused the ice cream sandwich cookies with subtle smoky notes from lapsang souchong butter. Known for its intense smoked aroma and savory flavors, Lapsang Souchong is a black tea from the Wuyi Mountains in the northeastern part of Fujian that is dried over pine fires. When baked with rich, dark, unsweetened cocoa, the smoked tea butter is slightly quieted to impart a whisper of a note that your taste buds might read as savory just for a second.

Peek at the full recipes below for the butter and ice cream sandwiches, along with a video from my web series about cooking with tea on The Daily Tea. If you're inspired to steep tea into your daily routine, peek at more tea infused recipe videos right here. And I might recommend making an extra batch of the smoky butter and experimenting with simple small bites, like melting it over popcorn (which I often do with earl grey tea butter). I've been meaning to fry an egg and bacon in the butter for a smoked breakfast sandwich paired with a steeped cup of the tea. Use it to brush on chicken before roasting or grilled vegetables to intensify the char flavor. And, really, when is extra butter ever a bad thing? Never. The answer is never. But you already know how I feel about it...