teaspoons & petals

tea & cheese

Here is an excerpt from a recent piece I shared on Fresh Cup Magazine's tea blog that pays homage to my favorite snack, tea and cheese.

"Consider the pairing of tea and cheese to be a deconstructed latte (if you fancy adding milk to your tea). A splash of milk may have been lovingly stirred into your morning robust black tea blend or your masala chai could have been simmered in milk on the stove. We seek out lattes for their richness and comforting sensations. But rather than steep tea into the milk, we have a chance to play with dairy delights that have been nurtured, aged, pushed, and shaped to achieve complex flavors that simple milk can’t bring to the table."

Jump over to Fresh Cup to read the entire piece with my thoughts on how to pair tea and cheese and a recommendation for letting a gruèyre seek friendship with a red hood oolong (also known as red robe or da hong pao).

warm steeps for chilled spring nights

Even though Spring has skipped on stage, winter won't seem to make its graceful exit and has continued to show us sprinkles of snow and send in whipping chilled winds. So, until we bit the cold nights adieu I am keeping cozy with three tea infused sips that warm me to the core: Earl Grey Hot Cocoa with Orange Blossom Earl Grey Whipped Cream, Horchaita, and Spiced Hojicha Green Tea.

While I developed these recipes for the fall for a Fresh Cup Magazine printed piece,  I find myself readily embracing warming spices and tastes as they will soon be tucked into the back of cabinets. Plus, even as the sun filled days are screaming spring, these tea infused sips will get you through the cold spring nights. You can jump over to Fresh Cup to read the full piece that offers the inspiration behind each sip, tips/tricks and tasting tales. But if you want to settle into the recipe details first, you find those here as well.

Tell me...what cozy creations are near and dear to your heart as you're waiting for spring's warm up?

Horchaita (p.s. you'll want to pop over to the article to get the full story behind this sip)
Makes three cups

• 1/3 cup long grain white rice
• 1½ cups water
• 2 tablespoons masala chai tea
• One 2-inch piece Mexican cinnamon stick (or substitute regular cinnamon stick)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1½ cups rice milk
• Ground cinnamon, for serving

Bring water to a boil and steep chai for five minutes. Strain leaves and cool tea until warm. While cooling, grind the rice in a blender so it is in fine pieces (think coarse cornmeal). Pour warm tea over the rice in the blender and add the cinnamon stick. Cover and refrigerate for at least eight hours, but preferably overnight.

Remove the cinnamon stick, then puree the rice and tea until it’s completely smooth. For a truly smooth texture, strain the mixture through cheesecloth, extracting as much liquid as possible (note: if working with high-power blender the cheesecloth may not be needed). Pour the rice and tea mixture into a small pot on the stove and warm over medium heat until hot. Stir in the milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer and serve immediately with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a spoon.

Note: Infuse the rice with tea/cinnamon stick and blend with rice milk and sugar ahead of time, then refrigerate in an airtight container. Heat until very hot via stove or hot plate. Be sure to stir well.