…proviamo, per una volta,  a fare il contrario, proviamo ad associare un pasto (pranzo/cena) ad una bevanda, che, guarda caso, non sarà il vino, ma bensì, il tè! ☺

APERITIVO
Partiamo dall’aperitivo, un bel tè nero al prosecco e campari, secondo la seguente ricetta:

•  15 cl. d’acqua
•  2 cucchiaini di tè nero di Ceylon (RATNAPURA)
•  zucchero candito (secondo gusto) o zucchero di canna
•  succo di ¼ di limone
•  1 bottiglia di spumante secco o se preferite champagne
•  4 fettine di limone

Preparazione: 10 minuti oltre il tempo di raffreddamento
Mettere il tè in infusione per circa 3-4 minuti e lasciarlo raffreddare,
aggiungere lo zucchero ed il succo di limone;
mescolare il tutto e versarlo sul fondo dei calici,
aggiungere lo spumante e un accenno di campari e guarnire con una fetta di  limone o di arancia…..

ANTIPASTO
Tartine di salmone o prosciutto?
Accompagnamole con un LAPSANG SOUCHONG, un tè nero (secondo la classificazione occidentale) affumicato (aroma inconfondibili di soja, empireumatici di tostato e frutta secca, legno, fondo di bosco e fiori)

PRIMO
ZUPPA DI VERDURA? MINESTRONE? BOSCAIOLA?
Possiamo accompagnare i primi a base di verdura con un tè verde giapponese, un KUKICHA o un BANCHA. Il loro sapore “verduroso” si sposa bene bene con queste pietanze.

SECONDO
Carne?
Un Té NERO ALLA CANNELLA, con il suo aroma forte e penetrante è il compagno ideale per la vostra fettina (o fettona).
Pesce?
O il LAPSANG SOUCHONG di prima, ma, nel caso di piatti piu delicati, anche il PAI MU TAN, tè bianco.

Dopo, ovviamente, niente caffè! Ma un tè verde al gelsomino, o all’arancia potrebbe accompagnare la frutta nel migliore dei modi!

Ecco, quello che vi manca, ora, è solo la compagnia….
Fateci sapere, a presto…

tè......

The folks at TeaGschwendner (don’t even ask me to start trying to pronounce that) were nice enough to send me a few sample packs of their Rooibush Eggnog (another way of saying eggnog rooibos) tea, which is a red caffeine-free tea with eggnog flavoring in it. They say to use a heaping teaspoonful in order to brew a good cup, but I just used one of the sample packs full (I assume there’s no difference). I boiled the water and used 8 ounces just like suggested, but was pretty disappointed. This is another one of those flavored teas that doesn’t at all taste authentic, and has the natural rooibos taste overpowered by the artificial-tasting flavorings. This type of tea seems to float the boat for some people, but not for me. You can pick up a tin yourself at their website and try it, and you may like it, but it just didn’t fit the bill for me.

Summary:
Cost: $2.24/oz
8/10
Taste: 3/10
Brew Time: 4-5 minutes
Brew Temperature: 212˚ Fahrenheit
Overall Rating: 5/10

Hemma i tehyllan finns nu Julknäck, rooibos från Johan & Nyström. Efter att ha fått känna doften i butiken gick det inte att motstå. Fyllig gräddkolasmak med vanilj. Det finns små bitar av vit choklad i blandningen som är jättegoda att pilla ur och äta som de är. Bra räddning om godissuget blir för jobbigt och jag inte orkar gå och handla!

Vi är tre som har smakat på teet och alla har tyckt att det är gott, men det är så gräddigt att det blir för mycket om man dricker mer än en kopp åt gången. Ett glas vatten efteråt är inte helt fel.

Förutom Julknäck, finns även Glöggte, Lussete, Röda mulen, Tomtesnurr och Berry X-mas. Läs mer om de roliga smakerna på Johan & Nyströms webbplats.

I know, when you read the title, you may get a bit put off. Is this a tea review? You bet it is! I was generously sent a 4 ounce tin of Tay Teas‘ Better Than Sex, which is a rooibos tea flavored with mint leaves, vanilla, and dark chocolate. I didn’t have my hopes too high for trying this one, because I have never been a big fan of flavored rooibos blends in the past. I often find their flavor way too overpowering, like Teavana’s Hazelnut Dolce tea, which was a huge disappointment. However, when I wafted the leaves for the first time, I knew that something would be different about this tea. I brewed my first cup using two teaspoons of the tea (I like my rooibos strong), and 8 ounces of boiling water. I then infused the tea for around 4 minutes, which is similar to what they suggest. I took a taste and I really enjoyed it! As I got further into the cup, I was even more intrigued by its minty flavor. The chocolate in the blend itself was not too prevalent in the taste of the tea, but more in the aroma, where it could be smelled clearly, which complemented it well. The rooibos gave a nice balance to the mint, creating an invigorating taste and sensation (with the exception of its lack of caffeine), and I thoroughly enjoyed a cup and have made it part of my bedtime routine. I highly recommend this tea, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Summary:
Cost: $3.50/oz
8/10
Taste: 8/10
Brew Time: 4-5 minutes
Brew Temperature: 212˚Fahrenheit
Overall Rating: 8/10

With tea becoming so popular nowadays, a lot of people want to know which one is better. Coffee or tea? But what is meant by better? Tea and coffee distinguish themselves on several levels. They are two different types of beverages. One cannot argue over taste, and that’s clearly what it’s often about. Still, when we look at coffee and tea we see some clear differences.

Let’s start at the origin. Coffee is made from beans. Tea however is being produced out of the camellia plant. Rooibos tea is an exception being produced from the Fynbos plant.

Coffee you brew, using a percolator or let a coffee machine drip it. Tea you infuse by using loose tea or tea bags. The main point, where coffee and tea differ, is when it comes to health benefits. The raise of our environmental conscience (ourselves included) tends to put tea on a advantageous level. But is that rightfully acclaimed?

Many scientific studies proof that tea beats coffee on health benefits. Antioxidants are used in the body to stop or slow down oxidative damage to our body. It reduces the risk of heart diseases, degeneration, diabetes and cancer. Tea outranks coffee when it comes to antioxidants by far.

Strongly related to antioxidants is caffeine. Caffeine is a bitter stimulant drug found in the bean that produces coffee. For humans, caffeine stimulates the central nervous system. It restores alertness and wards off drowsiness. Even though coffee is highly overused, in the right proportion it reduces the feeling of being tired. Depending on the size and weight of body, in general 25-50 milligrams of caffeine is sufficient to report increases in alertness.

Coffee or caffeine can however cause nervousness, anxiety, irritability, tremulousness, hyperreflexia, insomnia, headaches… Some teas have similar working without containing that much caffeine. A normal size cup takes about half of the caffeine coffee does. Rooibos tea even has no caffeine ingredient in it.

Coffee is the world’s most widely consumed substance and will unlikely give up that position. Tea can however be a viable alternative for the health oriented human being.

And after the rain… good gardeners mulch.

Mulching means putting a layer of material on top of the soil, to help it retain moisture and heat, and prevent weeds from popping up. You can mulch with artificial materials like black plastic, but organic mulches break down over time and add nutrients to the soil. Therefore… good gardeners mulch.

Now, I don’t really consider myself a good gardener. More likely a forgetful and absent-minded to the occasional point of neglect gardener. Just ask the lavender bush I bought two months ago and still have yet to plant. But hey, I aspire to greatness. And there are many less pleasant tasks than taking handfuls of dried rooibos stok tea and sprinkling them over the soil.

Carrots cuddling under a rooibos mulch 'duvet'

Stok tea are fine, twiggy bits of rooibos tea, a byproduct of the rooibos industry. Coarser than tea, they have that lovely, herbal smell redolent of hot cups of every South African’s favourite tea. Rooibos mulch isn’t particularly cheap (I paid R34 for my medium sized bag), but a little goes a long way in a small garden like mine, and I love, love, love its smell. And I’m pretty sure it increases the acidity of my soil (as rooibos plants grow in acidic soil, and most teas are mildly acidic), which is good news for most plants.

Bianca Bothma

Sometimes it’s good to experiment and other times it’s better to stick to what you know. In my case when it comes to pancakes, I still have a lot to learn. I can only just manage the basic thin, cinnamon sugar style passed down from our grandmothers in South Africa. By just managing I mean that only 60% of the batch are edible.

South African cinnamon sugar pancake with banana

Pancakes are so simple yet impossible to master. The stove temperature has to be just right. If too hot they go straight to black with a nice rare doughy texture on the inside. If not hot enough they take forever to cook and then are impossible to flip.

Growing up on most rainy Sunday afternoons my Dad would be in the kitchen churning out one perfect pancake after another. I think the trick is that your first one has to be a flop for the rest to come out right. My brother and I always used to fight over who would get to eat the first dud.

Lately we have been having monsoon-like weather on Ulleungdo, even though it’s almost the start of winter. The grey clouds and wet weather sparked a desire deep down inside for some of these traditional South African treats.

At the moment in Korea it’s also the season for persimmons. My skin has just about turned orange with the amount of persimmons I’ve been eating. The fruit basket was still full of them and I decided to experiment.

Fuyu Persimmon, Ulleung Island Oct 09.

Did you know that there are many kinds of persimmons? The most common one is the Japanese persimmon, also known as the kaki or Asian persimmon in America. This kind looks like a flattened tomato and commonly also goes by the name of fuyu.

Apparently it’s also known as the Korean mango. This last name is ridiculous, the only similarity to the mango is the similar colour. I think Koreans really get it wrong sometimes when naming fruits. Take the Korean pear for example, it looks just like a big apple. Can’t they come up with another name, instead of just choosing a similar fruit and adding Korean to the front of it?

The other kind of persimmon found in Korea is the hachiya. When ripe it’s sweet, and pulp-like on the inside. I decided to use both in my fall pancake experimentation.

Pancake night arrived and I started us off with some of the tried and tested cinnamon style, with a few slices of banana in them. They were simple and delicious.

Now it was the moment I was waiting for, my culinary break through. Possibly, a success story that I could refer to when being interviewed by a food magazine one day, “Yes, I am a genius in the kitchen, inspiration is no problem!”

Hachiya Persimmon. South Korea. Oct 09

Alas, my accidental break through was going to wait for another time as I was bitterly disappointed.

The day before I chopped up the fuyu’s and steamed them in honey, rooibos and ginger tea. These were the filling. Just before the pancakes were ready I made a thick sauce of with the peeled hachiyas, a small orange, some honey, more ginger tea and some red chilli pepper. It wasn’t that bad, but not that great either. Next time I will try fresh ginger and maybe put less on the pancakes. Once again, like with the crazy cakes I can’t get to grips with the idea of less is more.

Despite the disappointment I’m satisfied with my effort. At least I won’t be lying awake at night wondering how this recipe would turn out. Now I know that it needs work and I’m to try again. Until then, I’ll stick to my favourite South African style. After all, why try and fix something if it’s not broken?

The persimmon pancake disappointment. It looks much better than it tasted.

I want to review a tea I got awhile back called South African Rooibos, from Teavana. Teavana is a nationwide tea chain that I found in my local mall in Cincinnati. I stopped in for some samples, and later ordered a large lot from their online store. Rooibos tea, for those of you who don’t know, is not technically a tea, but what is called a tisane, or herbal tea. The dictionary definition of tea as a drink is one made from leaves of the Camilla Sinensis plant. Rooibos tea is made from a red bush in South Africa. This property makes it naturally caffeine-free (like most herbal teas), and makes it a great bedtime tea.

I purchased 8 ounces of the tea, which, for this particular tea, is enough to make nearly 150 cups of strong Rooibos tea. According to Teavana, you are supposed to use fully boiling water, and infuse for 5-6 minutes. Once you are done with that, the tea is ready to be enjoyed. On my first taste of the tea, it was not at all what I was expecting. I had not smelled the leaves in advance, and I didn’t know about their pungent and bold characteristics. The tea leaves, as I now know, smell very reminiscent of tobacco, and the tea itself tastes very similar to the smell of tobacco. After the first cup, I was a bit overwhelmed by the powerful properties of the South African Rooibos, but after a few cups, I had definitely acquired the taste. I will be buying again soon!

Summary:
Cost: $2.25/oz
10/10
Taste: 8/10
Brew Time: 5-6 minutes
Brew Temperature: 208˚ Fahrenheit
Overall Rating: 8.5/10

Our collection of teas celebrating the crown jewels of Sarasota is now complete. Check out our Celebrating Sarasota Teas. The line up includes Selby Select, Mable’s Rose Rooibos Tea, Mote Beach Tea and Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea.

All four teas are naturally caffeine-free, packed in distinctively colored resealable bags to maximize freshness and most importantly, they are DELICIOUS.

You will see the details below along with slogans we had fun writing.  The overall idea is – Sarasota, That’s My Cuppa Tea

Selby Select – Juicy orange peel and yogurt pieces blended with rooibos for a dreamsicle finish. Created to honor Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, a tropical oasis of orchids and other epiphytes. “Selby Select, because you can’t steep an orchid”

Mable’s Rose Rooibos Tea – Rose petals and cherry blossoms infused in rooibos bursting with flavor. Mable Ringling created her beloved rose garden before starting on Ca d’Zan, the one of a kind estate at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, and with this tea we pay tribute to this mysterious woman. “Mable’s Rose Rooibos Tea, if you liked John’s house, you’ll love Mable’s tea”

Mote Beach Tea – an exotic mix of fruits and herbs including rosehips, apple, hibiscus, pineapple and coconut for a tropical infusion. Created in honor of the research conducted at the Mote Marine Laboratory. “Mote Beach Tea, so delicious you’ll be jumping with our dolphins”

Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea – a rooibos with red and black currants for an amethyst inspired brew. This season marks the 40th year of fabulous performances at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, our gem by the bay. “Van Wezel Anniversa-Tea is one hot act that’s also great iced”

At Local Coffee + Tea, our motto is Sip Locally and we are committed to three core principles; promoting local businesses, protecting local environments and celebrating local treasures. Visit Local Coffee + Tea at Siesta Key Village, Selby Gardens and every Saturday at the Downtown Farmer’s Market in Sarasota.

Suport your local treasures and celebrate Sarasota one cup at a time.
md

My schedule shifted right out from under me and boom-yow, I had lots of time to write today.  Would have been lovely to knock out my daily 1,667 for NaNoWriMo, but somehow the words got used up in emails, polishing my story for the Open Mic on November 10th, and then I had therapy.  Yup, therapy uses lots of words.  Now I must rest.

Breakfast:  lemon water; oats, almonds, water, cinnamon, arugula, blueberries; traditional medicinals chai.

Snack:  decaf; blueberry scone.  Met my friend Susan at Whole Foods for a little catch up.  The most leisurely use of words all day.

Lunch:  rooibos tea; peppermint tea; kale, field greens, avocado, dulse, tofu, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, olive oil, cider vinegar, herbamare, carrots; pumperknickel toast with butter; water. I do enjoy eating outside, and being home meant I could have toast!  Toast is my favorite food. 

Snack:  cocoa da diablo; tangerine.  That’s almond milk with raw cacao, cayenne, vanilla and cinnamon.  It gets thick when you nuke it.  Yum.

Dinner:  chicken and rice with mushrooms and quark, sprinkle of kale; water.  This was so easy.  Sauteed onions and garlic in olive oil, added a cup of brown rice, fistfuls of dried mushrooms and two cups of vegetable stock.  Layered in some bone-in chicken breasts, brought to a boil and then baked it in a 350 oven for 50 minutes.  Stirred in some quark (german yogurt cheese) and sprinkled with chopped kale for color.  To do it again I’d add some thyme and sea salt.  As it is I have lots of leftover mushroomy rice, chicken, and will use the bones to make some soup.

Dessert:  apple pie, chamomile tea.  Nice treat, and eating it means there is no more sugar in the house.  Writing about it has used up every word I had left for today.  Now I’m going to bed.

In this episode, I take a look at a few more teas from Talbott Teas, including two teas created specially for Oprah (yes, THE Oprah). The first one is a very unique blend called Earl Grey Enchantment. Unlike most Earl Grey teas, this is a rooibos based tea, with a less bite and no caffeine. Second, I try Field of Purple Flowers, a green tea with peach flavors. This tea has a soft flavor, but is extremely soothing and easy to drink. Cheers.

If you are having difficulty viewing this video, check it out on my Vimeo page .

Let’s face it, Costa Rica is known for its coffee.  And as I have discovered amidst my weekly trips to the grocery store, not known for its teas…at least the kind of teas that I love and appreciate…you know, a fine Green from China, a Rooibos from Vietnam, a Darjeeling from India…good, old fashioned, loose-leaf tea that warms the body and soul.  

But today I found a gem, in the land of coffee.  A TEA SHOP.   Being the tea lover I am, I was ecstatic.

Tea Land was the gem I found amongst the outskirts of the city of San José.  The brightly colored walls were welcoming, the staff friendly, and the tea?  A golden morsel of deliciousness on my choosy taste buds.

Rooibos Tropical, Blueberry Yogurt, Masala Chai – those are the flavors that warmed my friends and my soul that day.  We will for sure be going back to this hidden gem in the land of coffee.  And if you, a tea drinker, ever find yourself lost in the land of coffee, be sure and look for this hidden gem as well.

Product:

Language of the Leaf Teas

www.languageoftheleaf.com

I’m so excited to review this product as it was a package sent to me from Neeta Khanna (founder, Language of the Leaf) herself after she saw my Zimbel’s review. So about four weeks ago I received this package and have pretty much been getting drunk on teas ever since.

Assorted Language of the Leaf tea packets

In fact, as I sit here writing this, I’m sipping on a lovely Rooibos Sunset tea . Outside, the leaves are the same colour.

Fall 2009 © photohogger

Language of the Leaf: Rooibos Sunset

The Rooibos Sunset tea is much like a walk in the crisp fall weather with crackling leaves underfoot and a real sense of being at one with nature.

Language of the Leaf: Rooibos Sunset

Its citrus flavour is refreshing and light and the high level of antioxidants makes it a winner all-around. I should also mention that this tea arrived as a wedding give-away sample; the tea in a gorgeous silken tea bag in a cute round metal container.

Language of the Leaf: Rooibos Sunset as a wedding giveaway

Language of the Leaf: Rooibos Sunset tea bag

The Wedding Blend, a white tea infused with peach nectar and speckled with pink rosebuds is appropriately titled as it would make a very good wedding give away.

I found this to be a really enjoyable after-dinner tea. We’d purchased a rose-bud tea in San Francisco from a wonderful tea shop sold to us by a very knowledgeable salesman and he told us that the rose buds are great for complexion and said to relieve menstrual pain. I find the pure rose-bud tea to have too strong of a sweet scent (much like rose water), so the blend of white tea, peaches and roses was more tolerable.

Language of the Leaf: Rooibos Lemongrass

The Rooibos Lemongrass tasted much like the Rooibos Sunset, I couldn’t quite detect the difference, but I’m not complaining since I longed for more of the Sunset after the tea bag was finished, so this works just as nicely.

I have to admit that I am not a fan of green teas; I’ve never come across one that I’ve liked (until now), mostly because of their sometimes powdery and always bitter aftertaste.

Language of the Leaf: Queen of Siam Green Tea

That said, the Queen of Siam is a green tea with a lemon ginger finish and I was hesitant to try it, it was the last one of the batch left for me to try and the lemony scent reminded me of NeoCitran, but then I tasted it and it was wonderfully not lemony at all…rather, gingery and smooth with a mild hint of green tea. Very soothing. We cracked this tea pack open at work one day when one of my friends was feeling a cold coming on…she agreed that it was very calming.

Okay, can I please talk about the Biscotti now? WOW! Imagine your grandmother’s biscotti, or if your grandmother didn’t make biscotti, imagine she did and now imagine it in liquid form. Okay, that probably didn’t make it sound too good, but honestly, I was floored that tea could taste as if I were actually biting into a biscotto. It’s great with or without milk. Amazing. Truly a tea to make you feel warm and fuzzy all over!

And lastly, y’all know how much I love my Earl Greys (and I have had some really pathetic EG teas…bags and loose leaves,but I shan’t name any names…*cough Twinnings Lipton David’s Tea cough*), and Language of the Leaf’s Earl Grey is what I really should be talking about since it’s what brought this whole review together! I fell in love with this LotL’s EG at Zimbel’s Cafe a while ago, enjoying it with some soy or lactose-free milk in the afternoons as a wake pick-me-up. I love the smell of it; it’s got a milder scent of bergamot but it’s not mild on taste. A wonderful version of EG that I adore and continue to purchase from Zimbel’s, even with a batch of it at home. The one time Zimbel’s didn’t have EG, I decided to try the Ginger Peach Apricot black tea; I found it to be deliciously gingery and robust in fruit flavour.

I’d like to thank Neeta Khanna for this opportunity to review her fabulous teas, it was such a treat! And thanks to Language of the Leaf for making the days leading into winter so much more enjoyable.

Rooibos is my new favourite herbal alternative to tea. At first I was thrown off by its flavour, as it has more of a citrus-like taste than tea itself, but now I absolutely love it. Rooibos (roy-boss), which comes from the African Red Bush, is rich in antioxidants, has low levels of tannin, has flavonoids, along with various minerals: copper, iron and potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese, alpha- hydroxyl and magnesium. – Just to name a few. Helping alleviate the symptoms of allergies, digestive disorders, dermatological ailments, nervous tension along with its caffeine free properties make rooibos an amazing choice for health conscious individuals, and those just look for a delicious cup of tisane!

Rooibos can be found in many different flavoured varieties – from a wonderful apple flavoured, which I just picked up from Teaopia tonight (Apple Strudel Rooibos – SO GOOD!), to many chocolate Rooibos blends.

Give it a shot and try something that’s deliciously healthy!

by William I. Lengeman III

As the popularity of tea and tisanes has continued to increase in recent years, there has also been more interest in rooibos, an herbal beverage grown exclusively in South Africa.

Though it’s produced from a different plant altogether, honeybush is another herbal product that’s only grown in South Africa. Honeybush is used to make an herbal beverage that’s similar to rooibos in appearance, aroma and flavor. By some accounts, honeybush derives its name from the fragrance of its flowers, while others suggest that the name is a tribute to the beverage’s sweet flavor.

Honeybush is grown primarily in the southwestern regions of South Africa. There are more than 20 species of honeybush, but only a few are used to make tea. When we consider that great tea-loving nations such as the Dutch and British had a presence in South Africa, it’s not really surprising that they took an interest in honeybush. The plant turns up in botanical texts as early as 1705 and is mentioned as a tea substitute as far back as 1898.

According to some accounts, commercial production of honeybush commenced in the early years of the twentieth century, with the product eventually being sold throughout South Africa and in markets abroad. In the last decade or so, growth of this still modest industry has been considerable. The honeybush harvest is traditionally collected from wild plants, but the rapid growth of the industry has prompted experiments with cultivating the plant.

Studies on the potential health benefits of honeybush have lagged behind that of its more popular cousin – rooibos – and, of course, behind real tea. However, it’s been mentioned as being beneficial for coughs, respiratory ailments, menopause and diabetes. One South African study looked at the possible antimutagenic and cancer-modulating properties of both honeybush and rooibos.

For more information on honeybush, refer to the Institute for Traditional Medicine or to the Web site for the Honeybush Research Programme being conducted by South Africa’s Agricultural Research Council.

Check out William’s blog, Tea Guy Speaks, for more great articles!

“What is the best tea for me to drink?” and then, “What is your favorite tea?”

These are two questions I am asked often when sampling tea at market or Selby Gardens. I find it extremely fascinating to explore and chat about the different taste and enjoyment experience people have when drinking a cuppa. Some thoughts to share on this often complex pastime of drinking tea.

My usual answer to the first question, “What is the best tea for me to drink?” is quite simple, the tea that you like the best!

For me, Green Tea is simply the best tea because of the powerful health benefits associated with drinking green tea. The truth of the matter is that if you really don’t like green tea, the chances are that you will not drink sufficient quantity of green tea to achieve the promised healthy enhancements.

If you prefer a Rooibos tea, then you should drink it because you are certain to drink much more of it. And you will benefit from the high anti-oxidant levels and the unique combination of vitamins and minerals found in Aspalathus linearis. You may prefer a combination of botanical tea and herbals or indeed all herbals. Each tea offers unique health benefits as well as unique flavors, and only you can decide the one you like the best.

Now the second question, my favorite tea, has become quite complicated. I have many favorites and drink different teas at different times of the day.

I describe myself as an Orthodox tea lover and almost exclusively drink loose leaf tea. I just love the taste of Camellia sinensis in all its wonderful forms and natural flavors. I do not need the addition of fruits, flowers or added flavors in order to make tea more palatable or enjoyable because, to me, they mask the true flavor. And I want to taste the true flavor of loose leaf tea. Why only loose leaf tea? See Think Out of the Bag.

That does not mean that I will not drink or appreciate a finely blended tea with quality ingredients such as our Black Rose or Earl Grey (thanks for snapping the fab pix, Alexis Z) which are both perfect for afternoon tea. Also, see my post on Early Grey, Are you Spellbound?

I am now much more sensitive to caffeine and find I must stop drinking true tea around 5.30pm otherwise find myself enjoying my tea all night long!

This has meant a shift to herbals for that time frame. Like Rooibos, Naturally caffeine free Organic Honeybush fits that niche perfectly for me because of soothing and calming qualities.

Since I have been sampling tea to so many tea lovers each week I have come to realize that no two people are alike, regarding their taste in tea. Selby Select is by far our best selling tea and people absolutely love it. Though some people do not care for the flavor of this amazing Rooibos, no matter how high the praise.

MY POINT IS? There is a favorite tea out there for everybody. There is no good excuse for not drinking tea. As I have said before, find what you like and drink lots of it.

Cheers,
the Tea Lady

Today was a fantastic day.  I woke up early, fully expecting torrential downpours and general gloominess (a forecast of “100% chance of rain” will steer my thoughts in that direction), but it wasn’t raining at all, it was blustery and humid and the exact type of weather I love.  I got up, pulled myself together and walked down to the river.  Haven’t been there in over a month.  It was a gorgeous morning, followed by a little bit of work, a lot of writing and a whole lot of reading.  Good food throughout.  It was a fantastic day.

Breakfast:  lemon water; carrot raisin bread french toast; sausage; watercress; grapefruit; traditional medicinals chai. Soak, cook, peel grapefruit:  20 minutes.  I don’t mind telling you yet again that Manna Carrot Raisin Bread, soaked in egg and almond milk with vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg to make french toast is sublime.

Lunch:  nettle tea; rooibos tea; white bean and kale soup with pomegranate seeds; cornbread and butter; baby carrots; water. Stir, toast, mine for pomegranate seeds, add extra kale:  10 minutes.  The rain was just starting as I ate lunch on the stoop.  The promised torrential downpours would ensue.

Dinner:  field greens with caramelized onion, pomegranate and pecans; orata with fennel, olives and orange; bread and butter; sparkling water.  Got taken to Majestic by a very tall, thoughtful man who said he wanted some nutrition tips, but I think it was partly a date, too. 

Dessert:  coconut cake; decaf.  We’ve been over this.  If I’m going to Majestic, you can be sure I’m having coconut cake.  I couldn’t finish it – that’s twice now.  I’ve lost my edge somehow, and I think this is a very good thing.  Bonus, leftover coconut cake is now in my freezer.  Two servings worth.

When you hear the term “male cheerleader”, do you think “that guys is genius” or “that guy is gay”? Either way, that guy is spending a lot of time with good looking girls, and very little competition. Similarly, knowing about tea has afforded me a lot of opportunities to share my experiences with good looking girls. In this episode, I’ll give guys three easy ways to act like you know about tea, so you too can use it to your advantage. Guys, thank me later. Cheers.

If you’re having trouble viewing this video, check it out on my Vimeo page.

I baked this for t leaf T’s July 2009 tea parties, along with Choco Chilli Fudge. The recipe is from here and the only changes I made is converting the measurements where needed. I used Red Vanilla Raspberry flavoured rooibos in this cake, but it would be fun to experiment with other kinds.

Ingredients
1/4 cup finely ground Red Vanilla Raspberry Rooibos Tisane
1 1/4 cups hot water
2 1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup honey
120 grams butter, melted
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, left to stand for 10 minutes)

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the rooibos in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Stir well and allow to steep for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. To the steeped rooibos, add the honey, the butter, and the eggs. Beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Beat in half of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk. Repeat, using the remainder of flour mixture and milk. Beat for 2 minutes more to aerate.
Pour into a greased and floured 22 cm cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top springs back when pressed. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out of pan to finish cooling. Serve with whipped cream.

Upon my recent stay in Clanwilliam, South Africa, I was introduced to the healing power of Rooibos. I have been a fan of Rooibos for a long time now. It all started when I first visited South Africa in 2005. The preference never went away, even more it gained in interest. Yet, I wasn’t aware of the healing power of Rooibos.

Rooibos tea is a true South African product. It originates from the Cedarberg Mountains, Western Cape. “Did you know Rooibos is theoretically not even a tea?” That’s because it’s made of an entirely different plant than normal teas. Rooibos tea derives its name from Red Bush, which directly points out to the color. RED. Due to the African sun, minerals and the mountain air, it doesn’t turn green. Instead it’s red.

The healing power of Rooibos should not be underestimated. It relieves asthma, hay fever, stomach cramping, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, boost the immune system, cure insomnia and help colicky infants.

Tonic plants have multiple functions in the human body and act in the healthy individual by maintaining and supporting general physical and mental health. Several formal studies proof the healing power of tonic plants, of which Rooibos is one. Here’s an overview of some tonic plants and their power:

• Buchu: stimulate kidney function to treat mild cystitis and prosatititis. In small doses buchu is  an appetite stimulant and is a good digestive, carminative and antispasmodic. Also used to treat colds, flu, coughs, rheumatism and gout.
• Kankerbos: Anti-viral and anti-cancer. Used to treat cystitis, piles, inflammation rheumatism, liver problems, backaches and HIV/AIDS. Boosts immune system.
• Rooibos: Antispasmodic and anti-ageing flavonoids. Rooibos tea reduces heart diseases.
• Sandolien: Decoction of leaves for fever, arthritis influenza and even measles.
• Bloublomsalie: Infusions used for flu, bronchitis, abdominal cramps and indigestion.
• Kattekruid: Leaves steeped in hot water for 10 minutes and taken as a tea. Treatment of haemorrhoids. With salvias used to treat measles and fever. Infusions or brandy tinctures for colds, flu, bronchitis, asthma, heart trouble, insomnia, liver problems, typhoid fever, headaches and foot bath for arthritis. Antispasmodic and sedative effects.
• Siektroos: Infusions of tuberous rootstock for vernereal diseases, decoctions for epilepsy and bladder problems. Resinous gum used to treat ringworm. Piece of raw tap rootis chewed and juice is swallowed to treat coughproductive of purulent spotum and tuberculosis.
• Wildeals: Infusion of leaves used for coughs, flu, colds, also fever,colic, headache, earache, malaria, intestinal worms etc. Decongestant and anti-bacterial, narcotic, analgesic and antihistamine activity.

All these plant have their roots in the Cedarberg Mountain region, Western Cape, South Africa.

This has been used a few times for t leaf T tea parties, last in November 2008, along with Rooibos Cranberry Scones. One of the few items made for these evenings that I didn’t have a hand in creating the recipe for.

For truly decadent truffles, use Jasmine Dragon Pearls in place of the High Grade Jasmine; the jasmine flavour comes through the chocolate just a little bit more.

Method
Makes about 5 dozen truffles

Melt chocolate by placing in microwavable dish. Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes or until almost melted, stirring after each minute. Remove from microwave. Stir until completely melted.
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Add melted chocolate, 1 tablespoon of the ground jasmine tea and infused jasmine tea, mix well. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in a combination of cocoa mixed with the leftover ground Jasmine. Store in refrigerator.

Another ideal weekend day.  There is something to be said for this whole weekend concept – a break, a respite, a chance to renew.  I’m a big advocate.  I highly recommend you treat yourself to two days off in a row.  Today started with sleeping in.  I can’t remember the last time I slept in past 6am.  This morning found me lying abed at 9am.  Decadent.

Breakfast:  lemon water; oats; pears, cinnamon, almond milk, almonds, mache; chai.

un-lunch (not pictured):   My plan for lunch today was to graze the Green Festival.  It’s one of my favorite annual opportunities to gather free samples of chemical-free body products and tasty treats.  There were woefully fewer food samples compared to past years.  Loved the 3404 Phinney Chocolate Bar with bits of toasted buttered bread right in it.  I ate several versions of Cliff bars, tried many edible manifestations of hemp and enjoyed quite a bit of tea, but far and away the best offering was from Airlie Center: their chef did a lovely butternut squash with balsamic glaze and microgreens.  So very nice.  And I love the Green Festival for the people watching:  I ran into and got to chat with Robert Egger, Sharon Greenspan, and plenty of friends and colleagues.

Snack:  fro-yo with blackberries, honey and caramel.  It was the most gorgeous day on record, so the walk from the convention center down to TangySweet  was nothing but enjoyable.  Sitting on the steps of the Portrait Gallery, people watching, listening to the “most played” on my iPod and savoring the flavors as they melted and melded was perfectly indulgent.

Snack:  tension tamer tea (not pictured).  Spent a priceless hour chatting with my ex-husband.  So very nice to catch up, to re-connect with a dear friend and be truly grateful for the individual and joint commitment we made two years ago to go our separate ways and not let it get ugly.  We were married for seven years, it’s comforting to know we’re still simpatico.

Dinner:  pork chop; pumpkin chutney; cornbread with butter; kale and green beans; water.  Grill and heat:  15 minutes.  I did the chop on the George Foreman.  The kale and beans are from Graceland Farms, I got so much from them this summer that I’ve got quite a bit in the freezer, ready to use throughout the fall.  The chutney and cornbread were from the freezer, too.

Dessert:  apple pie, vanilla Haagen Dazs; decaf.  Amy’s  makes a nice little apple pie, just heat and eat and I’ve got leftovers for another night.

It seems that cooler days and more rain have come to visit my part of the country this fall.

What are my fall picks for you to snap up?

Winter’s Eve - black tea with pistachio, almonds, cloves, cinnamon, oranges and essence.

Carrot Cake -black tea, carrots, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla and calendula.

Pralines and Cream – black tea, pecan bits, dried milk, and the taste of rich cream

Autumn Moon Pumpkin – rooibos, honeydew melon, apple pieces, nettle, sunflower petals

Welcome to The Tea Blog: the blog for tea lovers, by tea lovers. My name is Ben Fryxell, and I will be your tea enthusiast/writer for this blog. We will discuss teas from all kinds of different sources, and talk about brewing tea, and tons of great other things. Enjoy, and don’t forget to tell your friends!