Tea And Everything

 It's still steamy, hot weather.There's nothing like a tall glass of iced tea.It's great on it's own but it can be amped up with extras, from other cooling drinks to fruit. 

How to make a perfect pitcher of iced tea.it tarts with your favorite black tea.YOu can use herbal or green if you prefer but the best tasting really is black tea.Your best they is Earl Grey because the flavor has fruity under tones that work well chilled. Brew about five to six bags for a really strong drink. You can then let it cool add the tea and cold water. After that just add ice if you want an unsweetened kind.As for the sweetened variety , use simple syrup as opposed to just dumping sugar in .Simple syrup is easy.It's just cooking one cup of granulated sugar with one cup water. Bring to a boil and constantly stir until the sugar is dissolved. It keeps for one to two months and can be used for sweetening lemonade, cocktails and mocktails. What about stevia? You can use it if you are diabetic or want to lose weight. People in South Asia grown the plant in their yards and use the fresh leaves to sweeten tea.

A refreshing drink for any hot day is an Arnold Palmer, named for the famed golfer.It's three parts ,lemonade to one part iced tea but a tastier  version is half tea with half lemonade along with a glass filled with ice cubes. It started in a country club in Southern California when a lady saw Palmer sipping the drink at a country club restaurant. She wanted "that Arnold Palmer drink".It 's also called a Half and Half too. Another delicious ice tea variation is strawberry iced tea.This has either strawberry syrup or pureed berries in it. The recipe is similar to simple syrup but add two cups of pureed strawberries to it. Blueberry tea is another tasty drink. Just add bought blueberry syrup and add to taste. You could also float pineapple chunks in the iced tea too if you so desire.Pear and apple slices can be added to a pitcher for a different , fruitier take.If you want a different , kickier iced tea. splash in some rum. This is a fun cocktails for those warm summer night parties.

Nothing beats a glass of iced tea. Try it just plain or with add ins.It a refreshing sip on these still hot days,.

Celebrating Coleridge.

 Today  is Samuel Taylor Coleridge's birthday.Unfortunatelt there's no cream tea and freshly baked scones to celebrate.As much as he probably loved them- he would have loved this brownie 

 cake, two lucious layers of browning with a fudge butter cream icing. A slice of this and a good cup of Earl Grey is the perfect birthday dessert.

Happy birthday to all those writers and poets out there! May your special day be as weet as this came

Sweet Treats For Your Sweetie

 What can end a perfect home cooked Valentine's Day meal? A perfect homemade Valentine's Day dessert. Carry on that special meal vibe with something sweet , rich and decadent. It's the perfect end for  an at home candleight dinner for two.

Yossi Arefi, cookbook author and creator of the popular blog Apt 2B Baking Co. gave recipes for three mouth watering desserts in yesterday's New York Times Food section. There are peanut butter hot fudge sundaes , a chocolate souffle cake and a chocolate Earl Grey creme brulee. They're perfect  endings for whatever you plan for your romantic dinner. The sundaes can finish a homemade pizza or spaghetti and meatballs dinner. The sauce is a silky mix of Dutch process cocoa powder, brown sugar, heavy cream and chopped bitter sweet chocolate. DO NOT use chcoclate chips because they have stabilizers that will make the sauce grainy. Half a cup of creamy peanut butter is added along with the chocolate when the cream mixture has simmered . As for assembling the sundae. Ms. Arefi suggests using a clear glass dish or even a drinking glass to show off the layers of hot fudge, ice cream and whipped cream. The fudge should go in first and then the ice cream. Don't use one that will overpower the fudge's flavor. Chocolate or vanilla will work fine. Layer on whipped cream sprinkles and of course top with a cherry.

End a more sophisicated meal with either the chocolate souffle cake or the chocolate Earl Grey creme brulee. Keep in mind these also make for lovely enders for a Saturday night in or a Sunday lunch. The chocolate souffle cake has bittersweet chocolate and espresso in it. Again don;t use chocolate chips but chopped dark chocolate for a smoother, silkier texture.Dark rum is added too. This is a flourless cake, but rich with butter and eggs. The butter and chocolate are melted together in a bain marie or double boiler first. The  four egg yolks and one whole egg. are also added to thisThe whites are added in later. It's then pured into a buttered pan and baked at 350 degrees Farenheit for about twenty-five to thirty minutes. Cocoa powder is dusted over the cooled cake. For a somewhat easier teaat. think the creme brule. Whole cream is simmered and then Earl Grey tea bags are added to this . Granualted sugar is also added along with chopped dark chocolate  As this simmers, whisk  three large egg yolks. Slowly stream in the chocolate mixture until thoroughly blended. Pur this into buttered ramekins. Then place the ramekins into a pan halfway filled with boiling water. Cook for half an hour in a 300 degree Farenheit oven. Let cool. When they're ready to serve sprinkle on a thin layer of sugar and lightly  torch with a kitchen blow torch.Serve immediately.

These are perfect desserts for a romantic night in. They're decadent and rich in chocolate and flavor. Make them for that special someone.

Fancy Up Your Bake Sale

The new school year is here and with it the promise of bake sales. Sadly it'll be the same old products - cupcakes with blobs of store bought icing. Slice and bake cookies. Maybe a batch of scratch chocolate chip cookies. Perhaps it's time to fancy it up. Make elegant but easy treats that will be absolute hits and bring in more money for your cause.

Add a bit of France to your bake  sale with a  variation  of Gateau breton .This is a buttery tart made with buckwheat with the filling of  dried prunes and apricots. Melissa Clark made this , and gave the recipe in her A Good Appetite column in Wednesday's New York Times Food section.It is a tad labor intensive , because the prunes and apricots have to be cooked in rum before spreading on the dough. Still' it's about the same amount of work as a scratch cake.Also if the prunes and apricots are not to your liking, then try a hazelnut filling. If hazelnuts are hard to find, then try pecans.Another crowd pleaser is the French yogurt cake, This scratch cake looks and has the same dense crumb as a pound cake. It's zinged up with Greek yogurt and finely grated lemon zest. It can be sold in slices or make four or five loaves and sell them.Of course macarons are still hot and will definitely be a big draw to any bake sale.It's a flourless recipe made with a combination of almond meal and confectioner's sugar. One popular combination is a vanilla macaron with a chocolate ganache filling.

Italian treats are another idea. Biscotti is a well known favorite (and a chance to serve cappuccino) and relatively easy to make. It's a twice baked cookie with a simple flour and butter based dough. What is great about them is that the recipe can be varied.Add a cup and a half of cocoa powder for chocolate biscotti. Also nuts can be used to vary the flavors. To give them more oomph, dip the ends in a variety of chocolate  white, milk and dark . Crostoli, those deep fried ribbons of dough will definitely be best sellers at any bake sale. They are deep fried  dough, flavored with vanilla and lemon juice. You could sub in freshly squeezed orange juice to vary it. Most recipes usually call for them to be fried in peanut oil, however due to the large number of peanut allergies, use vegetable oil instead. As far as what to drink with these gourmet goodies,think cappuccino and espresso (although have regular coffee and tea for customers), Also have a variety of teas, from Earl Grey to peppermint and jasmine. If someone has  a Keurag machine and  there's an outlet, then use it to offer a wider variety of beverages.

Zing up your bake sale with fancier cakes and cookies. They'll not only be top sellers but will bring in much more cash than a regular bake sale. Make it fancy - and you'll reap the rewards.

A Perfect Coleridge Tea

Today is Samuel Taylor Coleridge's birthday and just like any Englishman of his time (and of today) he appreciated a good tea.He was born and raised in Devon , England ,a shire known for its' dairy and jams.    It was good then and now is amazing, true British locavore treats and dishes that can sustain anyone, be it poet or just foodie.

Devonshire is known for one of England's greatest contributions to high tea, clotted cream. Originally , introduced to ancient Britannia by the Phoenicians trading with the locals around what's now present day Torquay this variation of yogurt is essentially a thick cream steamed and then left in pans toook slowly.it separates during this and the top is full of clouts or clots. Devon locals have it smeared on scones , with a dollop of jam to add to the decadence.Of course teas also have fairy cakes or cupcakes as well as shortbread cookies and miniature tarts.

Coleridge probably would have preferred his county's scrumpy, the tangy   apple cider and a pasty, however  he also would have appreciated  savory.sandwiches too.These usually involve some form of seafood, usually a shrimp paste or baby prawns with mayonaisse on thin slices of white bread.A curry chicken salad is also served,  on raisin bread but it could also be spread on plain scones,As far as teas, most serve the mild but flavorful Earl Grey as well as the exotic Darjeeling and Assam teas -a nod to Britain's colonial past;

Samuel Taylor Coleridge probably had enjoyed many a traditional Devon cream tea.He would feel right at home, today on his birthday, savoring a modern one. The recipes haven;t changed in two hundred years. They are still delicious now as they were then

Downton Dining

The PBS smash "Downton Abbey " has fans and foodies desiring true English fare. Anglophiles and those who just love a good soap opera are even creating Sunday night parties revolving around British country fare and high teas. Fine china along with toad in the hole, clotted cream and scones are being nibbled as the second season of this fascinating drama unfolds.


The manor is divided into two sections ,upstairs and down. If you identitfy with Lord and Lady Grantham, the manor's owners then you may want to think about a lovely tea . Even though the show is sown at 9 PM in most areas you can still serve an elegant tea (which is usually served at 4 PM). Small finger sandiwches are a must. These can have a variety of fillings such as the traditional cucumber and watercress to chicken salad. You can also make pastes using devilled chicken or ham mixed with mayonnaise . Scones are another tea favorite. If you can't buy them, then make your own. They are easy to whip up and bake and you can make different flavors to suit your guests' tastes. Remember that since this is an English tea have good strong British kinds. Early Grey and Lady Grey are strong and flavorful.Typhoo tea is another favorite. This is a British import and can be hard to come by.

The downstairs group ate pretty well too. The story takes place in Yorkshire where there is plenty of beef and cheese. Yorkshire pudding is the county's most famous dish and it's easy to make.It is basically a buttery popover that is eaten with roast beef and gravy.The batter is a mix of milk, eggs and flour along with the addition of the roast's drippings to give it flavor.Rhubarb is also popular  there and is found in several desserts. Since it's really not the season you can serve thich oat bread toast or Parkin laden with butter and rhubarb strawberry preserves. There are also pikelets, a flat crumpets that are split open and then toasted. They  can be served with another Yorkshire specialty, Wensleydale cheese. This last is a variation of blue cheese .If you have neither, then think English muffins seved warm with crunbled blue cheese on top.

Downton Abbey has captured America's hearts and palates. Whoever you like best, the complicated aristocracy  or the loveswept staff, enjoy their foods. Have tea or somehting heartier for more of a taste of England!

Hurricane Essentials

Right now almost the entire East Coast is either experiencing or waiting for Hurricane Earl. Like any foodie I'm worried what's going to happen when he hits. It means stocking up(done) and cleaning out the fridge in case the electricity goes out (not done). Will you be ready for any kind of late summer weather problem.

You should always be ready for evacuation if you live in the hurricane zones,That means taking some kind of food with you. Try stocking up on crackers, peanut butter, juice boxes, water and boxed cereal. If you have babies make sure their food is also packed, preferably in a cooler. Ditto fo r the animals. Try to be prepared when you have to leave. The last thing you want to do is head into a mobbed grocery store only to find empty shelves.

If you decide to ride out the storm at home , then take into consideration your gas and electric may not be working. Have extra and dry charcoal around for grilling . Try not to have to many foodstuffs like milk,eggs and meat that will quickly spoil. If the fridge goes out eat these first. Sodas and condiments will be the last to spoil. Also have extra stuff you need like cereal and bread around in case your local market gets flooded or damaged.

Hurricane season is not pleasant. Be prepared to face the worst with a full stomach and an empty fridge.

Teavana - Tea Heaven

There is a great store at my local mall called Teavana. They sell every kind of tea imaginable along with some very beautiful tea sets. This is also a great place to buy unusual teas and even sample them. Teavana also sells cups of cold and hot tea for those who like to have some while they window shop. (or good for breakfast which is whatI have it for when i have an early morning appointment at the mall's hair salon).

Teavana has an entire cornucopia of white, green, black and red tea. If you want to channel your inner Precious Ramotswe, the lead character from The First Ladies Detective Agency, then order some of the African bush or red tea. This is a strong , tasty brew that goes well hot or cold. There are plenty of green black and white teas too. This is also the perfect store for chai lovers. You can find so many different blends here. Prices aren't that bad and two ounce s of any tea will yield about forty cups.

The store also has beautiful tea cups and tea sets along with sweeteners, books and tapes. If you're looking for the perfect housewarming or even shower gift stop here. There is also a good array of expensive tea makers along with regular tea makers just under twenty dollars. Another plus is that the staff is helpful and can answer all your questions whether about the teas or the items.

Teavana is a great place to discover teas. You can stick with Earl Gray or go with a new flavor. This is a store every foodie should go and visit.