“Earl Grey chocolate tea” by Gilles Brochard

“Earl Grey chocolate tea”

“The Tea Box” by Gilles Brochard

1        cup whole milk

1        cup heavy cream

2        tablespoons brown sugar

1        vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved

¼       star anise

½       cinnamon stick

1-1/2  teaspoon Earl Grey tea

4         ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate

Combine milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla bean with seeds, star anise and cinnamon.  Bring almost to boil, then remove from heat.

Steep the tea in this mixture for 10 minutes.   Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler.

Pour the tea brew into the chocolate, whisking until smooth, Strain.

 

Serve hot.

Recipe – “Blackberry Iced Tea”

“Blackberry Iced Tea”

Victoria – “The Pleasures of Tea by Kim Waller & Nancy Lindemeyer

1/2 to 1 ounce pesticide-free marigold flowers

4 cups hot black tea, such as orange pekoe or Darjeeling

1 cup blackberries

Honey, to taste

1. Remove the petals from the flowers.

2. Place 3 to 4 petals in each compartment of an ice-cube tray. Fill the compartments halfway with water and freeze for at least 2 hours. Fill each compartment to the top with water and freeze until solid.

3. In a medium-size bowl, combine the hot tea with the blackberries. Set aside to steep for 1 hour.

4. With the back of a wooden spoon, crush the berries against the side of the bowl. Pour the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a pitcher, pressing on the solids with the back of the spoon to extract all the liquid; discard the solids. Add honey to taste and chill for a least 2 hours.

5. Serve in a tall glasses with the marigold ice cubes.

Makes about 4 servings.

www.lavendarcove.weebly.com

***Inspired music by “Oleta Adams” – “We Can’t Stay Here” (“Let’s Stay Here – Album)

Recipe – “Greenberry Tea” & Muffins

 

“Greenberry Tea”

“Drink to your health” by Anita Hirsch

  

1   cup boiling water

1   teaspoon green tea leaves or 1 bag green tea

1 – 2 teaspoons dried blackberry, blueberry, or raspberry leaves

1 – 2 teaspoons fruit syrup (Optional)

  

** Pour boiling water over the leaves or tea bag and steep for 3 minutes to 5 minutes.  Strain.  Serve.  One or two teaspoons of fruit syrup can be added for sweetening and flavor if desired.

  

1 serving (1 cup)

 

———————————–

 

Fruit Muffins

 

2        cups all purpose flour

1        tsp. Baking powder

1        tsp. Baking soda

1        tsp. Salt

 

1/2     cup butter or margarine

1/2     cup granulated sugar

1         egg

1         cup milk

3/4      cup fruit cocktail

 

In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  Make a well in the center.

 

Using a smaller bowl, cream butter, sugar and egg together well.   Mix in milk and fruit.   Pour into well. Stir just to moisten.  Batter will be lumpy.  Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake in 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  Leave in pan 5 minutes, remove.  Serve warm.   Makes 16.

“Iced tea of the mists” by Gilles Brochard

“Iced tea of the mists”

“The Tea Box” by Gilles Brochard

 

2    cups water

3    tablespoons Darjeeling tea leaves

4    blanched almonds

4    teaspoons amaretto

 

Heat the water to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.  Put the tea leaves into a teapot and pour the hot water over them.   Steep for 4 to 5 minutes, then strain them out.

Cool the tea for 20 minutes in the uncovered teapot.

Serve in large glasses with ice cubes.  Place almonds on top.  Add 1 teaspoon of amaretto per glass.

The tea can also be steeped in cold water overnight using double the quantity of tea leaves.  Always keep the lid on during steeping.

Recipe – “Chocolate tart with Russian-style Baikal tea”

“Chocolate tart with Russian-style Baikal tea”

“The Tea Box” by Gilles Brochard

 

7            ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate, melted

2/3        cup heavy cream

2            cups low-fat milk

1-1/2     teaspoon Russian-style Baikal tea

9-inch    baked pie shell

Crushed pistachios

 

*    Preheat oven to 300 d. Fahrenheit.  Combine the cream and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

*    Bring 3/4 cup water almost to a boil.   Add the tea and steep 6 minutes to get a strong infusion.

*    Add the tea infusion to the milk and cream.   Then add the melted chocolate and whisk until smooth.

*    Pour into pie shell and bake 20 minutes.

*    Let the tart cool 30 minutes.  If the filling is runny, refrigerate the tart for 20 minutes.  Before serving, garnish top with crushed pistachios.

 

8     servings.

Recipe – “Blackberry Iced Tea”

“Blackberry Iced Tea”

Victoria – “The Pleasures of Tea by Kim Waller & Nancy Lindemeyer

 

1/2    to 1 ounce pesticide-free marigold flowers

4        cups hot black tea, such as orange pekoe or Darjeeling

1        cup blackberries

          Honey, to taste

 

1.    Remove the petals from the flowers.

2.    Place 3 to 4 petals in each compartment  of an ice-cube tray.   Fill the compartments halfway with water and freeze for at least 2 hours.  Fill each compartment to the top with water and freeze until solid.

3.    In a medium-size bowl, combine the hot tea with the blackberries.  Set aside to steep for 1 hour.

4.    With the back of a wooden spoon, crush the berries against the side of the bowl.  Pour the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a pitcher, pressing on the solids with the back of the spoon to extract all the liquid; discard the solids.  Add honey to taste and chill for a least 2 hours.

5.    Serve in a tall glasses with the marigold ice cubes.

 

Makes abut 4 servings.

 

www.lavendarcove.ca

***Inspired music by “Oleta Adams” – “We Can’t Stay Here” (“Let’s Stay Here – Album)

Recipe – “Fit-to-Be-Thai Iced Tea”

 “FIT-TO-BE-THAI ICED TEA”

“The Little Black Book of Tea” by Mike  Heneberry

 Pinch of crushed star anise

1          drop red food coloring

2          Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

Crushed ice

2          cups strong brewed black tea, chilled

*Stir anise and food coloring into condensed milk and pour into 2 tall glasses.  Fill glasses with crushed ice; then cover with tea.  Stir once or twice-just enough for the milk to start to rise up into the tea.

– Makes 2 tall glasses

“Iced tea of the mists” by Gilles Brochard

“Iced tea of the mists”

“The Tea Box” by Gilles Brochard

 

2    cups water

3    tablespoons Darjeeling tea leaves

4    blanched almonds

4    teaspoons amaretto

 

Heat the water to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.  Put the tea leaves into a teapot and pour the hot water over them.   Steep for 4 to 5 minutes, then strain them out.

Cool the tea for 20 minutes in the uncovered teapot.

Serve in large glasses with ice cubes.  Place almonds on top.  Add 1 teaspoon of amaretto per glass.

The tea can also be steeped in cold water overnight using double the quantity of tea leaves.  Always keep the lid on during steeping.

“Earl Grey chocolate tea” by Gilles Brochard

“Earl Grey chocolate tea”

“The Tea Box” by Gilles Brochard

1        cup whole milk

1        cup heavy cream

2        tablespoons brown sugar

1        vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved

¼       star anise

½       cinnamon stick

1-1/2  teaspoon Earl Grey tea

4         ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate

Combine milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla bean with seeds, star anise and cinnamon.  Bring almost to boil, then remove from heat.

Steep the tea in this mixture for 10 minutes.   Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler.

Pour the tea brew into the chocolate, whisking until smooth, Strain.

 

Serve hot.

“Lemon, ginger, and valerian tea”

“Lemon, ginger, and valerian tea”

Herbal Teas by Richard Craze

1       teaspoon dried valerian

1       teaspoon freshly grated, peeled ginger root

2-1/2  cups freshly boiled water

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 – 3   teaspoons clear honey

** Put the valerian and ginger in a tea pot or your chosen container for making herbal teas.  Pour over the water and leave to brew for 3 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and honey.  Pour through a tea strainer.