Welcome October

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autumn, Fall, food, nature, tea, tea addict, tea cups, tea lover, tea photography, tea quotes, tea time, teacup

Pale amber sunlight falls across
The reddening October trees,
That hardly sway before a breeze
As soft as summer: summer’s loss
Seems little, dear! on days like these.

Autumnal by Ernest Dowson

Cheers

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monarchy, photography, tea, tea addict, tea cups, tea lover, tea photography, tea time

Cheers to a great Lady on her final journey, Queen Elizabeth II.

Coronation Tea Cup

God save the King!

Fairy Tea

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‘T was very, very long ago, in days no longer snug
When giant stood about so high and pixies all were young
The Queen of Fairies said one day, ‘I’m tired of honey-dew,
So hasten now, and mix for me a cup of something new’.

‘It must lift the drooping spirit, it must heal the wounded heart;
It must bring the smile of happiness, and bid the tear depart;
It must make the young grow younger, and the old no longer old;
It must make the poor contented, and the rich forget their gold’.
…

…
When it boiled, they cooled and poured it, so the ancient story goes;
And to the Queen they brought it in the chalice of a rose.
She sipped, delighted; then she cried: ‘I issue this decree;
The cup you have so deftly brewed, I christen “Fairy Tea”!’.

So when you see the fairy folk “at home” in Dingle Dell,
All sipping something dainty from their cups of heather-bell,
You will notice they are happy, as good as fairies ought to be,
And that’s because they always use their famous Fairy Tea.

Fairy Tea by D.K.S., Old Wives Tales, St. Nicholas: an illustrated Magazine for Young Folks, Volume 40, 1914

Happy Labour Day!

CMMC: White

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#whatsinmycup, food, Photo Challenge, tea, tea addict, tea cups, tea lover, tea photography, tea time, teacup

You may have noticed that I use a white tea cup in a lot of my tea photographs. It’s because my “good china” is all white. We thought it was the best way to never get sick of our good dishes or see them become dated. They work in every season. We’ve been married 26 years and I’m still in love with them.

This is my post for Cee Neuner’s Mid-Week Madness Photo Challenge: White

What’s In My Cup: Ginger Peach

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Peaches are coming into season soon, and I love the sweetness, tartness…and juiciness of a fresh, sun-ripened peach. Peach pairs well with ginger, so this morning as I prepared to put the finishing touches on my Dad’s wood-working project for my kitchen, I poured myself a cup of President’s Choice Ginger Peach tea.

Don’t let the brand fool you. Not all less expensive teas are “ less than”. This little sachet was flavourful – sweet and a little spicy (like yours truly)! The colour is an inviting rosy shade and the fragrance made my mouth water. The ginger was tempered so it provided heat without overwhelming the palate. True, it has a slight acidic and artificial flavour to it, but most peach teas do, and this was not obnoxiously so.

Peach is one of those fruits that don’t dehydrate well and the leaves aren’t peach flavoured. This tea is an herbal infusion, so no caffeine. It’s comprised of apple, blackberry leaves, citric acid, ginger root, hibiscus petals, rose hips, roasted chicory root, and natural flavours. It is definitely higher on the list of other peach teas I’ve tried, and like many others, I think it would make a fantastic iced tea for hot summer afternoons.

Especially with a good book or after a nap!

Summer afternoon- Summer afternoon. To me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.

Henry James

What’s In My Cup: Pistachio Ice Cream

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So, the heat advisors continue, which means a lot of people have been hanging out indoors to beat the heat, and they’re starting to get squirrely. I’m not quite one of those people…I prefer to stay in to avoid people, but I’m quite a nut, so this morning’s tea was David’s Pistachio Ice Cream.

I actually bought this awhile ago, tried it…and discovered: I’m don’t really like pistachios. I remember eating it as a kid…this bright green creamy dome on top of my cone…and I don’t remember ever saying “no”.

But there you have it!

This tea supports their Ethical Tea Partnership program, and contains a moderate amount of caffeine. It’s comprised of apple, black tea, almonds, pistachios, sweet blackberry leaves, natural cream flavouring and artificial pistachio flavouring. Aside from not being a fan of it’s nuttiness, it is both delicate in colour and flavour. As with any tea or infusions that include nuts, you will notice a slight oiliness on the surface of your beverage, but the texture is not oily. It is…kind of creamy.

David’s retired this tea recently, but has brought it back for another summer round, so if you like pistachios, better get it quick and squirrel it away.

I’m not sure ice-cream is the best way to beat the heat…but it’s worth a shot!

When I see your perfect body, I literally see all is the ice cream you’re not eating.

Unknown

What’s In My Cup: Vanilla Bean Black

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It’s one of my favourite smells in the world: vanilla.

It is one of the most widely used (and most easily recognizable) spice in the world, but it is only grown in 5 countries: Mexico, Madagascar, Tahiti, Indonesia and Uganda. Flowers on the vines of vanilla orchids, which originated in Mexico, are pollinated by hummingbirds or melipona bees. These flowers become pods, which when harvested and cured, become “vanilla beans”. It takes 3 years for the vine to grow, and flowers are only open for 1 day and must be pollinated within this time frame. Flowers can be hand-pollinated. Pods take up to 9 months to mature. They are about 10 cm long, and can contain thousands of black vanilla seeds.

The curing process may vary from region to region, but typically there are 3 steps:

1. Blanching in hot water to stop the maturing process and activate fragrant compounds.

2. Sweating, a months long process of wrapping and storing them in a warm, dark place and drying them in the sun.

3. Conditioning them by packaging them in wax paper and dark boxes for up to 4 weeks.

Just like tea leaves, the different climates, soils, curing methods and species of vanilla affects its flavor profile and characteristics.

Vanilla first made a recorded appearance in cookbooks in the early 1800’s. And thank goodness it did. It’s richly aromatic spice adds so much to desserts…and this morning in my cup in David’s Tea Vanilla Bean Black!

This tea combines the warmth and comfort of vanilla with the robustness of black tea. Other ingredients include coconut rasps, apple, bean peel, white hibiscus blossoms, and stevia extract. It reminds me a lot of Tetley’s Red Vanilla Rooibos, which is caffeine-free and also a very satifying vanilla treat! But unlike Rooibos, it is a rich, dark colour.

Like spending time in a garden, vanilla tea can help reduce stress and anxiety. In fact, Stanford researchers have said the chemical compounds in vanilla tea boost the brain’s production of a relaxant. Just inhaling the scent can relieve stress and anxiety in 90% of people…in less than 3 minutes.

It’s Monday! I’m inhaling…and tasting…and savouring my vanilla tea this morning…with caffeine…in the garden.

What’s in your cup today?

If you look the right way, you can see the whole world is a garden.

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Thanks to The Brilliant Kitchen for info. on vanilla!

Sorry, Hoover…

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Sorry Hoover…unlike last time, the tea cup is empty!

Keep calm and go nuts!

Evening Tea

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food, sunsets, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea photography, tea time

Last night, I enjoyed my first swim of the season. It was very relaxing…once I got my bathing suit on. It was like trying to stuff pork into a sausage casing.

After our swim, warmed up and enrobed in our pajamas, Mom and I settled in for the evening with a cup of Organic Blueberry Jam tea, by David’s Tea.

But it’s also caffeinated. It’s normally recommended that a decaffeinated or herbal tincture be consumed in the evening lest the caffeine disturb your sleep. Caffeine’s kick is highest within 1 hour of consumption and may last from 1 to 6 hours, depending on your tolerance. 

Even so, we defied convention for the sweet taste of blueberries (without added sugar), combined with the robustness of a black tea. This tea from David’s is a blend of organic black tea, organic black currants, organic blueberries, organic elderberries, cornflower petals,and stevia. It’s kosher and Fairtrade.

I sipped slowly. The sun gently slid lower, a shifting acrylic painting in shades of pinks and oranges and purples, until the crimson sphere disappeared in the cornfield. The birds ceased their daytime chatter, and the world was at rest.

Sometimes the night was beautiful, Sometimes the sky was so far away
Sometimes it seemed to stoop so close, You could touch it but your heart would break

Sometimes By Step, Rich Mullins & Beaker
The World As Best As I Remember It Vol. II

What’s In My Cup: Strawberry Kiwi

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food, photography, tea, tea addict, tea cups, tea lover, tea photography, tea review

June has arrived and with it, strawberry season! Luscious, sweet, juicy red berries that pop in your mouth. Even sweeter when plucked by hand and eaten still warm from the sun.

T.Kettle’s Strawberry & Kiwi looseleaf tea smells like fresh strawberries. It is a fruit infusion blend of apple, hibiscus, rosehip, papaya, strawberry leaves, strawberry, kiwi, and red plum petals is caffeine-free and vegan.

I really thought the colours of the looseleaf tea was inviting…soft purples and pinks. The tea itself was a soft and delicate rosy pink, which promised sweetness.

I once described strawberry tea as “elusive as a great summer blockbuster. Both have their are high points, but in the end, they just don’t deliver”. This delivered. Even though it had some of the all-too familiar “fruity punch” flavour found in fruit infusions, it also had sweet and slightly tart notes, and a strong strawberry aftertaste. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about kiwi fruit in tea. It’s a very tart, citrus-y berry from New Zealand, and not loved by everyone, but it was a successful pairing. While I didn’t particuarly taste the kiwi fruit, I still think it provided some sourness which only served to enhance the sweetness of the strawberry.

I think this would be a delight as an iced tea as well. I’m definitely adding this to my summer repertoire!

Strawberries are full of love & happiness.

Anthony T. Hincks