What’s In My Cup: Citrus Burst

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#whatsinmycup, food, photography, summer, tea, tea addict, tea cups, tea lover, tea photography, tea time, what's in my cup

I’m still recovering from the Death Flu (not covid, thank goodness), and it kinda stole my taste for tea. I’m sure it will come back, and it’s not all bad because it has cut my caffeine consumption considerably. I’m replacing it with plain old water, and the occasional cup of orange juice for the vitamin C.

Vitamin C is a natural diuretic, and is known for its cleansing properties. It’s vital to healing and as an antioxidant, protects cells against heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Vitamin C helps your body absorb and store iron, and is a  necessity for the formation of blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in bones.

Citrus Burst, from T.Kettle, may not be high in Vitamin C, but it is lower in caffeine. It contains oolong tea, apple, grapefruit, hibiscus, pineapple, rose petals, papaya, and cornflower petals.

The colour was a bright yellow and the strongest aroma was grapefruit. I found it bright and invigorating, with the tart and slightly bitterness of citrus fruit, and in this particular case, grapefruit! I don’t like teas that taste like soap or perfume, but this had a lovel, light floral note that enhanced the citrus flavours. The second cup I made was steeped for a very long time (I got busy and forgot about it), so it was quite bitter, so maybe don’t do that unless you like your grapefruit strong and sour.

This tea was enjoyable both as hot and an iced tea (and I tried it as an iced tea, not just as the cold tea I left on the counter)! I think it will be quite refreshing in the summer months.

This tea was gifted to me by a sweet friend (actually, her Hubby shopped for it and he has excellent taste in tea…and women)! It reminds me of Tetley’s Citrus Kiss, which was lemon and grapefuit with a green tea base. Both were delicious but I think I prefer the unique pairing of grapefruit and floral with an oolong base because it had more depth to the tea overall. Plus none of the grassy notes that can come through in green tea, or the bitterness from oversteeping green tea.

Spring arrived while I was sleeping, but I’m wide awake now and soaking in the sunshine. At least I did this weekend. It’s raining today. Citrus Burst is definitely going in my summer favs list as my tastebuds turn to all-things fruity and fun! Happy Monday!

I’m gonna soak up the sun
I’m gonna tell everyone to lighten up

Sheryl Crow, Soak Up the Sun

Peanut Butter Bread (1932 vs 2022)

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baking, family, food, humour, peanut butter, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea time

If you can’t control your peanut butter, you can’t control your life.

BIll Watterson

Eldest Son introduced me to the videos (and recipes) of B. Dylan Hollis. He’s a social media star who began his “career” just having a little fun posting humourous, monologue-driven cooking vidoes on Tik-Tok. What made him stand out from all the rest is that:

a) he is not a chef or a cook, but rather a jazz musician

b) he uses only vintage recipes.

On Good Friday, Eldest Son and his girlfriend followed Dylan’s recipe and made peanut butter bread – the 1932 version!

This Great Depression recipe is a simple recipe that doesn’t use any eggs or butter. Butter was a prized staple and needed to prepare dinner, not to be used on something as frivilous as dessert. In the city especially, dairy and fresh produce were extremely coveted. However, peanut butter was often a pantry staple because of its long shelf life. It provided the fat needed in baked goods, as well as flavour.

“I tell you, a door hinge could make this recipe”

B. Dylan Hollis

This peanut butter bread looked like a dense loaf, but it was surprisingly light with a subtle peanut butter flavour. It was delicious warmed with butter and honey and paired with hot tea, for an indulgent bedtime snack.

Dylan also tried a 1945 recipe, which used less milk but more salt, sugar and peanut butter. The cooking time was almost cut in half, but that’s because the temperature was much higher. And instead of mixing it all together, this recipe required hands on work, as in working the peanut butter into the flour mixture with your hands.

A week later, back in my kitchen, Eldest Son and I attemped peanut butter bread using Dylan’s recipe (after all of his failed experiments…6 to be exact). His recipe employed a slighty different method to incorporate all the ingredients. He also used less baking powder (to reduce the bitter flavour from too much), and added a room-temperature egg and sweetened applesauce. He noted that this recipe doesn’t work with natural or organic peanut butter because they don’t contain emulsifiers.

I let Eldest Son do most of the work…

But, since the peanut butter had to be mixed in using fingertips much like scones, just like with every jack-o-lantern we ever carved together, I had to get involved because Eldest Son didn’t want to get all sticky. Come to think of it, Youngest Son was the same way. No guts – no glory! Or in October, no jack-o-lantern!

I explained that we had to shag the dough, which led to all kinds of sensual sounds and slightly naughty jokes…

I couldn’t help myself…

We didn’t have any plain sweetened applesauce, so we used unsweetened pear applesauce, and we added chocolate chips. Dylan advised avoiding vanilla extract or spices like cinnamon because they tend to steal some of the peanut butter flavour. And quite frankly, when you’re baking peanut butter bread, you want to taste peanut butter!

We’ve become very spoiled in terms of sweetness. Dylan says this recipe created more of a “dessert bread” than the 1932 recipe. In 1932, the bread was meant to be buttered or jammed, and could be included as part of the meal rather than a sweet at the end. I’d have to agree. The texture of his bread was more cake-like than the 1932 version, and a little heavier and more “roasty”. Of course, the addition of chocolate chips also made it more “dessert-like”.

But who’s complaining?

Both recipes were easy and didn’t require unusual ingredients. I hate reading recipes that require something exotic and expensive, especially when I have to buy a jar, for like 1/4 tsp. And honestly, both loaves tasted great with a cup of tea.

I’m posting the link to the tik tok video on youtube below, for your amusement…or to get the recipes. It’s about 15 minutes, and not as quirky as some of his other videos, but if you’re looking for some inspiration, why not look to the past? Not everything new is “golden”.

I shouldn’t think even millionaires could eat anything nicer
than new bread and real butter and honey for tea.

Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle

Happy Monday!

Elena’s “What’s in My Cup”?

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#whatsinmycup, food, humour, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea time, what's in my cup

It’s the last Monday of the month and time to share a cuppa with my friend, Elena. She is a talented bassoonist, incredible singer, and a great mom to two busy boys (three if you count her husband). Her great sense of humour and crazy-good storytelling make her a delight to hang out with. We usually hang out together at the church in worship and ladies’ craft and chat. She usually chats. But she has many artistic abilities, including cartoon family portraits!

Let’s hear a cheer for Elena!

(you can do better than that!)

***

I confess I am not a true tea connoisseur; coffee has always had a starring role in the hierarchy of my caffeine addiction. I do enjoy a black or green tea paired with the right meal, or as an after-dinner cup with company. But herbal teas are my everyday go-to. They keep me toasty on a cold afternoon, act as a warm and steamy balm for a dry throat, or as a method of surviving a dastardly cold. While I am always open to trying new things, I mainly enjoy simple flavours like peppermint, or Earl Grey.  I do not recommend the “Mom Special” I recently enjoyed where, upon looking down into the last dregs of my coffee, I discovered this morning’s mint tea bag (I thought it tasted off, though in my defense I was enjoying a mint-chocolate chip cookie as I imbibed). 

But today, my cup is filled with one of the only blends I enjoy partaking in regularly: Celestial’s Sleepytime tea with its characteristic sleeping bear on the box, cozied up by the fire with tea and scones nearby.  It’s a combination of chamomile and spearmint with just a dash of lemongrass.  I must say lemongrass is not something I usually enjoy, though it doesn’t stand out in this blend for which I am thankful. The spearmint fills out the flowery chamomile, and well, it pairs well with honey, I find this tea to be just sweet enough to forgo any add-ons. The chamomile serves to soften and round out the mint, taking away that dry aftertaste that can accompany it when left to its own devices.

Of course how one enjoys their tea is often just as much a part of the comfort of the beverage.  I recommend a fancy tea cup if the mood is right, or in a comfy, oversized mug! Today, I offer to you my most unique mug in my collection.  It was gifted to me from a lovely little cafe/community art gallery out in Edmonton called The Carrot.  The blue dipped glaze is best appreciated in the sunlight, so as to reflect its many shades, and the thick walls do well to keep the tea steamy.  Most unusually, it is built to be an on-the-go mug, with its rim rolling in at the top and sealed in the middle with a large, rough cut cork.  Three small holes adorn either side of the rim for sipping, and the indented thumb hold on the handle allows for this mug to be comfortably held in either the right or left hand! A well built handle is an often overlooked, but wonderfully key feature in any good mug.

And so, may your tea experience today be one of steam, good flavour, and a comfy handle to boot!

Brunch

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#whatsinmycup, family, food, holiday, humour, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea time

Brunch is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch, and is often accompanied with an alcoholic beverage, like mimosa (equal parts oj and sparkling white wine or champagne). Typically brunch is served between 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and includes both hot and cold dishes, as well as both sweet and savoury.

Our morning brunch was less elaborate and caffeinated instead…tea or coffee…but did include pancakes, sausages and homemade goodies… sourdough raisin muffins, hot cross buns, and peanut butter bread.

The peeps were also up for grabs! Happy Easter! Happy Monday!

Brunch:one meal to rule them all.

What’s In My Cup: Irish Breakfast

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#whatsinmycup, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea review, tea time, what's in my cup

I don’t have a problem with caffeine. I have a problem without it.

Breakfast teas are a blend of assam, and ceylon tea, black teas with higher caffeine levels to help you start your day.  And some days, we need that extra that kick to get going!

Irish Breakfast tea has a high concentration of Assam tea leaves in its blend, which gives it a vibrant, reddish colour and is known as a full bodied, malty and strong tea. The maltiness is a result of being grown in a very rainy, hot and humid climate in the Assam region of Northeastern India.

Irish Breakfast Tea by Twinings…plus a homemade hot cross bun. Perfect way to start the day!

It’s believed that Assam tea, was discovered growing wild in 1823 by Scottish adventurer, British Army Major Robert Bruce. The first packaged Assam tea was made available for purchase in England.

Though it has less caffeine than coffee, assam tea has a higher caffeine level than other black teas, making it the perfect type of tea in a breakfast blend. Some studies also suggest it boosts the immune system, and may provide stress relieving benefits.

Give me enough tea and I can change the world dress myself and use my adult manners.

Nanu Hoffman

What’s in My Cup: Relax

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#whatsinmycup, food, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea time, teaaddict, whatsinmycup

Life is better when you’re laughing.

Unknown

There’s nothing quite like getting together with a fun group of ladies for some crafting and chatting to help you relax. Add tea, and it’s a perfect morning.

I recently shared a cup of Pukka’s “Relax”with a friend at a Ladies’ Craft ‘n Chat.

Relax is an organic, herbal infusion made with ethically sourced ingredients. Chamomile is one of the top 5 best teas for anxiety and stress. Relax also contains Sweet fennel seeds, licorice root, oat flowering tops, cardamom pods, ginger root, and marshmallow root. Pregnant and nursing women, and people with heart disease or high blood pressure should avoid licorice root completely. Everyone else should consume it in small quantities.

Marshmallow root was a new ingredient for us, but has been used for centuries to treat infections and improve digestion. It’s a hebal remedy with natural mucilage, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties. Mmmm…mucilage. Mucilage is the sap-like component in the plant that behaves like a soft fiber; it swells up when combined with wate to create a helpful coating, particular for mucous membranes. THe root, leaves and flowers of the marshmallow plant are all edible, and yes, marshmallow root can be used to make marshmallows. The good kind you eat around the campfire.

Photo courtesy: Wikipedia

My friend and I agreed that this tea had a strong grassy note from the chamomile, a subtle licorice flavour, a bit of heat as if it contained ginger (which it does not), and overall a pleasant sweetness. It was a deeper golden colour than fennel tea, and was best consumed hot. Would either of us run out to buy some? Probably not. But if you like the flavours listed above and are looking for an ethically sourced, caffeine free tea for those tense times (or to slip into sleepiness), this might just be your cup of tea.

A cup of tea will restore my normality.

Douglas Adams

Nicole’s “What’s in my Cup?”

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#whatsinmycup, tea, tea addict, tea cups, tea lover, tea time, teacup, what's in my cup

I’m thrilled to introduce my third guest “What’s in my Cup” from my sassy friend, Nicole. Nicole has a great sense of humour, a big heart, and a boisterous laugh! She is an amazing singer, a great guitar player, and super cool aunt!! For years, Nicole and her sister have led rowdy opening and closing sessions at Vacation Bible Camp, with silly songs and skits. I have been in some of those skits and I definitely had more fun than the kids! We share many of the same passions, including music, worship, and tea!

(Are you excited? Because I’m excited!!)

***

I’m not a coffee drinker and have always been jealous of the look coffee drinkers have on their face while they drink their first cup in the morning. I didn’t think tea could be a substitute, but I was so wrong!

There are so many different teas that I love but my go to is a concentrate Tazo Chai Tea. It might be cheating, in a way, compared to steeping, just adding milk and heating, but it’s quick to make on those early mornings before work or worship practice (isn’t the weekend for sleeping in?). It gives me something to look forward to getting up in the morning, especially since I’m not a morning person!

After a long day of work, I will sit in my favourite spot on the couch, curl up and have my cup of tea and feel the stress of the day leave me. It has become almost ritualistic!

Sharing a cup of tea with my mom while visiting makes me feel like a real grown up! At almost 51, maybe one day I actually will become one!!

The cup is as important as well! A tiny tea cup will not do! I love a large cup of tea, one that might mean I’m sipping it over a couple of hours (I’m not afraid of it cooling off a bit). My favourite is one I made myself, matching one my sister made as well.

My cup of tea is a comfort to sip on a cold afternoon. It’s awesome cold in the summer! It somehow makes me feel better when needed. Life is just better with any tea really!

Caramelized Pear Upside Down Cake

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baking, cake, food, food photography, tea, tea time

Cake is for life, not just birthdays!

I know, I know…scones are the quintessential tea time treat. But if you think about it, cake is often the third course in a traditional British afternoon tea, after savoury finger sandwiches, and scones. So it isn’t unrealistic to serve cake with tea. I mean, who doesn’t like cake any time of the day?

An upside down cake is baked “upside-down” in a single pan, with the toppings arranged on the bottom so that it can be removed from the pan by flipping it over to display the fruit. As the fruit cooks with sugar, it’s juices becomes a syrup which glazes and caramelizes the top. In this recipe, the first step is to make a basic caramel to drizzle on the bottom of the pan before arranging the pears. Thinly slicing the pears was probably the hardest part of the entire recipe.

Upside-down cakes were once referred to as skillet cakes because they were made in cast iron skillets on the stovetops. The most commonly baked upside down cake is pineapple, garnished with marashino cherries.

This Caramelized Pear Upside Down Cake was sweet but the tartness of the pear and the warmth from the cinnamon and ginger provided relief from the sweetness. It was a denser cake, like a coffee cake, so it paired beautifully with a cup of black tea.

The more you weigh, the harder you are to kidnap. Stay safe. Eat cake.

London Fog Bubble Tea

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food, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea time

Friday evening, Youngest Son brought home a treat to share with me: Bubble Tea. I tried Bubble Tea once before and I wasn’t a fan, but I was willing to try it again.

Bubble tea is a tea-based drink mixed with fruit, milk or flavoured syrup, and chewy chewy tapioca balls, known as bubbles, pearls or boba). It was invented in Taiwan in the 1980’s.

This particular bubble tea flavour was called London Fog and it’s believed to have been created in Vancouver, Canada! It is Earl Grey tea with vanilla, and frothed or steamed milk, which is the “fog”. Earl Grey tea has a highly floral aromatic from the oil of bergamot, and the addition of milk or cream made it smooth and very creamy. I really liked the addition of vanilla as it balanced out the strong floral notes.

Tapioca is starchy substance in the form of hard white grains, obtained from cassava, the tuberous root of a tropical tree. In this drink, the tapioca balls were small and a dark blue or purple, and strangely, tasted like blueberries. They were tasty, but I couldn’t get past the smooth balls and chewy texture. Not even to swallow them whole.

Still, I appreciated Youngest Son’s thoughfulness and I enjoyed sharing tea with him.

It feels like an honour to share a cup of tea with other people. It feels like an act of grace.

Oprah Winfrey

FYI

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humour, sewing, tea, tea addict, tea lover, tea time

John Lennon wrote “ life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans”. Well, sometimes life’s plans sucks. And it’s not even like I had any big or exciting plans! 😂

If you saw my diary last Thursday, you will know that life is piling on a few more disasters than usual and when that happens, the stress level goes up. A higher stress level means that even the mundane things that should only be mildly inconvenient, like our printer rejecting a new toner cartridge because it’s “no longer supported”, skyrockets the pressure. Too much pressure and something is going to blow.

In my case, bring out the tissue because it’s usually in the form of a sweaty, red-faced, snot-pouring ugly cry that makes even the hardiest souls flee to the hills.

Just thinking about it makes me smile.

My plan today was to work on MY stuff, not everybody else’s stuff, but the afternoon shadows are once again lengthening and here I am. Out of time and motivation. Good thing there’s always tomorrow. And tea, hot faithful tea!

This is as far as I got…laying it out and finishing my cuppa before running out the door…

So FYI – I am giving myself permission to occasionally miss a day here or there in my blog. Call it a mental health day or an antisocial day…or a day when I feel like I’m wading in mud, and not in a fun way like Mud Hero! Lol But I will keep writing in my diary. It helps me keep the little things in perspective. A lot of little things can add up to big things if you let them. Your laughter helps me laugh too…partly because if you’re laughing, you’re just as messed up as me! 😜

On particularly rough days when I’m sure I can’t possibly endure more, I remind myself that my track record for getting through bad days has been 100%. And that’s pretty good.

M. Weidenbenner