The Tea Scoop

ZT The Final Chapter: ZT Vanilla Rooibos

My journey through South Africa via bottled rooibos iced tea has been quite interesting.  I learned about a new natural sweetening agent, inulin, which is apparently a form of insoluble fiber.  I learned how delicious plain rooibos could be over ice.  I learned that honey and ginseng make great ingredients in bottled iced tea. 

As for the vanilla?  If you love strong vanilla flavor, this is definitely something for you to taste. Opening the bottle was like walking into a house filled with the teasing aroma of baked goods in the oven. The taste wasn't far off from that either, sweet and vanilla. The rooibos all but disappeared under the vanilla's dominance, which I found to be a little too sweet for my tastes. However, I have noticed that many people prefer their tea sweeter than I do, and I think this tea is perfect for vanilla lovers with a sweet tooth. It tastes rather like a tea-flavored creamsicle. 

The final verdict on ZT? Loved the plain and honey-ginseng varieties, and recommend vanilla and lemon to those who are drawn to those flavors of bottled tea in general. 

Dinner!

Last night, I presented my parents with a tea-themed dinner: Chinese Tea Eggs, from The New Book of Tea; Glazed Chicken Breasts in a Honey Lemon Tea Sauce; and Balsamic Vegetables (no tea in that recipe).

The tea eggs were wonderful. The tea flavor was very delicate, and only added to the egg, not to mention that they were extremely beautiful to look at. They took a long time to make, but were well worth it, and were not too difficult.

The chicken was less of a success. Following instructions and poaching the meat in a tea mixture for 20-30 minutes overcooked the chicken a little too much, making it a bit tough, and the tea flavor was not evident. The most evident flavor was the lemon flavor from lemon juice and zest in the recipe

Tea Oatmeal??

You never know where tea is going to prop up these days: deoderant, chocolate, it's everywhere. Even, as I just discovered, in my oatmeal.

Kashi's Heart to Heart Golden Brown Maple oatmeal contains "decaffeinated green tea extract"

Surprisingly, this isn't advertised on the packinging, minus a drawing of what might be a tea leaf. I'm guessing it's in there for it's beneficial properties for the heart.

Just goes to show that there's no escaping tea!

Why Teadrinkers Don't Get Fat

Ok, so maybe that's not entirely true.  But, the fact is, if you're trying to cut calories, lose a few pounds, or even just maintain a healthy weight, tea is a great beverage. 

As we've discussed before, oolong teas help your metabolism and burn fat. Or, if you're looking for an appetite suppressant, try some yerba mate, an herbal tisane from South America.  Typically, it has a rather grassy, bitter flavor that takes some adjusting too, but there are also flavored mates, like Teavana's Mate Vana that has chocolate, vanilla, and almond flavorings among others. 

But, the best part about tea is that, by itself, it has zero calories! That's right, drink as much as you want, and no calories, no fat, no sugar. Nada.  If you have to have a little sweetness or dairy, try Splenda and non-fat milk. 

Beware, however, of bottled teas, which are often high in sugar, or tea-based beverages such as those at Starbucks and Teavana, which are frequently hundreds of calories and almost pure sugar. 

Recipes with Tea

Whole Foods Podcast did a podcast all about tea, and one segment about cooking with tea, using the following recipes

Jasmine Green Tea Rice
Ingredients:
Jasmine Rice
Gen Mai Cha Green Tea

Preparation:
Brew two cups of tea for one minute and set aside
Toast the rice on medium heat
Add brewed tea and cook as you would normal rice
Garnish with sliced almonds and scallions

Earl Grey Poached Chicken
Ingredients
10 Earl Grey Teabags
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Fresh Lemon
2 Tbsp Honey
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

Preparation
Brew Earl Grey in 6 cups of water for one minute, and remove the bags
Add salt, juice from lemon, and honey
Add chicken and simmer for ten minutes

Chai-Poached Dried Fruit
Ingredients
2 Cups Prepared Chai Tea
2 Cups of Dried Fruit (try a combination of apricots, figs, prunes, cherries, or raisins!)

Preparation
Poach for ten minutes until the fruit plumps up. Be careful not to overcook or the fruit will become mushy
Strain out the fruit, but don't through away the liquid, it makes a great drink for later!

I have not yet tried any of the recipes, but when I do, I'll let you know!

Republic of Tea's Tea Jam

It seems like everything is being made with tea these days, from soap to incense to food. This article, however, is about a condiment that I was introduced to and am now hooked on, called Tea Jam.

This delightful item is put out by The Republic of Tea , and comes in five flavors: Cinnamon Plum, Pink Grapefruit, Ginger Peach, Blackberry Sage, and Raspberry Quince. My personal favorite is the Cinnamon Plum, which I am so hooked on, I have neglected to try any other flavor.

So what makes this jam so special? Instead of boiling the fruit in water, which is how the average jam is made, it is boiled in tea. That in itself makes the jam much more flavorful, but the amount of actual fruit in the jam only adds to the delight. If you like smooth jellies, this is not for you, but if you prefer thicker jams, definitely give this a gander. It's much more like homemade jam than Smucker's could ever produce, but with a twist.

Another positive quality? (As if taste weren't enough) This jam is made with all natural ingredients. Try it as a glaze or on ice cream, or with Devonshire cream on your next scone!