The Tea Scoop

Transported to China

Ferry Building, San Francisco

I'm sitting in the Imperial Tea Court, a Chinese-style tea room in the Ferry Building in San Francisco, a permanent indoor farmers' market of sorts. The lacquered furniture and yixing pots lining the walls provide a very different atmosphere than the lace and roses of Victorian style tea rooms. The menu features Chinese dishes, and an extensive list of Chinese teas. In general, black teas are my choice, but I prefer Indian blacks, so I turned to oolongs instead, selecting the "uniquely sweet" orchid oolong, served in a gaiwan. For a side dish, I ordered red bean paste steamed dumplings.

This is definitely the kind of place that caters to tea snobs...I mean connoisseurs. The cashier smiled somewhat indulgently when I asked for a pot of tea, and politely/condescendingly informed me that the tea was served Chinese style, which "might be a bit different than what you're used to." And it's true, I have never had tea served to me in this way. So how is it different?

A gaiwan is three pieces: a saucer, a cup, and a lid. The three pieces are always used together: the saucer is used to bring the trio to one's lips, and the lid is used to strain the tea while drinking. The waiter was kind enough to give a little lesson. (Side note: this is the method used by professional tea tasters).

There is something elegant about this presentation. The method requires a sort of purposeful grace rather than mindless imbibing.

In this place, Chinese influence on San Francisco is clear, and appreciated. This is a most welcome respite from wandering among crowds of tourists.

Royal Wedding Tea Article

You might have heard that some prince and princess or other recently got married. Either that, or you were living under a rock.  I've seen themed mugs and souvenirs of all kinds, even here in the States.  I was camping, and didn't get to watch the wedding, but I still find it very exciting.  Perhaps it's exciting because it is a positive news event, which we have all too few of.  It's a joyful occasion.  All things Anglo are pretty popular right now as a result, and yours truly was interviewed about tea for a Royaltea article in the Argus Leader, a newspaper in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It's a neat little article with recipes, and some good information about tea. 

I know I'm posting this a little to late to have a wedding tea, and the gossip that Princess Kate is expecting seems unfounded, but you might keep the idea of a royal tea baby shower in the back of your head when that event occurs. 

Golden Star Tea

Just over a month ago, I was out Christmas shopping with my brother-in-law.  I'd been saving some last minute shopping for a craft fair in DC, and since he always leaves all of his shopping to the last minute, I invited him to join me.  The craft fair was rather disappointing unless you wanted to buy jewelry or purses, so we spent a few hours exploring other shopping opportunities in the city. We made a stop at Union Station, and paid a visit to the Old Post Office Pavilion.  In our meanderings, we found a cheese shop. Now Mr. Tea Scoop feels about cheese the way I feel about tea, so I had some wrapped up for him, and I bought some for my sister and step-mother as well.  Feeling rather satisfied, I was just about ready to pay when this bottle caught my eye. 

It looked like a wine bottle, but it said tea. Intrigued, I picked up the bottle and turned it over.  I discovered that it sparkled due to a fermentation process that left just the slightest amount of alcohol behind. Intrigued, I was about to add it to my other purchases, when the brother-in-law stopped me. You see, although I was beginning to load myself down with packages, he had been less than successful.  So, he purchased it, and I pretended to forget about it and pretended to be surprised on Christmas morning when I opened it up.  

As special as it was, I wanted to save it for a special occasion, and share it.  I didn't want the sparkle to go out of it before I could polish off a whole bottle.  Luckily, that occasion came around just last weekend. Mr. Tea Scoop and I started a gourmet dinner group last January.  Each person takes turn hosting a dinner for the rest of the group that's out of the ordinary.  Sometimes they have a theme, sometimes not.  This time, we had something to celebrate in addition to Mr. Tea Scoop's delicious Cavalcade of Meat themed dinner: two of our members had become engaged over the holidays.  We pulled out the champagne, and I thought to myself that this tea would make a great alternative to champagne.  

How did it stand up? Well its bubbly nature made it quite festive, and the light jasmine flavor was refreshing and unobtrusive.  My biggest problem was the odor.  It smelled slightly yeasty, I suppose from the fermentation, and the scent was completely unappetizing. However, after one removed one's nose from the glass, it was quite a pleasant drinking experience.  Red wine probably would have stood up better to the game bourguignon, but it paired quite nicely with creamy braised frogs' legs and the two dessert pies (peanut butter and banana cream, topped with candied bacon, with an animal cracker crust). The website recommends pairing it with all kinds of cheese, and indeed, it did not clash with the goat cheese we served as an hors d'oeuvre. It also recommends a fish pairing, which I think would be quite nice, particularly a white fish.  

So would I have another bottle?  Despite the aroma, we polished off the bottle, and I had several glasses myself. It was a nice non-alcoholic alternative for those of us who passed up champagne and merlot, and something different than the usual go-to of sparkling cider.  It's not something I would drink everyday, but for a special occasion, I think I might keep this in mind. 

Mad Tea Party Couture

So what to wear to a mad tea party?  You could of course dress as Alice in a cute blue dress and white apron with a black head band.  Or wear a poofy tail and long ears. Or you could see the offerings on Etsy. 

This shirt from theboldbanana comes in sizes from small to extra-large and is only $12.  I love the expression on the Mad Hatter's face as he gestures wildly. Adorable!

Or, from Banyantreeclothing,a more masculine style:

I love how edgy this one is, and the chaos of the tumbling teawares. A very different expression on this hatter's face.  $20, and they sell a women's version as well. 

This skirt, at $70, will steal the show at your next tea party.

SantaLuchia will have you wearing the tea party. What a fun print this is!

If you love the canon as much as I do, go look around on Etsy for a ton more fun clothing.  I just picked a few tea-themed outfits.  They have Alice costumes too. Support people who make stuff by hand!

A Mad Tea Party

I have a confession to make. I loved the Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter new Alice in Wonderland. I know a lot of people didn't.  I'm not even a newcomer to the rabbit hole.  I love variations on old tales, and I thought old Lewis Carroll might have approved of what happened with his characters. Of course, there is no knowing.  I love the whole topsy turvy universe, even if a lot of the nonsense is actually obscure political commentary with no bearing on my life. And there is a special place in my heart for the White Rabbit in particular.  Back in high school, I played the White Rabbit in a cheesy little show called "Disney Spectacular." It was my shining moment as I hopped across the stage, singing out, 

"I'm late, I'm late
For a very important date
No time to say
Hello, goodbye,
I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!"

I still have a picture of my bunny-self from that show, grinning next to my best friend, who played Cinderella.  Spectacular.  But ever since, I've been rather fond of Alice in Wonderland in general, and the White Rabbit in particular.  Which is why I was so enchanted last year when my mother-in-law gave me Paul Cardew's Alice in Wonderland teapot for my birthday, a teapot adorned with the white rabbit as the knob for the lid.

See, it's adorable!  Then for Christmas this year, her sister gave me the matching trivet, and MIL also gave me a set of two cups and saucers.  A tradition has begun, and I'm not complaining.  The designs on each piece are themed from a different scene in the story. The teacups have Alice and the animals swimming in her tears.  I'm in love with this set, and look forward to collecting other pieces.  

If you like them, check out Stash's offerings.  

And look for more Mad Hatter themed posts soon!

Happy New Year (and a book review!)

Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays, and that this year brings you good tidings and tea.  Do you have a big list of resolutions?  I have a few, one of which is to pay a little bit more attention to this blog. Luckily, I have some folks that make that easy for me.  

My step-mom is always emailing me stuff and telling me about things I could write about on my blog.  And they are always good suggestions!  She's an avid mystery reader, and has been telling me about these Tea Shop mysteries by Laura Childs.  When Mr. Tea Scoop gave me a Kindle for Christmas, I downloaded one of these mysteries, Shades of Earl Grey.  The mysteries star Theodosia Browning, the owner of the Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, South Carolina. She is somewhat of a Miss Marple type, finding herself inexorably drawn into mysteries.  Except that the pages are steeped in tea (Did you like that one)?  Shades of Earl Grey is charming fluff.  The mystery plot is, well, your basic mystery plot, with its twists and turns, but engaging enough to keep you reading. The writing, while simple, does a good job telling the story. And I have to admit, it was fun to read all the bits about tea that made it in there.  Plus, she has a pooch named Earl Grey. The supporting characters are colorful, if a bit two-dimensional, and her descriptions make me want to wander around the small shops of Charleston. 

Would I read more in the series?  Definitely. They are light and fluffy, and there are plenty of times in my life when I am looking for some lighter mysteries.  Plus, there are recipes in the back of the book for the goodies that she serves in the Indigo Tea Shop.  

Biscottea

December has officially arrived. The temperature this afternoon was twenty degrees colder than when I went into work this morning. Add rain and wind to that equation, and by the time I came home, I was ready to snuggle up in bed with a cup of tea and a sinful afternoon snack.  I've been on a bit of a chai kick lately, which is not altogether surprising since it happens every fall.  Today's chai came from Kalyustans in New York City, and I added a healthy dose of milk and sugar to make it nice and hearty.  While I was waiting for my tea to steep, I snacked on a slice of leftover pumpkin pie, then took my tea upstairs along with a cookie to drink tea under the covers while watching last night's Glee episode.  

It is of this cookie that I truly wish to write.  While I was shopping at Wegman's yesterday, I stumbled across Biscottea Chai Tea Shortbread.  Perhaps it is my inner Scot, but I'm quite a fan of shortbread.  Since I am also on that chai kick I told you about, something about buttery cookie plus spices sounded like a delicious idea.  However, I would like to take this time to point out that often "chai tea" flavored items often contain no tea at all.  This was the case with this cookies. Chai Spice Shortbread might have been a better name.  But the real question is: how were the cookies? 

Buttery.  Crumbly, in that way that shortbread has of being crumbly. Slightly spiced. Not too sweet.  And amazingly reminiscent of the tea that I drank to accompany them.  Verdict is that they were a nice accompaniment to my afternoon cuppa.  

Oregon Chai Giveway

So, having heard about all my Oregon Chai goodness, are you jealous yet?  Never fear, you can have your own! I've been using both the mug and the cup (in fact, I'm drinking mint iced tea out of the iced tea cup right now). How do you win one of the following? 

• 10-oz. canister sample paired with the hot mug
• 10-oz. sample with the double-walled acrylic reusable iced tea cup.

You have a couple of options.  

• If you aren't already a Facebook fan, "like" The Tea Scoop (see the sidebar).
• Get a friend to "like" the Tea Scoop and tag you in a wall post (@username). This is a good one because you both get a chance to win!
• Follow theteascoop on Twitter and post a link to The Tea Scoop on your Twitter. Use #theteascoop.  
• Link to The Tea Scoop from your blog or website. 

The deadline is midnight, September 19.  (Eastern time!)

Oregon Chai Review

Now that cooler weather is coming around again, I'm going to be drinking a lot of chai.  Something about the spiciness of chai just makes me feel even warmer. A lot of time, I'll drink chai black, reveling in the spiciness, but other times I'll add milk and sugar to turn my cuppa into a comfort beverage, maybe even an alternative to dessert. Now, normally I'm not a fan of powdered chai mixes.  Most varieties that I've tried, I've poured out after a single sip. Not the case with Oregon Chai. Now, there's a bit of a backstory here. 

Around ten years ago, on a blustery wintry evening, a friend and I ducked into a Cosi to get the chill off before heading to a movie.  I had planned on ordering my typical mocha, but she insisted that i had to try a chai latte.  I loved it instantly, and later found out that they used Oregon Chai brand. 

As the years passed and I fell more deeply in love with tea, I moved away from instant gratification. When Oregon Chai contacted me and asked me if I wanted to review their products, I hesitated. I love free stuff, but I worried that I would find it just as shallow and artificial as other instant chai powders. All the same, I thought I would give it a try out of nostalgia.  

When the box arrived, like I said before, they sent me lots of other goodies. But the powdered stuff was actually pretty good.  It had more depth and no artificial flavor at all. The ingredients list was pretty readable. My only complaint was that it was a little too sweet.  

Target. Tahr-jay. Noun.

Recently, our Target unveiled their new expanded grocery section, as Targets across the country are beginning to do.  Since our Target is across the street, this is a real boon to our existence.  Just about anything we need in a pinch can be found there, and we've even gotten some good deals on steak. It seems as though the Archer Farms brand has expanded along with the grocery department, including a line of tea. 

Now, time and time again, I have turned up my nose at grocery store teas. Yet the packaging caught my attention.  The attractive silver box featured a photograph of whole leaf tea and and a whole leaf pyramid tea bag.  Target is the first grocery brand to offer a whole leaf teabag, as far as I know.  I perused the flavors, finding some that reminded me of Mighty Leaf flavors, and finally picked up a box of Chocolate Berry Earl Grey, intrigued by the idea of something completely different. Flipping it over to look at the ingredients, I read: "Black tea leaves, rooibos leaves, carob, cocoa shell, organic and natural flavors (including bergamot), licorice root, raspberries, pink pepper."  No warning for soy, no artificial flavors. I'm never thrilled to see the words "natural flavors" because there is not a strict definition for that phrase, but it is not always disappointing.  So, I tossed it in my basket along with the cheese, eggs, and avocados. (No connection, just some of my favorite things). 

I finally got around to trying it this morning after leaving it sitting on my countertop for a week or so. You see, although I love trying new Earl Greys, the berry and chocolate part had me a little worried. I wanted to be sure that I could be fair to the quality of the tea, whether or not I liked the actual flavor. I'm often not fond of berry or fruit flavors in black teas, and chocolate teas often fall flat. 

Therefore, imagine my surprise when I couldn't stop slurping this tea in a most unladylike way.  The chocolate berry is a more accurate description than Earl Grey.  Every sip reminds me of the chocolate covered pomegranate seeds I down at my sister's house.  Perhaps it's the inclusion of actual raspberry that makes this cup taste so real and fresh.  Perhaps it's the slight teasing of the whiffs of pink peppercorns that keeps me interested enough to think over each sip.  And maybe carob works better in tea than actual chocolate for giving that richness.  This is one tea that may actually curb that craving for dessert, even without adding sugar.  

The tea had none of the dusty bitterness so common to grocery store brands or cheaper brands, and none of the artificial taste that so many of the common tea brands have in their scented teas.  I would rank this along with Revolution's teas.  And I really can't recommend this flavor enough. I feel like I just ate a chocolate bar, with none of the sugary jitters. Nom nom nom.