Guest Blogger: Esmerelda

Esmerelda read this piece of her writing at a recent tea party. It was so funny (because I can see myself in it), that I almost spewed tea! Not very lady-like, I know, but read on and see for yourself. Thank you for sharing this, Esme, and thank you to Sweetcakes for the tea party!

How to brew the perfect cup of tea

Bow to the east to honor Shennong who accidentally drank tea when some Camellia Sinensis leaves blew into his bowl of hot water. Bow to the west to honor Lu Yu who realized the importance of quality water in the perfect cup of tea. Fill an aluminum kettle half way full with filtered water. Take a seat to watch it boil. Consider this a form of enlightenment and while you are meditating on the blue flame remember the Bodhidharma who fell asleep meditating and was so disgusted with his weakness that he cut off his eyelids which fell to the ground to become tea plants. Picture yourself without eyelids.

Meditate on the fact that you have never even seen a tea plant or even a tea leaf that was not smooshed up into a paper bag with a Lipton tag hanging from it. Root in your cupboard for some real tea. Someone gave you some as a party favor at a baby shower last year. Find the tea in the drawer you use for wayward coupons, used Bic lighters and screws that have come loose. It has spilled a bit so you sweep it up carefully along with a few pencil shavings. For flavor you think quite earnestly.

Run to the CD player to put on some music appropriate for the perfect cup of tea and stub your toe on the sofa and scream with pain just as the whistle on the tea kettle sounds igniting the fierce migraine that you were trying to avoid by having the perfect cup of tea. Choose the first thing to play that you see on the play queue which happens to be Burl Ives singing Rudolph the Red Nosed reindeer. It is February.

Shut off the heat under the tea kettle and remember to let the water cool a bit. Center yourself. Not too hot. Heat brings out the bitter flavors. You wonder how bitter pencil shavings are as the hot water flows over the tea bag you have constructed out of loose leaf tea tied in a nylon bag that is made of the toe of a pair of pantyhose that no longer fits. Lets face it. No pantyhose fit. Men must have designed them.

You head for the cabinet to find medicine to absorb the stunning knife-like sensation throbbing in your temples and the only pain reliever you can find is your child’s grape flavor Tylenol so you read the dosage information on the back and calculate the ratio of your weight to your child’s weight and say what the fuck and drink the whole bottle. It tastes like grape shoe leather and you are pretty sure that once the sugar in the Tylenol wears off your headache will be worse, but you do have the perfect cup to tea to drink which now has been steeping for about 20 minutes in your old pantyhose. The pencil shavings are floating near the top so they are easy to flick out. You fling the pantyhose into the sink, pick up the only magazine you can find which is your husband’s fall issue of “Storm water: a utilities magazine” and make your way to the sofa. Ahh you think, settling back and closing your eyes. Thank God for eyelids.

Amy L. Cornell aka Esmerelda

Me (left) and the author Esme

Photo from Sweetcake's blog

Guest Blogger and Mindful Eating

Note: It is a true privilege for me to introduce today's guest blogger! AZ Tea Lover is a long-time friend. I call her a friend of my heart, because I know that we'll be life-long pals. AZ Tea Lover and I have many connections - professionally, educationally, philosophically, and of course through tea! Enjoy!

When Stephanie asked me to be a guest blogger, I thought immediately of how much I enjoy having tea with her. I am grateful for the gift of a guest post on her blog. Thanks Steph!

Two beneficial aspects of having tea are portion control and food-savoring. (There are many more benefits, certainly.) Small, dainty, carefully-made savories, scones, and sweets are neatly placed for display on beautiful plates with care and thought to making the food look pleasing in addition to tasting pleasing. It is exciting to think about how to savor all these little bites! Usually the sandwiches are quite small, no larger than a half-dollar coin. I often think when I see these tasty treats, "I only get three bites of this before it's gone... I'd better savor every bite!" The slow-foodie movement emphasizes being conscious of our food and how we eat it. Tea treats are perfect for savoring and eating modestly, and they are even more special when made with care and thoughtfully chosen ingredients. Almost every time I have tea at a tearoom (or a friend's home), I take treats home because I feel full long before getting to the plate of sweets. And it's usually less food than I'd eat at a normal meal. There's a psychological aspect to eating slowly and with appreciation that is really good for me. We'd all eat less and be healthier in mind and body by reconsidering what we eat, how we eat it, and how much of it we eat.

AZ Tea Lover (left) and me, having tea at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, 2005

When I have friends over for tea, I like to put out whatever I have on hand - a few crackers with cheese cubes, chocolate chips, scones (King Arthur is my favorite mix), nuts, whatever seems to be a complement of sweet, salty, and savory (I'm not good at making tea sandwiches yet). Small plates are best, with just a few of each item. Just enough of each to enjoy a meal and pleasant conversation. The care of preparing a meal for friends feels good.

To enjoy tea and tea treats is to learn the art of appreciation - taking a moment to reflect on why we are here, who we spend our time with, and how lucky we are to enjoy these things.

For more information on the concept of mindful eating, visit this Wall Street Journal article.

Guest Blogger and Elmwood Inn

Note : I'm excited to share with you a guest blogger today! I've decided to liven things up by sharing the voices of some of my fantastic friends. My first guest blogger is Amanda, who fed me the delicious strawberry soup (recipe below). Enjoy this post!

Elmwood Inn

by guest blogger, Amanda

Photo courtesy of Elmwood Inn website

Stephanie has invited me to be a guest blogger here at Steph's Cup of Tea and I couldn't be more delighted! I always look forward to seeing what new tea information, flower and garden photos, or bits of inspiration she has to share with us. One of her latest posts, Afternoon Pleasures, featured photos from the tea that she and I shared in my home recently. She tells me that the photo of strawberry soup has generated some interest in the recipe.

The recipe comes from The Tea Table: Soups, Savories & Sweets from the Elmwood Inn, one in a series of tea cookbooks written by Shelley and Bruce Richardson. If you are a tea lover, or enjoy cookbooks in general, I highly recommend purchasing your own copies of the Elmwood Inn cookbook trilogy, as the pictures alone are quite worth the price. Also included are recipes for blueberry and melon soups, along with a photo of all three. For those of you only interested in the strawberry soup recipe, I have obtained permission from Elmwood Inn to share, and the recipe follows.

Bruce and Shelley Richardson owned and operated Elmwood Inn tea room in Perryville, Kentucky for 14 years. Stephanie and I have both lamented our loss in not having visited Elmwood Inn before they closed their doors in 2004. Bruce Richardson has become a renowned expert in the world of tea and has had a hand in ushering in the American tea renaissance. A list of all of the Richardsons' books, as well as their line of fine teas may be found on their website. Elmwood Inn Gunpowder Green is one of my favorites! Incidentally, for anyone who may be interested, the historic Elmwood Inn property, along with the nearby owner's cottage, is currently on the market.

Thank you to Stephanie, and her readers, for allowing me to contribute to such a charming blog. And thank you to Elmwood Inn for allowing me to share this delicious recipe. Cheers!

Strawberry Soup

1 cup fresh strawberries

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup sour cream

4 tablespoons burgundy or grenadine (I used grenadine)

1 cup heavy cream

Combine strawberries, sugar, sour cream, grenadine, and cream in a blender. Cover and blend on low speed until thoroughly combined. Chill and serve. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, thinly sliced strawberries, and fresh mint.