Simple Gifts

Sometimes life gives me a theme and it keeps reappearing until I embrace it. I think the theme I am hearing and seeing now is to live simply. I've been working on this for some time. I don't think a simple life is ever checked off a list, but rather an ongoing life of practice. And the practice continues. I've had a few great reminders over the past weeks!

In my writing class, our facilitator brought in Aaron Copland's music called Appalacian Spring. The Shaker hymn Simple Gifts is woven into the middle of this piece and it's just SO beautiful. You can listen to the section of Simple Gifts from Appalacian Spring here and listen to the Voices of Liberty sing the words here.

On Saturday, I attended a clothing swap. These fun events are great ways to let go of clothes (the extras are given to a thrift store that raises money for a local social service agency) and to pick up a few treasures. All at no cost. I have always found a temptation or two, but I make it a rule to bring home less than I take! The conversation, food and friendship at these events are uplifting.

At church yesterday, our minister spoke about living simply. She read this quote:

"We take delight in things;

we take delight in being loosed from things.

Between these two delights,

we must dance our lives."

--Phillip Harnden

Then we sang simple gifts.

Today, I flipped to my May calendar and here's what I read:

"It is always the simple that produces the marvelous."

-- Amelia E. Barr

OK, I'm listening. I'm practicing. Yes, the best of life is simple.

April Tea: Herbal-themed Tea Party

I wrote earlier in the week about the herbal-themed tea party that I recently enjoyed. It was such a pleasure to be of help and I've been reliving it in memories all week!

Here are a few photos (courtesy Sweetcakes). Do visit Sweetcakes to see more photos and to get a recipe for lavender scones.

Finger sandwiches, each featuring herbs

Delectable desserts; I've become a HUGE madeleine fan (bottom tier)

Tea Review: Moroccan Mint Tea

Instead of mint juleps, I'll be drinking my own brew of Moroccan mint tea tomorrow as I listen to the running of the roses (aka Kentucky Derby). Kentuckian and fellow tea lover at Friendship Tea has been blogging in anticipation of the race all week. Fun!

Moroccan mint tea, to me, is a special treat. The combination of mint, tea and sugar (lots of sugar) is very pleasing. If you're having it served at a Moroccan restaurant, it will probably be given to you in a glass teacup with fancy pouring.

Photo from wikipedia

Here's my recipe. If you try the tea, let me know how you like it! Leave a review in the comments section.

Steph's Moroccan Mint Tea

I prefer to use fresh mint, when it's in season.

A handful (~1 cup loosely packed) of fresh mint sprigs, plus a few extra for garnish
3 teaspoons green tea (traditionally, gunpowder green)
3 tablespoons sugar (or less, depending on your preference)
4 cups water
4-5 whole cloves to taste (whole - not ground)

This isn't a precise recipe, so taste and adjust to suit your preferences. Also, I should preface this by saying I prefer mine pretty minty....so that drives how I concoct this brew.

Add the mint leaves and cloves into the water and bring to a boil. Let boil for ~2 minutes to get a good mint base. (Once it starts to boil, bring it down to a rolling simmer.)

After the mint base is ready, bring the heat down so that the water is barely rolling and add the sugar and tea. Cook for another 1-3 minutes, depending on how strong you like the tea flavor.

Pour through a filter into a teapot or teacups and serve. Small glass cups are traditional, but be careful! They get very hot and, if there is a crack already, the hot liquid can pop the glass open.

Garnish with remaining sprigs of mint. Enjoy!

Tea Review: Coconut Pouchong

This week's tea blogathon topic (from Gracious Hospitality) is a favorite brew - white, green, black or herbal. My tea favorite changes with the day. I'm a very moody drinker, meaning that my mood dictates my choice.

Today spring is in my heart and I feel like something light and special. I choose coconut pouchong. Pouchong is an interesting tea, not much talked about but one that I really appreciate. Pouchong tea is similar to an ever-so-slightly oxidized green tea. On the spectrum of teas, it would generally fall between a green and an oolong, tho there are always exceptions. Think of it as a mellow green (tho it is technically its own category).

This particular tea is scented and flavored with coconut. The tea took home an award at the 2007 World Tea Expo in the Green Tea category. I have a pound of this tea, so if anyone would like to purchase a sample or a few ounces, please let me know at steph7@sbcglobal.net. If you're not a fan of coconut, this tea is not for you.

For coconut lovers, this tea is heaven. The dry leaf is a deep forest green with a super-intense coconut aroma.

During steeping, the leaves open nicely and create a lovely, flat presentation. The aroma softens as it steeps and becomes so alluring. (The aroma of the dry leaf is intense, but as it steeps, it becomes incredibly enticing.)

The liquor is a light yellow. Can you see the heart-shaped reflection in the tea cup? It must be from one of the daffodils above it. :-) A perfect summary to how I experience this tea - I simply love it!

Words

I'm immersed in words today. This month, in fact. I've been reading the words of powerful women poets and authors (and a few men, too). These include lit class standards such as Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath and ee cummings, as well as others I've discovered on my own like Anais Nin and Anne Sexton. As a tribute to national poetry month, here are a few of the words that I have felt drawn to.

A word is dead
When it is said,
Some say.

I say it just
Begins to live
That day.
Emily Dickinson
This one brings back fond memories of high school lit class!

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin

I had decided that when there was no more money in my bank account I would do it, and that morning I'd spent the last of it on the black raincoat.
Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

Never doubt or question the power of love or one woman with a shovel.
Carrie Newcomer, from her song One Woman and a Shovel

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
ee cummings


What words call to you?

A Double-Decker Tea Weekend

I was a busy bee this weekend! On Saturday, I hosted my 12th tea class called, "The Art and Etiquette of the British Afternoon Tea." I've hosted 5 of them since I've been back in the Midwest. The others were in NM. It's a joy to teach this class! It is such a pleasurable experience to see people eagerly learning about tea and all its charms. Talking about tea is definitely a passion for me, and I feel so blessed that there are people out there willing to listen!

Here is a snapshot from the class. Funky cutting b/c I promised not to inflict blog fame upon my students! ;-) As a side note, I like to use a glass teapot in the class, as it displays the beautiful colors of the teas.

On Sunday, I helped Sweetcakes with her annual tea extravaganza. She hosts a tea each year to say thank you to her friends and colleagues. All of the food is incredible and homemade, as are the party favors. This year, she made a special blend of "tub tea" as a party favor, along with samples of tea (Hurricane Herbal, Angel's Dream and Lavender Early Grey). Women work very hard not to miss the event!

She used an herbal theme this year, including special lavender tea fabric! The menu featured herbs prominently in her savories and lavender scones (incredible scones!). Homemade eclairs and madeleines were among the many desserts. As anyone who has hosted a tea for 20 knows, it requires much labor. I call it an endurance sport! I helped for several hours and Sweetcakes had been at it for days! But it is a labor of love and I am so grateful to share in the afternoon!

My 3rd Blog Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to my blog! Today is my 3rd blog anniversary! Since the first, I've published 521 blog posts. I've learned a lot about blogging along the way, too.

Here are some of the things I've learned:

• I enjoy blogging more than I ever dreamed!
  
  
• This blog is a place for me to share my truths. I must write first for myself, tho never forgetting I have an audience.
  
  
• There are certain skills to blogging; knowing how to use the technology well, writing in a very conversational and open style.
  
  
• Blogging friendships take work, just like face-to-face relationships. You must nurture them or they will die.

What have you learned from or about blogging, either by reading or writing a blog? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Book Review: The Teahouse Fire

I recently led a tea tasting for a book club, and the book for discussion was The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery. I was eager to read the book and share in the conversation. It was so rewarding! The book club experience was new to me. I greatly enjoyed the insights and perceptions the other women shared. It helped me deepen my understanding and assessment of the book.

The Teahouse Fire is about a girl (Aurelia) in the late 19th century. Her mother dies and Aurelia finds herself in Japan, serving as a translator for her missionary uncle. She is 9 years old. Her uncle gets drunk and takes advantage of her sexually, so she chooses to leave. The rest of the story chronicles Aurelia being taken in at a teahouse by Yukako, the tea master's daughter. Much of the story is devoted to the relationship between these two women.

The topic that interested me most in this book, from a tea perspective, was the boundary of gender related to the tea ceremony. While Yukako's father taught her the tea ceremony, she was prohibited from performing it publicly or teaching it herself. Yukako breaks with tradition on a number of occasions.

Sexual themes play heavily in the book, as well, from the Uncle's drunken lust to the fine line between sisterly love and romantic love. Ultimately, it is the outfall of a sexual encounter that drives Yukako to force Aurelia from the tea house compound.

The book club was in agreement that the story was interesting, but hard to follow. I concur. There were several times in which I had to re-read a section, or I wished for more context. Having said that, I did enjoy the book, particularly the descriptions of the tea utensils and the place of importance given to them.

If you have read the book, please share your opinion with us!

Also, if you'd like to watch a demonstration of the Japanese Tea Ceremony, go here. (This is not in a teahouse, but you'll get the idea. Pay particular attention to the utensils used - the bamboo scoop, whisk, etc.)

After the book discussion, I led a tea tasting for this group of women. We sampled a white, green and black tea and discussed tea's history and processing. It was very fun!

Our hostess pampered us with scones and fruit salad. Yumm!

It was a wonderful evening! Special thanks to the members of the book club for the warm welcome!

Earth Day Tip #3 - Go on an Appreciation Tour

I got this idea of an appreciation tour from one of Alexandra Stoddard's books, most likely Living a Beautiful Life. The idea really stuck with me and is something I try to do from time to time. Her idea is this: Go on an appreciation tour of your own home. Re-train yourself to see the beauty that you have - the things that you love but no longer see because they are ever-present. She takes the idea further and encourages us to rearrange things - put them in new places, so that we see them anew.

I think this is a brilliant idea! And it relates to positive environmental karma in the following way: If we are to see our existing possessions and appreciate them, hopefully that will help calm the beast of consumerism in us. When we appreciate what we have, surely we will have a lessened need for more new stuff.

There are some eco-decorating ideas in this Martha Stewart post. I particularly like the arranged bottles idea (photo at the top). Cost: $0. It's beautiful and great reuse of stuff! (On a side note, I used to make fun of Martha Stewart, but I really like her magazine these days. My library carries it! Wahoo! I see in her magazine a strong alignment toward positive environmentalism. For example, when talking about plants, she recommends nontoxic fertilizers and natural pest deterrents.)

Quoting Sheryl Crow's song Soak Up the Sun (she may be quoting someone else, I'm not sure): "It's not getting what you want, it's wanting what you've got." Makes sense to me!

Cooks, Ill. "Perfect Blueberry Scones"

This blog post is part of Gracious Hospitality's blogathon. This week's topic: The Sweet and Savory of Yummy.

When I recently visited Tucson, I was treated to these "Perfect Blueberry Scones" from a Cooks, Illustrated recipe (July, 2007). I had stumbled across the recipe when perusing the magazine at my library, and sent a copy to AZ Tea Lover. I hadn't made them yet, so it was a very special treat to try these with my friend! And they were fantastic!!

Cooks, Illustrated experimented with several scone baking methods and came up with this one as the best. The recipe is from Cooks, but I've made a few notations in green. The photos are ours.

Recipe
It is important to work the dough as little as possible—work quickly and knead and fold the dough only the number of times called for. The butter should be frozen solid before grating. (This trick about grating the butter worked very well! It's the melting butter/air pocket combo that makes the marvelous light texture of these scones.) In hot or humid environments, chill the flour mixture and work bowls before use. While the recipe calls for 2 whole sticks of butter, only 10 tablespoons are actually used (see step 1).

If fresh berries are unavailable, an equal amount of frozen berries (do not defrost) can be substituted. An equal amount of raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries can be used in place of the blueberries. Cut larger berries into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces before incorporating.

Refrigerate or freeze leftover scones, wrapped in foil, in an airtight container. To serve, remove foil and place scones on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven. Heat until warmed through and re-crisped, 8 to 10 minutes if refrigerated, 16 to 20 minutes if frozen. See final step for information on making the scone dough in advance.

Makes 8

• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), frozen whole (see note above)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (about 7 1/2 ounces), picked over
• 1/2 cup whole milk (AZ Tea Lover used rice milk and it worked fine)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (AZ Tea Lover used reduced fat sour cream and it worked fine)
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces), plus additional for work surface
• 1/2 cup sugar (3 1/2 ounces), plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling (AZ Tea Lover used a combination of sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling; in addition, we all agreed that these scones were very sweet - we would use less sugar, maybe half, next time)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Score and remove half of wrapper from each stick of frozen butter. (This is so that you don't scrape your knuckles as you grate the butter.) Grate unwrapped ends on large holes of box grater (you should grate total of 8 tablespoons). Place grated butter in freezer until needed. Melt 2 tablespoons of remaining ungrated butter and set aside. Save remaining 6 tablespoons butter for another use. Place blueberries in freezer until needed.

Grating the butter

2. Whisk together milk and sour cream in medium bowl; refrigerate until needed. Whisk flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in medium bowl. Add frozen butter to flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.

Butter bits in flour (not yet mixed)

3. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; fold with spatula until just combined. With rubber spatula, transfer dough to liberally floured work surface. Dust surface of dough with flour; with floured hands, knead dough 6 to 8 times, until it just holds together in ragged ball, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Dough just turned out of bowl; as indicated in step 3, a little extra flour was needed

4. Roll dough into approximate 12-inch square. Following illustrations, fold dough into thirds like a business letter, using bench scraper or metal spatula to release dough if it sticks to countertop. Lift short ends of dough and fold into thirds again to form approximate 4-inch square. Transfer dough to plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in freezer 5 minutes.

Dough, after rolling

5. Transfer dough to floured work surface and roll into approximate 12-inch square again. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over surface of dough, then press down so they are slightly embedded in dough. Using bench scraper or thin metal spatula, loosen dough from work surface. Roll dough, pressing to form tight log. Lay seam-side down and press log into 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.

Adding the blueberries


Rolling dough/berries

Cutting into triangles

6. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar (AZ tea lover used cinnamon sugar). Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Onto the stone and into the oven


Yummmmmmmm!

To Make Ahead:
After placing the scones on the baking sheet, either refrigerate them overnight or freeze. When ready to bake, for refrigerated scones, heat oven to 425 degrees and follow directions in step 6. For frozen scones, heat oven to 375 degrees, follow directions in step 6, and extend cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes.

Earth Day Tip #2 - Choose Kind Tea

Happy Earth Day! I hope you take time to reflect today on the bountiful goodness from the earth.

Earth tip #2: Choose kind tea. I've thought a lot about my love of tea. Sometimes, I fret over it. Tea travels a very long way to get to me, which uses tons (literally) of nonrenewable resources. Yet, I continue to purchase this simple evergreen leaf. I try to be conscious in my choice, meaning that I try to purchase teas that are grown on plantations that are kind - both to the earth and to the people who live and work there.

When possible, I encourage you to consider purchasing tea that is certified as either fair trade or from a plantation that is credentialed from the ethical tea partnership (ETP). (Serendipity Teas come from ETP plantations.) Moreover, it's a good idea to support organic teas when they are available.

Tea in an inexpensive luxury. The few pennies extra we may pay to support the items above go a long way toward shaping the tea industry of the future. And it just feels good! Here's to happy tea drinking!

Earth Day Tip #1 - Go on a Beauty Walk

In honor of Earth Day (tomorrow), I'll be posting Earth Day Tips all week. (Don't worry - I'll fit in some tea stuff, too!)

Earth Day (in the US) was started in 1970 as a way to get environmental issues addressed on the national level. Here's to those visionary founders - cheers (raising teacup)!

One thing you should know about me - healing the earth, as the DH and I call it, takes a seat of importance at our table. Literally, from the foods we choose (we are mostly vegetarian), to the car we very seldom drive to hundreds of other daily choices, working toward a healthy environment for future generations is of utmost importance to me. To be honest, I grow increasingly impatient with people who choose to remain in ignorance about the state of our world. However, my goal is to stay joyful in this work. As our minister discussed in church yesterday, I hope to let the joy of my work to heal the earth convince others to join the cause.

So, having shared my truth, here's the earth tip for today: Go on a beauty walk! Get to know the flora and fauna of your neighborhood. What a sensual indulgence to see, touch, smell, hear - and sometimes even taste (think honeysuckle) the nature world. I love to learn about my locale - what thrives here naturally? What is a transplant? What is an invasive species that should be pulled up? When do the daffodils bloom? What critter is it that digs in my yard? What song birds frequent these trees?

In essence, I am suggesting we all share in the joy of improving our skills in the art of observation.

Enwrapture

I'm on a skirt kick! This skirt is not one that I made, but it is one that I love! It comes from Enwrapture Vintage. The skirt is made from a vintage sari.

I have the 24" variety. The skirt is reversible and, according to the website, can be tied to make 100 different looks. Here's another:

Of Sweat and Skirts

I think of myself as part girly-girl and part tomboy. Skirts are my favorite thing to wear and I like to sweat.

I like to wear skirts because I love the way they move with my body. I like how they flow when I walk and I LOVE how they twirl when I dance. The more twirly, the better.

The skirt girl

I also like to sweat. What I mean is that I like to do things that cause me to sweat. I like to run, bike, dance, muck horse stalls.

The sweaty girl, just back from a run

These two likes collide sometimes, especially in the summertime. I wear a lot of skirts and I walk most everywhere in town. So on a sunny day at 95 degrees and 95 percent Midwest humidity, I'm gonna sweat in that 17-minute walk to the library. I don't let a little sweat stop me! My swishy skirt and I just march along. I've been known to dance a little on the way, too!

----

On a related note, the skirt shown above is one that I just made over the weekend. I am learning to sew and skirts are great because they're pretty simple and I can whip one up relatively quickly (I'm an impatient sewer.) Once I learned how to do zippers, a whole world opened for me - the world of skirts!

This skirt is the first I've done with a lining. Which, I must say, is heavenly. I love the feel - the extra weight and substance the lining gives. Special thanks to AZ Tea Lover for lining guidance!

Dressed- to- a-Tea

This week's blogathon topic from Gracious Hospitality is Dressed-to-a-Tea. Fun!

Below are three of my favorite tea outfits (costumes) I've worn throughout the years. The context for each of these is a tea lecture or a tea party I'm hosting.

This photo is from my very first "official" tea party in 2001. The party was a celebration. I had just finished my MBA and was kicking off my tea biz (while I still had a full-time job). The pink outfit was a riot and I loved to wear it when I wanted to play dress up. (Why shouldn't adults have fun with this, too? :-) The apron was a gift from one of my tea party guests.

This photo is from one of my most memorable, and most beautiful, tea parties. I hosted a tea for my Aunt K. She lived in this gorgeous old house that was full with antiques. The table setting for this tea was the loveliest I've ever had! We used pink depression glass.

And this photo is a hoot! I found this Victorianish blouse and skirt at Buffalo Exchange (in Albuquerque). The fur wrap was a yard-sale find. I think I paid $20 for it. I recently found, in the pocket, the original sales receipt. The wrap was sold new in 1935. It came from Lewis Furriers in Sacramento, CA. I'm not one to normally wear furs, but this vintage piece was so incredible, I couldn't pass it up. Does anyone have suggestions for how to store it?

Ring Bling

I just spent the last of my birthday money (thanks, Mom!) on this ring. I was so drawn to the pink pearl set in gold-filled, wrapped wire. I found the ring on etsy - check out www.ringsbymarie.etsy.com.

My Sister's Closet

I recently attended a tea luncheon for My Sister's Closet, a resale shop that specializes in helping women find affordable professional clothing.

"The mission of My Sister's Closet, Inc. is to provide at-risk, low-income women pursuing employment with free workforce attire. We accomplish our mission through the use of our voucher system and the generosity of those who donate professional attire to our store."

I have several suits sitting in my closet that haven't been worn for at least 3 years. Given my intention to curb my clothes habit, I am donating these suits to My Sister's Closet, with the hope that they make someone else's day! They are stylish and professional, and while I have an attachment to them, I simply don't need them at this point in my life. So, I'm letting go...

Its a pretty awesome feeling to let go of something I've been carting around for a while. I encourage you to give it a try!

Watercress Heaven

The Farmer's Market has just opened for the season, and that means a bit of heaven for me - watercress! The DH has concocted the perfect combination of tastes with bread, butter and this plant. And the best part is that it's sooooooo simple!

1 Parmesan-peppercorn baguette (sold at a local bakery, tho any baguette would do)
1 bunch of watercress, rinsed
1 stick of butter, softened

Slice the bread; smear with butter and top with watercress. Enjoy! Oh, my - it's heaven!

Watercress grows wild in shallow streams around here. But I'm pretty particular about its source. Sadly, so many of our streams have heavy agri-business runoff (harsh chemicals), so I try to find sources that are free from runoff, to the extent that it's still possible.

April Tea: A Historic Chat

Introduction: I pledged to do a tea party each month this year and blog about it. To see the entire list, go to the label in the right column called "Tea Parties."

Lithograph depicting the Boston Tea Party

April's Tea Party theme is tea and history. I had the delightful opportunity recently to participate in a tea party with a young woman who is studying American history. She's been researching the American revolution in detail including, of course, tea! (She was so sweet to invite her younger brother to join us for this tea! He was quite the tea fan!)

There were 6 of us total. The dishes we used have special significance. The mother of our hostess collected this set for her and the creamer/sugar was a recent gift from her mother-in-law.

I was delighted to share in a lively chat about the Boston Tea Party and other important moments in tea's history, such as the development of afternoon tea. We also discussed the role of tea in the Opium Wars. Truly, one can trace the history of trade and international relations through the history of tea. It never ceases to fascinate me.

I recommend using a tea party as a means to get students involved "hands-on" in their learning experiences. It was a wonderful afternoon for me and I learned as much as I shared. Thank you!

Tea and Poetry

April is National Poetry Month. Tea and poetry are perfect companions, don't you think? Grab a cup and linger over a favorite phrase, the turning of a word, the melding of metaphors.

Do you have a favorite tea poetry source? I have two tea poetry books that I enjoy: Tea Poetry, an anthology compiled by Pearl Dexter and Musings with a Cuppa by Earlene Grey (pen name, I assume).

Here is a poem I wrote tonight, on my way home from writing class.

This Moment
At morning light, periwinkle vinca peeks through the grass
With cheery determination and perseverance

At noon, the daffodils raise their faces
Yogis with their perfect sun salutations

At tea time, the smell of hyacinths reaches round the corner
Masking the fumes of cars stopped at the light

At darkness, the weeping cherry greets me with her hair
Flown asunder, a goddess backlit by the moon

In the time for one petal to unfold, life changes
From white to pink to rose to burgundy to black

These flowers don't whisper; they yell
This moment, This Moment, THIS MOMENT!


And here are a few of those screamin' beauties: