I made a Sew, Mama, Sew roundup!

Hey - I feel pretty honored! I made a Sew, Mama, Sew roundup. :-) Check it out!

Also, I will be on a work trip for the next week. I will be more sporadic in my posting, tho I do hope to fit in a few here and there.

Cheers!

Tea Time at Starbucks

I fully expected to be disappointed. In fact, I secretly hoped not to like it......

I am not a fan of Starbucks. I think what the company sells is mostly sugar and fat, with a little coffee thrown in. It's nothing personal. Just not my cup of tea - literally. (I don't like coffee, tho I love its smell!)

Even so, I recently found myself in possession of a Starbucks gift card (a kudos from work). The DH (dear hubby) and I headed out on a chilly winter night for a date. We walked to the library and then to Starbucks. It was an adventure, can't you tell? I wanted to check out the new campaign, "Tea Time at Starbucks."

Starbucks has expanded its line of Tazo teas to include whole-leaf tea pouches. This definitely gets a thumbs-up from me! I'm not sure, actually, if it's an expansion or a replacement. Either way, this is a step in the right direction.

Now to the sugar and fat. Being out for an adventure, I decided to try the London Fog. I fully expected to be disappointed. In fact, I secretly hoped not to like it. But the truth is, I did like it! A London Fog is a mix of steamed milk, earl grey tea, simple syrup and lavender. The trick to enjoying this beverage, in my humble opinion, is to remove the tea pouch after it has steeped, about 3 min for my taste.

The DH had the apple chai. It did not impress either of us. My spiced cider is better.

Have you had any of the new Starbucks tea lattes, or the new tea pouches? What did you think?

Marie Antoinette Award

I was so touched recently to receive the Marie Antoinette award from Melody. "This award is for people who are deemed real in who they are." That gives me a sense of satisfaction, because I work very hard at being true to myself....being real.

In other news, the DH and I went for a walk in the cold, cold temps this morning and played in the snow. It was so good to get out, despite the chill. I've been cooped up too long! "No such thing as bad weather - just bad clothes." Some wise person from Wisconsin or somewhere really cold said that. :-)

Teany

If you like Moby's music, or if you like good vegetarian food, or if you like reading books with an offbeat sense of humor, then Teany is a book for you! I really enjoyed this book. What does that tell you about me? ;-)

Teany itself is a tea room, of the modern style. It's in NY (tea-ny) and it's small (teeny) - and thus the name. Moby is co-owner, with his ex-girlfriend Kelly Tisdale. The book chronicles the beginnings of the tea room and leaves us with all kinds of interesting tidbits and recipes. My friend Amanda is a fan of the "top-secret chili". I am looking forward to someday trying the chocolate and green tea pudding (with soy or rice milk). The lavender lemonade is just about the prettiest cold beverage I've ever seen!

If you've read the book, I'd love to hear your opinion!

Tea Toys for Wee Bit

My one-year-old niece received a number of tea-themed toys for Christmas, and I thought I'd share a few with you. Ironically, none of these came from me! But I'm all for her early indoctrination into the world of tea! The set here is the Little People Royal Tea Party.


I'm so proud of my niece....see how she practices her tea-serving skills! (And I love her cute pig tails!)

And here's the Disney Beauty & The Beast set...

National Hot Tea Month

To celebrate National Hot Tea Month, I encourage you to try this mindfulness meditation. I wrote it for myself, because I often need it!

Gather your equipment, paying special attention to both the function and beauty of the tea vessels.

Choose you tea with special care. What tea matches your mood, your needs, the weather? Take a moment to enjoy the look and aroma of the dry leaf.

Bring the water to boil and listen to its music as it changes from the heat.

When the water is at the right temperature, enjoy the steam and the lovely gurgling sound as you pour the water over the leaves. This is a special moment as the leaves begin to unfurl, the "agony of the leaf."

As the tea steeps, practice breathing and stretching. Try not to do the dishes or other things. (This is the hardest part for me!)

When the tea is ready, pour a cup and take a moment to enjoy the aroma and color of the brew. Take a small sip and let the tea play in your mouth. Where do you taste it? What flavors are there? Now drink the rest of this cup in peace.

Cheers!

Using Old Calendars

If you're like me, you still have a couple of beautiful 2008 calendars around. Instead of sending them to the landfill, reinvent them into lovely things. You could use them as wrapping for small gifts, make wallets like I did here, or make envelopes.

For making envelopes, you'll need:

• Pretty calendar pages
• An envelope template - mine came from Stampin' Up, but others are on the market
• A pencil
• Scissors
• Rubber cement (my preference) or glue

Step 1: Pick your page. Here, I am using a flower calendar page. I want to focus on the word simple.

Step 2: Place the template. You'll want to play around with the template placement to get the best visual display of calendar elements.
Step 3: Trace around the template. Don't forget to trace the fold lines. (Once you get used to the template, you may not need to trace the fold lines.)

Step 4: Cut and fold. Cut out the envelope. I find that small scissors work best. Then fold on the lines. I'm not a patient person, but I've learned that it saves me time in the long run if I take both parts of this step slowly.

Step 5: Glue three edges. Leave one edge open for slipping in the letter or notecard. I prefer using rubber cement because it doesn't dry immediately. Also, if I have any extra that smooshes out, I can rub it off. You'll get a feel for how much room you have for the glue. Be careful that you don't inadvertently glue the envelope shut! The trick is to keep the glue on the flaps, but not the inside of the envelope.

Step 6: Let the glue dry. I like to press my envelopes under a heavy book.

Step 7: Make a corresponding notecard. Write a letter and send off to make someone's day!

Felted Teacup Pincushion

This amazing felted teacup pincushion came to me from Sweetcakes. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by so many creative friends. You all inspire me!

I think this is one of the most gorgeous tea things I own! Visit Sweetcakes to find more info on how she made it. I think I will set this piece of functional art in a place of honor on my desk.

My New Year's Resolution

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In 2009, I will write my first tea book.
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A Year of Teas in Review

In 2008, I hosted and blogged about a tea party each month. Some were elaborate and some were simple, but I enjoyed each of them! Here's a summary:

January - Relax and Recycle Tea

February - Celebration of Friendship

March - Tea with Family and Weight Watchers Recipes

April - A Historic Tea

May - Tea for Two and Afternoon Pleasures

June - A Picnic Tea

July - Traveling Tea

August - Tea and Sympathy and Front Porch Tea

September - Apples in My Bed Tea

October - East Frisian Tea Part I and Part II

November - A Virtual Tea

December - Tea for Quiet Times

Queen's Cakes for the New Year

I made these Queen's Cakes for the New Year, and I really enjoyed them, especially fresh from the oven. The golden edges are crisp and the raisins impart a nice flavor and texture to the very simple batter.

The recipe came from the book Dinner at Buckingham Palace. I was delighted to find this book at my library. I had often seen this book advertised in the Victorian Tracing Co. catalogue and wanted to peruse the book. The recipes are interesting, and I'm glad to know that the library has a copy. It's not a book I feel compelled to own; borrowing is perfect.

The book, by Charles Oliver (who spent most of his life in service to the Queen), is a compilation of stories and recipes from the kitchen of the current Queen and her family. There are some very interesting anecdotes and photos. It's a very enjoyable book, though I found very few recipes that I would actually attempt to make. Queen's Cakes were in the Tea section. As an aside, these little yellow cakes are often served on Victoria Day in Canada to celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday.

The tea section was, of course, my favorite. Tea is "one of the Queen's most favourite meals." The recipe below for Queen's Cakes is approximately what was in the book. The recipe is from my memory, (I already returned the book!), so use at your own risk! The recipe was given in ounces, and I was grateful for my kitchen scale. Also, the recipe was rather sketchy on details...so I've added a few tips.

4 oz (1 stick) margarine (I used butter)

4 oz sugar

2 eggs

4 oz all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder..I can't actually remeber if it was one or two

2 oz sultanas (I used purple raisins)

A little milk

Grease 16-20 mini muffin tins. (The recipe just said "tins." I had to do a lot of research to figure out exactly what size! I compared to other Queen's Cakes recipes.) The recipe called for greasing with lard, but I used shortening.

Cream the butter (I softened it first) with the sugar. Add the eggs and beat well. Sift together the flour and baking powder, and add to the creamed sugar/butter/eggs a little at a time. Stir in the sultanas. Add a little milk to make the batter soft. (This is where I was puzzled - what was "soft" supposed to mean? I added about 1/4 cup milk.)

Spoon into mini muffin tins, until they're about 1/2 full. Bake for ~20 min, until golden brown.

These are best served fresh from the oven, when the golden edges are crisp and the centers are soft. Very nice with tea! I like these for their simplicity. As I looked online for other Queen's Cake recipes to compare, I found that many recipes are actually fancier than this one. I preferred to stick with the simple version, since it's fit for the Queen!

My Recipe Attribution Policy

I've been thinking a lot about recipes and appropriate attribution (source citation). I plan to someday publish a tea cookbook of my own - and so I am sensitive to using others' recipes without proper attribution. I've also been doing some research. Here is the best summary I've found.

Here is my Recipe Attribution Policy, based on how I would like others to treat me:

• I won't publish the recipes from newly released magazines or cookbooks without direct permission from the author. This is, after all, a part of people's livelihood and I don't want to interfere with sales.


• For recipes that come from sources that are not new, I will attribute the source. For example, if I am using a recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook, I will say so. If I've altered that recipe slightly, I will say so (or say "inspired by" or something similar).


• For recipes that are my own, I will not provide a citation.

Does this policy make sense to you? I'd like to hear your thoughts. Thank you!

*Image from corbis.com

An Aunt's Privilege

The happy toddler and her enamored aunt, Christmas morning at my Mom's

It get so tickled with my 1-year-old niece! She has the most infectious giggle and smile. A year ago, she was a pink and perfect infant, and now she's a busy, busy, busy toddler.

Notice the bows in our hair - thanks to the creative styling of the little one. "Bow" is one of her favorite words, and she loved the bows more than any present (except, maybe, for the electric fish bowl).

The DH and I had a good Christmas, and on the way home we got the chance to have an extra 2 days of vacation. The car decided it needed a new transmission as we were on our way home. But we made the best of it and saw movies and walked all over the town where we landed, until the rental car shop opened this morning. Thanks to the nice service people who helped us - the tow truck driver, the mechanics, the hotel owner, the car rental gal...all of them were cheerful and kind.

Tea for Quiet Times

My cheeriest tablecloth on a very wintry day

This is my last tea party of the year, and I've entitled it Tea for Quiet Times. I've had two chances in the past few days to sit with a friend, in front of a fire (be it real or electric), and relax. Quiet conversations and tea. Heaven! This quiet time prepares me for the busy Christmas visiting ahead.

With Sweetcakes, I enjoyed the best-ever chai and the most amazing gingerbread cookies. See the adorable gingerbread reindeer (and recipe) here.

Today, I enjoyed lunch and tea with a friend in my home. It was a dreary day, but those are perfect for tea. The weather was sleeting and windy, and I brought out my cheeriest tablecloth. Time slipped by quickly and I am grateful for the peaceful time with friends!

Happy Holidays to you! I be back to blogging in a few days. Wishing you joyful and peaceful times.

Dragonfly

A Dragonfly

Your delicate wings rapidly beat the air

The sleekness of your weightless body hovers

Curiously observing as though you care

Steadily searching for lifelong endeavors

Do you bring a message of a tranquil destiny?

Does your evolving maturity convey wisdom?

If I follow, will I find harmony or perplexity?

As you disappear… I am serenely lonesome

-- 12/1/07 Theresa Moore

This gorgeous tea bowl came to me from a friend in NM. Gorgeous, thank you!

Roasted Beets

After two of my friends sang the praises of roasted beets, I decided to give them a try. Wow, they are delicious! I just washed them, lightly peeled them (leaving some skin on), chopped them into big pieces (which was kinda hard to do), and tossed them in olive oil, salt and pepper. Baked for about an hour. Yumm!

Do you have a special roasted beet recipe?

Happy Winter Solstice!

Wishing You a Cup of Tea...

I'm wishing you a cup of tea during this season of holidays. May it bring you cheer, peace, warmth and renewal. Cheers!

Lupicia Holiday Tea

My friend, CW, sent me this gorgeous holiday tin of Nilgiri tea, from Lupicia. The tin is so cheery and pretty, and I smiled brightly!

My smile broadened when I opened the tin and saw the packaging written in Japanese. There is an English instruction card, too. Lupicia is very clearly a Japanese-based company, with a US presence. It offers over 400 varieties of tea. CW has been to one of its retail store in CA and says it's amazing.

My senses continued to be pleased as I inhaled the aroma of the dry leaf. It's hard to describe - somewhat like a Darjeeling, but yet different. A sweet and very pleasant aroma. Also look at the lovely color variations in the leaf. From copper to deep brown.

My taste buds were rewarded for their wait - the tea brewed up nicely. The aroma stayed with it, tho more subtle in the brew. The taste was smooth - neither weak nor bitter. This is a very nice tea and a wonderful gift! I do recommend it. Based on this tea and one other from Lupicia, I give the company the thumbs-up.

Eating and Drinking with Jane

And, oh, by the way - Happy Birthday, Jane! (Dec 16, 1775).

"You must drink tea with us tonight." --Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen.

Many of us know about (and have enjoyed) the book, Tea with Jane Austen. I also discovered another book at the library, The Jane Austen Cookbook. It makes a nice companion to the first, for anyone who is a Jane Austen devotee.

Both books give a sense of what it would have been like to eat and drink in Jane Austen's day. The books also share recipes from that period (thankfully, updated for today's standards, too.) A note about tea in Jane's time....it certainly was an important social beverage, as you will see in these books. However, Jane probably never attended a "tea party" exactly as we know it. She may

have experienced an earlier version, but the idea of afternoon tea didn't get officially named until the 1830s or 40s.

There are two other books I wish to explore, from my library. Cooking with Jane Austen and In the Garden with Jane Austen. If anyone has read these, please share your review!

And for the passionate Jane Austen lovers, check out the Austen blog.

Etsy Dreamin'

Necklace (and photo) by poetsummer, found on Etsy

I blogged recently about how I was reducing my holiday consumption this year, and I'm sticking to it. But I do like to go window shopping now and then. Here are my favorite tea-themed Etsy finds. Enjoy!

Amazingly cool necklace (picture above)

Librarian tea print (would go so well with the Dewey Decimal mug!)

Mug cozy

Gorgeous tags

Another cool necklace

Santa tea cozy