Random Fun Links, Part Two

Here are a few more random, fun and vaguely tea-related links. Enjoy!

Hot Tea/"Hottie" T-Shirt (Fans of Arrested Development may remember Lucille making the same pun about, ahem, Buster's Dad. *Queue music*)

Broken English Tea Packaging... Winning.

Top Tea Cocktail on LA Weekly

Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea (This stuff got me into trouble when I got a round of it -- and won a t-shirt and hat -- at my local music trivia night last week. It's dangerous! Here are some Vee Tea tea cocktails, in case you want to make your own dangerous tea-based beverages.)

This tea steeps in your mouth. I'm kind of horrified.

Of Montreal's Id Engager has a teapot (among many other things. Can you find it?

Join the Tea-V Set. Join the Vee Tea Set!

Pots de Creme with Matcha Stars Yum!

Have a link to add? Post it below or email it to me at VEE _at_ VEETEA _dot_ COM.

Tea & Sweets

Dessert Magazine has a new issue about tea desserts and pairings that looks seriously yummy. My favorites? The Matcha Panna Cotta with Elderflower Syrup, the Masala Chai Creme Brulee and the Green Tea & Jasmine Delice (from The French Laundry). What caught your eye?

Hanami -- The Cherry Blossom Festival

As I recently said in the Samovar blog, I planned a hanami celebration with some friends. It was incredibly windy on the day of, so although we made matcha, it was left undocumented. Here are a few photos we DID manage to snap. I hope you enjoy them, and take the time to welcome spring with your friends!

We celebrated at my favorite park in Charlotte -- Freedom Park. Here's the view near the entrance.














Here's the view from our barbecue spot.


























Veggie Yakitori + FIRE



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Happy Vee! (If you look closely, you can see my hubby, Marko, reflected in my sunglasses.)

Maybe it's just that I was very happy, but it also seemed that the ducks and ducklings were enjoying the weather. :)













Hanami Crew














Andrea drinking matcha. She'd never tried it before, nor had Adam (also pictured).














The willow tree near our barbecue was lovely, but...














... we came for the cherry blossoms!














We found a nice spot to enjoy our veggie yakitori/kabob-type food (yum!) and assorted sushi (veg + otherwise) from our fave local sushi joint, Ru San's (nothing fancy, but very fun -- fusion rolls like walnuts and Sriracha hot sauce).
























Later, we ate wagashi (higashi, matcha agar and youkan) and played soccer. (Below) Marko (our official photographer and my beloved) kicking our collective butts with his Eastern European soccer skills.

Romantic Teas

I know I rarely talk about personal things these days, but this news was too big to leave out: I got married on Friday! Here are a few photos of our little ceremony:







As a small wedding gift to and from my lovely readers, I'd love to start a list of romantic teas here. I'll get it started. Please add any you can think of, and let's get this list going!

Flowering Teas (in general, but if you have any great sources for beautiful, flavorful ones, please add it below!)

Tay Tea's Lovers Tea, Persian Rose, Marry Me Again, Better Than Sex and Duchess' First Love

Petali's Wedding Tea and the similar Rooibos Sweet Heart Tea from Dragonwater

Portsmouth's Love Me Tender

Urbana's Love Potion, Unity, Chocolate & Strawberries and Chocolate Spice

Teality's Romantic Tea Samplers

Adagio's Valentine's Tea and Chocolate Tea

Chocolate Lovers Teas by SBS

Harney & Sons Chocolate Tea and Valentine's Tea

New Article in The New York Observer

I have a new article out in The New York Observer about NYC's top ten spots for tea. Excerpt:

Credit globalization, Baby Boomer aging fears, or the rise of foodie culture, but after years under the radar tea is making a commanding comeback. It’s been heralded as a palate-spanning wine alternative. It’s a hot ingredient in both cooking and cocktail worlds. Although tea can symbolize class and wealth, it’s also a cheap way of socializing, making it simultaneously a healthy indulgence and inexpensive luxury. Tea’s recession-era success in N.Y.C. is only natural, then. The city now abounds in tea destinations, each offering its own flair and focus. At Passage, you’ll find an intensive tasting series, without the hangovers of the boozy alternative. (Although lively tea-based cocktails can be found at both Sanctuary T and T Salon.) Amai Tea & Bake House specializes in low-guilt “tea sweets,” while Lady Mendl’s offers five full courses for its reasonably priced afternoon tea. From everyday English Breakfast to incredibly rare yellow teas and aged oolongs, N.Y.C. is certain to offer something that’s exactly your cup of tea.


You can read the rest of the article on The New York Observer's webpage, or in an abbreviated version in print next week. It was tough to pick the "top ten," as the hierarchy depends so much on what types of tea you're looking for! I tried to keep this list in the lower end of the price range (given the current economy) and include a variety of styles of spots for tea. Still, I wish it could have been the top ten spots for ____ (style of tea) or NYC's top 50 spots for tea. There are so many great places to choose from! You can read more of my tea recommendations in my blog, or learn which tea spots are best suited to your tastes by arranging a tea class with me.

ITO EN Kai Visit

I have a confession to make. Although I have lived in NYC for 2.5 years, drunk tea around the globe, written extensively on tea in NYC and tried many an ITO EN tea, I had never actually been to Kai (ITO EN's flagship store restaurant) before this week. You see, if tea is not a separate item on the menu, I often just skip the venue. Now I know that (unless you just hate amazing Japanese food) this is not a valid excuse. Fortunately, I do NOT hate amazing Japanese food; in fact, I love it. Although I generally have a strict vegetarian diet (no chicken broth, nothing with gelatin, etc.), I have made occasional exceptions for seafood over the last four years thanks to the irresistible nature of seafood in Japanese cuisine. Kai was one of those welcome exceptions. I'm sure you'll see why!













The orchid on each table and the very Wabi Sabi bamboo hot-towel holders visually kicked off the attention to detail that was present throughout the meal. The decor was lovely -- I was particularly enamored with a washi (Japanese handmade paper) hanging that could be seen in the restaurant and the store.












The Kai bento box (for me) and the sushi-tempura lunch (which my friend Evan adored). Before this arrived at the table, we were both served fantastic miso and I was served wonderfully creamy silken tofu with spring onions and ginger. Yum!











Here are some of the goodies from the bento box. The salmon was absolutely amazing. You can't see it in the second photo, but there are two cubes of steak behind the grilled fish. I gave those to Evan. There is also some tempura-fried pumpkin and lotus root hidden in the first photo. Yum!



Throughout the meal, we were served houjicha, which was a perfect pairing for some of the stronger flavors in the meal (wasabi, tempura-fried green pepper, grilled fish). I loved the leaf coasters for the teacups. The silverware pictured here was for the dessert. The forks remind me of some of the handcrafted silver from Penland School of Crafts.












The assorted sweets were a satisfying visual and culinary finish to a delightful meal. They were: yuzu cheesecake (great texture; loved the bits of yuzu zest in it), chocolate cake (rich and creamy with a bit of crunch from a whole walnut), fruit jelly (slightly-sweet agar with fresh fruit, fresh mint and bits of gold), matcha almond (I kid you not, these are legendary. I'm talking cult following here.), raspberry sauce accent.

I wish I knew enough Japanese to give ITO EN an articulate thank you for this meal, but for now I'll just say "Oishii!" (Delicious!)

PS -- ITO EN has a well-curated selection of loose-leaf teas available through their flagship store and online. Expect to pay top dollar and receive top quality. In the past I've bought their Qing Ming Dragonwell, Makaibari Muscatel, Ureshino Tama Ryokucha and Taiping Houkui, all of which were amazing, and this time I bought a magnificent Uji Sencha (a store exclusive that has the marine notes and richness of Uji Gyokuro with the softer, sweeter notes of sencha) and their Linden tisane (which I have yet to try, though in general I love Linden, and the fact that it's where my name comes from). I also bought their new Oolong Shot, which is served hot or cold. I tried it hot, and quite liked it for an RTD.

BISCOTTEA Gluten-Free Review

As I said a few days ago, I recently sent out a press release for BISCOTTEA's new line of gluten-free shortbread with baked-in tea. Today, I'm putting on my reviewer hat and reviewing the new products.

I have to say that I have had some less-than-stellar GF products in the past. Usually, I won't do PR or write copy for a company unless I've tried the products I'm writing about, but I know the BISCOTTEA brand and trusted that they wouldn't release anything that didn't meet their (and my) standards. I'm glad I trusted my instincts on this one! The samples I received yesterday were incredible -- flavorful, crunchy, buttery and delicious. While I didn't do a side-by-side tasting, I found the GF version to be nearly indistinguishable from the original. (The only thing I could discern was a slight cornstarch texture to the crumbs that differed from the original, but it wasn't a detriment and the mouth-feel was otherwise the same.) Although I'm not usually a "dunker," I tested the GF BISCOTTEA for those of you who ARE dunkers, and it held up very well. So far, my favorite flavor is the Earl Grey with Darjeeling, but it was a close call. The Blueberry with White Tea and the Chai flavors are also wonderful.

Aside from the great taste and texture, I was really glad to know that the GF line is batch-tested for gluten levels with a tolerance of only four parts per million, especially given the recent Whole Foods gluten scandal. It's an issue many of the GF bloggers I talked with had voiced concerns about, so it's good to know there are more (safe!) options out there for those who are particularly sensitive to gluten.

Tea and Chocolate Pairing in NY

You've heard me talk about pairing tea and sweets before, but on Thursday, those of you n NYC will have an additional chance to try it. Lola's Tea House (Pelham) and Chocolations (Mamaroneck) will be hosting a tea and chocolate truffle tasting at Lola's from 7-9 PM (reservations suggested, $10 a person). Yum!

If you're interested in sweets with tea as an ingredient in NY, check out Amai's tea cookies and Tafu's tea cupcakes and other tea sweets.

BISCOTTEA Gluten-Free Shortbread

I had the pleasure of working with BISCOTTEA on a press release for their new gluten-free line of Scottish-style shortbread. I'll be reviewing samples in a few days. In the meantime, here's the release:

BISCOTTEA® to Launch Line of Gluten-Free, Tea-Flavored Shortbread at Winter Fancy Food Show

January 10, 2009 -- BISCOTTEA’s popular line of tea-flavored, Scottish-style shortbreads is expanding to include three flavorful gluten-free varieties. The hard launch will be at The Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, CA, January 18 through 20. The new gluten-free varieties were a “Top Pick of the Week” on The Nibble, which called them “a real find for anyone in need of a gluten-free treat,” and include three flavors from BISCOTTEA’s established line-up: Chai Spice, Blueberry with Organic White Tea and Earl Grey with Organic Darjeeling Tea. They are available in giftable 5.6-ounce boxes and convenient “grab-and-go” two-cookie packs for lunches and snacks on-the-go.

Seattle-based BISCOTTEA has experienced rapid growth since opening 16 months ago thanks to the singularity of their product. Their buttery, Scottish-style shortbreads are baked with organic tea, were featured on The Food Network's "Unwrapped" and have been a consistent “Top 10” amongst food reviews throughout 2008. The original varieties include the flavors in the gluten-free line, plus Honeybush (a relative of rooibos or “red tea”) and Mint.

The decision to launch a gluten-free line came from co-owner Nicci Milner’s work with children with autism. According to Nicci, “It was evident in my work with kids with autism that they show great progress when they are on a gluten-free diet. The increasing number of children with celiac disease needing gluten-free diets motivated us to develop sophisticated GF shortbreads that replicate the crunchy mouth-feel and rich flavors of our wheat-based BISCOTTEA.” The resultant GF line provides safe, delicious treats to a growing population of people with gluten sensitivity or intolerance. Each batch is tested for gluten by an independent testing agency, and BISCOTTEA reports that its gluten-free shortbreads have less than four parts per million of gluten. A portion of each sale will benefit autism research.

If you’d like more information about this topic, please email Lindsey Goodwin at Lindsey.Goodwin@gmail.com or call her at 347/558-5846. You may also visit BISCOTTEA at the upcoming Fancy Food Show or schedule an interview with BISCOTTEA’s founder Laurance Milner by emailing Lindsey at Lindsey.Goodwin@gmail.com.

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Lipton Event Photos, Part Two

A continuation of last week's photos... More from the Lipton Tea event!

The "Mind" Room coming to life -- This is where we learned about tea and the brain













The "Body" Room -- The Wii Fit, pilates balls, yoga mats and tea helped with physical fitness













The Teabar in the "Spirits" Room -- This is where I held tea tastings and pairings














Displays in the "Spirits" Room














Lounge Area in the "Spirits" Room (before guests arrived, obviously)













Dr. Tea introducing me and Peter Goggi to one of the groups













Me Lecturing on tea tasting














A group tasting tea














Time for the pairing!













The tea-chocolate truffles were amazing! (You can read more about pairing tea and sweets on World Tea News.)













A group taking notes on tea pairings














Another group tasting paired teas and foods. There were five lectures through the day, with three different sets of pairings depending on the time.














Tea cocktails were served at the end of the day. (You can read more about tea cocktails on World Tea News.)














You can contact me for tea events at vee at veetea dot com, or read more on Vee Tea.

Fortnum & Mason Sale

Fortnum & Mason is having a 10% off and free shipping sale for all Daily Candy readers through January 31st. Be sure to check out their tea collection and tea accompaniments, like biscuits and jams in their Food Hall section. Yum!

Daily Candy is also offering a 30% off sale for "previously featured" items on the Target "Red Hot" shop, which includes a cute star-shaped mug. Rad.

More Tea Sweets

Here are some tea sweets I recently enjoyed. I made the tea-poached pears myself; here's a variation on the recipe, complete with tapioca pearls, but it's really very simple to make my basic version. Just poach peeled, cored pears in spices and enough sugar to form a simple syrup, add black tea for about 5 minutes while simmering and strain with a slotted spoon. You can add some butter early on if you want a richer taste. All the credit for the ginger-green tea cake goes to Ambrosia Bakery at my local CSA. They often use coffee and tea as ingredients in the baked goods, with fantastic results! (Or so I hear... I'm allergic to coffee, so I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have the same love for the espresso brownies as everyone else.) What are your favorite tea sweets for the holidays?

2008 NYC Chocolate Show

The 2008 NYC Chocolate Show opens tomorrow at Pier 94. Exciting! The line-up includes Charles Chocolate (they make amazing tea truffles with teas from Teance), NYC's own Jaques Torres, Serendipitea tea company, Valharona and more. Any of you readers going? Let me know if you spy any great tea chocolates or tea and chocolate pairings!

Chamomile Pudding

I recently saw this tasty recipe for chamomile pudding. (Puddings are so hot in the NYC dessert world right now. Cocktails and desserts alike are headed to the creamy, comforting side of the spectrum -- lots of milk and eggs, with classic flavors like vanilla.) If it didn't have gelatin in it, I'd be sure to make it! If any of you try it, please let me know what you think!

Cha An

I recently visited Cha An with a classmate from Urasenke Chanoyu (where I'm learning the Japanese tea ceremony). Here are some photos of their fantastic tea and desserts.


Sake sorbet with black sesame crisp and sencha tea



















Wild berry sorbet with sesame crisp






















Assorted desserts


As you can probably tell, I adore Cha An's desserts. It was the first time my new friend had been there, and she enjoyed them, too. We had two kinds of sencha, both of which were delicious and paired very well with the lighter-tasting sweets. Yum! What are some of your favorite spot for tea and sweets?

Cool Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea is getting a makeover in London hotels. Please ignore the tragic confusion between high tea and afternoon or "low" tea and enjoy this otherwise informative article on London tea trends.

Which London hotel's "tea with a twist" would you most like to try? I'm leaning toward The Metropolitan or The Athenaeum. Last year, during my tea visit to London, I visited Laudree at Harrods. (The Athenaeum also offers their products at tea.) Such beautiful cakes and sweets!!! It makes me want to write a whole new article on tea and sweets pairings about London's approaches to the sweet tooth during tea time. Perhaps...

Non-September Wagashi

During a recent interview with professional wagashi-maker Marybeth Welch, I learned a lot about wagashi, which are Japanese sweets used in tea ceremonies. Wagashi are usually made for specific seasons. Aside from the fact that most are extremely perishable, they tend to use stylized icons to represent the upcoming season. Sometimes, they also use seasonal ingredients, like sweet chestnut. The September wagashi I posted about on Monday were a classic version of the namagashi (40% water) style of wagashi in that they were made with only rice paste, sugar and red beans (azuki, ground into a paste in this case, but sometimes left with whole beans intact). Another popular type of namagashi is yokan, which is sometimes (rather incorrectly) referred to as a "jelly" candy. It's much denser than a jelly, and it's more shelf-stable than other types of namagashi. Here's an ACTUAL jelly candy, which is made with kanten (or agar agar, a sort of vegetarian gelatin):



Cute!!! Each element of the flower basket was a separate piece of candy. It's a type of hanamagashi, which are similar to namagashi, but are dryer (20-30% water) and more shelf-stable.








The last main type of traditional wagashi is higashi, or dry sweets (10% water). They keep much longer than other types, and most are pressed or spun sugar, like this:







(Please note: The remainder of this post is information I found on my own, so blame me and not Marybeth if anything is wrong!)









In Kyoto, there are local wagashi called kyogashi. Here are two from famed wagashi-maker Suetomi:




















There are lots of other types of Japanese sweets that may be influenced by other cultures or just less traditional. They're often called kashi, which just means "sweets." Here's one of hard candy kashi:



See the guy with the glasses pictured in the candy? He looks like my boyfriend! (Kerry, if you're reading this, don't you agree?)

I'm looking forward to learning more about wagashi through Urasenke Chanoyu in the future. For now I'm still practicing my bowing, cloth folding and other basics. :)

Pate de Fruit

Several of the people I interviewed for the tea and sweets article (I'm not linking it anymore... By now you've read it or you're not going to read it!) lauded pate de fruit as an overlooked/lost treasure of the tea pairing world. I'd never actually tried it before, so before I heard the recommendations, I thought of it as nothing more than glorified gummy bears. The conviction behind endorsements from people like James Norwood Pratt made me very curious about them, though, and I was lucky enough to have Charles Chocolates send me some samples!



Chuck Seigel of Charles Chocolates warned me that two of the flavors, Blood Orange and Passion Fruit, are too acidic to pair with tea. He was right -- they would have overpowered even a strong tea. (Perhaps they could pair with an intense fruit tea? But I can't see that being very interesting...) At any rate, they were good on their own, but the others were wonderful with tea. The White Peach was airy and floral, perfect for a first flush Darjeeling or a slightly astringent Japanese green tea. The Papaya was mellow but tropical, sweet, complex and lingering. I'd love to pair it with a chocolaty pu-erh, second flush Darjeeling, strong Keemun or mellow Ceylon. The Raspberry was refreshing and full of flavor, but not too tart -- ideal for Assam or Sri Lankan black teas or vegetal/astringent greens. Yum! I really hope the idea of pairing teas and pate de fruit catches on again in the near future! I'd love to be able to go into a tearoom and get these with my tea.

Dim Sum, Mooncakes and Tea

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of joining Winnie Yu (of Teance) and some of her friends for vegetarian dim sum and tea in Chinatown. (Winnie's rule -- Always bring your own tea to dim sum! Good advice...) She gave me these fantastic lard-free mooncakes, which she ordered from China for Teance. They are an important of the annual Moon Festival, which happens mid-fall, and were used to smuggle secret messages during the Ming Revolution. Since they are very heavy sweets, Winnie suggested pairing them with pu-erh, but they also go very well with the wonderful Tieguanyin Winnie gave me.

You can read more about pairing tea and sweets in my most recent World Tea News article. You can buy Winnie's incredible teas (which she sources from farms directly) on Teance's site. Maybe if they get enough emails requesting mooncakes, they'll offer them online next year. :)