The Tea Spot's Founders on TV...

                                                               

June 26th 2009, a day to remember...Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon dead; while Maria and I were interviewed lived by the beautifully sweet Peggy Bunker, Fox 31's Good Day news anchor...

My heart started to beat faster as Maria told Peggy about her personal struggle fighting Ovarian Cancer on live TV. She rarely talks about her survival because she is fearful that it might return. As I stood next to her listening, my heart rate started to slow down. The relaxed tone in voice made me realize that she is finally comfortable talking about her experience and has come to a point in her life where she is ready to embrace her fight for life in the hopes of helping others. 'Founded with a passion for great tasting full leaf teas and desire to help fight cancer; The Tea Spot is dedicated to make loose leaf tea an everyday luxury', Maria explains as Peggy turns to ask how I incorporated tea into my recipes. "I used tea to smoke the salmon and made a Tea-soning that I sprinkled over the top of the salmon with a little olive oil. I incorporated tea into my MATE LIMON tequila marinade that brushed all over the corn on the cob. I used tea to help caramelize the grilled MANGO TANGO pineapple and made a simple tea syrup for the BOULDER BLUES Infused Muddle. A perfect menu for your 4th of July BBQ...And thanks to Whole Foods (Pearl) for all the ingredients."

Main Entree

Green Roasted Tea - Smoked Salmon

Layering the salmon on top of wood chips and roasted green tea leaves blended with peppermint produces a smoky, nutty yet refreshing flavor. Rubbing the fish with this GREEN ROASTE MINT Tea-soning will complement the smoky flavor while adding a little spice, a dash of sweetness and a slightly crusty coating

Servings:  4

Prep Time: 20-25 minutes / Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Level: Easy

Ingredients: Tea-Sonings

Tea + Seasonings = Tea-Sonings

Mix the following ingredients

• 1 TBS GREEN ROASTED MINT TEA, finely grounded
• 1 TBS Cilantro
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

Ingredients: Salmon

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 2 TBS GREEN ROASTED MINT
• 2 cups wood chips (alder or cedar), soaked for 15 minutes
• Aluminum foil, heavy

Ingredients: Drizzle 

• ½ of Tea-sonings (about 2 TBS)
•  4 TBS olive oil
  

Preparation

1.   Combine all Tea-sonings ingredients in a small bowl. Divide Tea-sonings in ½ (reserve ½ to sprinkle on top of salmon & ½ for drizzle). Pat dry salmon with paper towels. Brush salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with ½ of tea-sonings.

2.   Cut out four rectangles of aluminum foil, crimp edges until each tray measure 7 X 5 inches. Cut small slits in bottom of trays. Put ½ cup soaked wood chips and ½ TBS GREEN ROASTED MINT tea in each tray. Place salmon skin-side down on top of tea and wood chips.

3.   Turn all burners on high and heat grill with lid on down until very hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grate clean with grill brush.

4.   Place foil trays with salmon over fire, cover and grill until center of fillet is opaque, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk reserved Tea-sonings and olive oil for drizzle. Remove trays from grill. Slide metal spatula between skin and flesh. Transfer to platter and drizzle with olive oil Tea-sonings.

Side Dish

MATE LIMON Tequila Roasted Corn on the Cob

The tart citrus flavors mixed creamy butter and a little spice from the Tea-sonings is flavorful and easy to make at your next BBQ.

Servings: 4-6

Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

·        6 ears corn

·        ¼ cup tequila or apple cider vinegar

·        1 lime, zest and juice

·        3 TBS butter, at room temp

·        Tea-Sonings: Tea + Seasonings = Tea-Sonings

       Mix the following ingredients

o               1 TBS MATE LIMON CHAI, finely grounded

o               1 TBS sugar

o               1 tsp garlic powder

o               1 tsp cayenne pepper

o               1 tsp salt

o               1 tsp pepper

·      Oil for cooking grate

Preparation:

1.      Preheat grill until hot. Scrape grate clean.  Lightly dip small wad of paper towel in oil, holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate.

2.       Peel back cornhusks and remove silk. In a mixing bowl, combine tequila or vinegar, lime zest and juice, butter and Tea-sonings. Brush butter Tea-soning completely over corn. Close husks and set aside until grill is hot.

3.       Place corn indirectly on grill and cook for about 10 minutes until tender and lightly browned, turning occasionally.

Dessert

Grilled Pineapple Infused with a MANGO TANGO Tea Simple Syrup

The sugars of the pineapple will automatically help to caramelize the exterior of the fruit but by soaking in a MANGO TANGO simple tea syrup, we take it two steps further; adding subtle tones of Mango, hints of refreshing citrus finished off with a caramelized coating and a burst of cinnamon. Eat it by itself or dress it up as a sundae, either way you’ll be having a party in your mouth.

Servings: 4-6

Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

Level: Easy

Ingredients

·      1 ripe pineapple

·      2 TBS MANGO TANGO tea, steeped into 4 oz MANGO TANGO tea concentrate, reserve tea leaves for re-steeping

·      1 lemon, zest & juice

·      ½ cup agave

·      1 TBS cinnamon

·      1 TBS brown sugar

·      Oil for cooking grate

·      Optional: Make a sundae, add an ice Cream, whip cream, chocolate syrup and granola

Preparation:

1.   Preheat grill to high, cut rind off pineapple leaving stem to help cut slices. Cut pineapple ½ inch slices.

2.   Bring 5 oz water to boil, pour hot water over MANGO TANGO tealeaves, steep for 4 minutes. Remove tealeaves and reserve leaves for re-steeping.

3.   In a mixing bowl, whisk tea, agave, lemon zest & juice, cinnamon and brown sugar. Brush pineapple with tea-syrup.

4.   Grill pineapple slices until heated through and slightly brown, about 2-3 minutes each side.

5.    Optional: Make a sundae, add a scoop of ice cream, whip cream, chocolate syrup and granola. YUMMY!!!

Tea Drink:

BOULDER BLUES Infused Muddle

The Tea Spot Chef recreated this drink by Jon Hoeber (published in Bon Appetite July 2009), the farmer’s market mixologist at the Rustic Canyon restaurant in Santa Monica. Muddling the fresh strawberries with simple BOULDER BLUES tea syrup creates a slightly sweeter tangier twist with a hint more color on this already marvelous drink.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes / Chill Time: 2-3 hours

Level: Easy

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sugar
• 2 TBS BOULDER BLUES, yielding 4 oz tea concentrate*
• 1 ½ cup strawberries, chopped and hulled
• 6 tin lemon slices
• 1 750-ml bottle chilled Prosecco

Preparation:

1. *Make BOULDER BLUES concentrate:

Place 2 TBS of BOULDER BLUES green tea leaves in an 8 oz measuring cup. Bring 5 ounces of water to boil and cool water for 3 minutes bringing water down to about 174°. Pour hot water over tealeaves and steep for 2-3 minutes. Strain out tealeaves and add enough ice to yielding 6 oz of tea. Tea Tip: Reserve tealeaves for resteeping.

2. Stir sugar and tea concentrate in small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Cool.
3. Divide strawberries among 6 – 8 oz glasses; add 1 TBS tea syrup to each glass and mash with muddler or wooden spoon. Add lemon and mash and ice cubes and fill with Prosecco.

 Hope your getting some ideas for the tea recipe you'll be entering into our contest...Let me know if you have any questions..