STEEPWARE by The Tea Spot: Essentials Steeping Tools

How do you choose what kind of device to buy to steep your tea; there are so many out there?

Hope this short little video helps you understand why STEEPWARE designs are essential.

What's your favorite steeping device? We'd love to hear from you...

Steeping in the New Year with TeaTinis...

Wishing everybody a happy, healthy & fun 2010...

Boulder Blues Martini

Yields: 4, 5 oz servings

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Vodka
• 2 TBS BOULDER BLUES, to make tea concentrate, chilled*
• 2 oz Lemon Juice
• ½ TBS agave
• Strawberry and/or lemon slice for garnish

Preparation:

*How to make BOULDER BLUES concentrate:

1. Place 2 TBS of BOULDER BLUES green tea leaves in a 4 ounce measuring cup. Bring 3 ounces of water to boil and cool water for 3 minutes, bringing water temperature down to about 175°. Pour hot water over tea leaves and steep for 3 minutes. Strain out tea leaves and add enough ice to yield 8 ounces of tea. Tea Tip: Reserve tea leaves for re-steeping.
2. Pour ½ of all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice, shake to mix, strain into 2 martini glasses and garnish with strawberry and/or lemon. Repeat to yield 2 more servings.

Cheers...

Lapsang Souchong Braised Lamb

To celebrate Celestial Seasonings 40th year anniversary, Cindy Sutter, food editor for Daily Camera, wrote a tea-licious article entitled Kitchen teatime: Cooking up some tea-full recipes. She featured my Casanova Sliders, Green Roasted Tea Smoked Salmon, Corn off the Cob Quinoa Salad, Mango Tango Grilled Pineapple & Boulder Blues Muddler. 

Photo by MARTY CAIVANO

Along side my recipes were a few from Lenny Martinelli, proprietor of the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, an amazing hand-crafted teahouse, presented to Boulder by Mayor Maksud Ikramov, as symbol celebrating the establishment of sister city ties. Although the city of Boulder owns the building, Martinelli operates the restaurant. Martinelli is well-known for cooking with tea and has inspired me quite a few times during his annual cooking with tea class at the Rocky Mountain Tea Festival. 

Photo by Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse

One of his featured recipes in the article is a Lapsang Souchong Braised Lamb, which sounds enticing and intriguing. At first glance, it seems like a stew since the lamb is cut into cubes instead of being cooked in larger pieces. You might also think about to brining the lamb overnight if cooking with tougher parts of the meat. 

Due to lack of time, sleep and energy, I'm posting the recipe before testing it. I plan to test it Sunday. So, tune in next week for a verdict. 

Lapsang Souchong Braised Lamb

For the rub:

2 tablespoons Lapsang Souchong tea leaves, ground

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the braised lamb:

2 pounds lamb cubed

Salt and pepper to taste

1 onion diced

1 carrot diced

1 celery diced

1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic

3 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups water

Directions: Combine all rub ingredients. Toss with meat and let sit in refrigerator for half a day. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large saute pan. Season lamb with salt and sear. When you turn the meat to sear on the other side, add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and cook 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and brown lightly. Add water, cover pot and cook on low heat for about 11/2 hours. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Source: Lenny Martinelli

Let me know how it is if you test it before me...

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..

 

 

Tea on the Road - It’s getting a lot more interesting for tea lovers to travel in the US

Those of us who are tea fanatics, and/or drink tea like our lives depend on it, all have our own little tricks for getting our fix on the road. How many times have TSA guys been all over my “scissor” tea ball… (I carry my X-ray stealthy TUFFY STEEPER silicone infuser now!) or my Automatic Teapots - “does that thing play a tune?”… And we all know that “place” in every city to rush off to between meetings (Alice’s Tea Cup on the upper West side of New York City; Teaism in Dupont Circle, Washington, DC; the Imperial Tea Court in San Francisco, to name some of my favorites). Well, I’m finding less need to be frenetic about my travel stash any more, as more and more quality tea sellers pop up in new and surprising locations.

On a recent 3-day trip from Boulder to Cleveland and Rochester (a friend of mine offered condolences when I explained why I had to decline a dinner invite that weekend!) I had an amazing cup of freshly steeped tea on all three days away from home, none of which I had to prepare myself!

My departure from the Denver International Airport (DIA) was over an hour after my bus got to the terminal, so I started the trip well by chatting it up with my old friend and owner of the Cof-Tea café on the Main Concourse, Zach McNeal, over my morning standard Bolder Breakfast. Such a great treat to get my favorite breakfast tea, freshly made, at the airport! No longer a chore to have to wait for an arriving or departing flight at DIA with his loose leaf tea selection… Cof-Tea is open early, closes late, and is so central in DIA.

The next day, we had a quick lunch with my older daughter’s boyfriend in Cleveland. He recommended a sandwich place on the Case Western/Cleveland Institute of Music campus called Arabica Café. And oh, what a tea list! All 3 of us got different pots of loose-leaf tea, and they were all great – Japanese Sencha, Russian Caravan, and Oolong. My daughter sheepishly admitted that she never thought she’d find teas to rival what she got at home, until she discovered this place. Definitely fueled our 4+ hour drive to Rochester nicely…

Java’s, the café with an awesome vibe that will warm you inside and out, is located next door to the Eastman School of Music. Not only does it boast a nice tea list, but an entire second room of 20+ teas that you can also purchase in bulk. Way cool. I got to start my chilly Rochester morning with a cup of Puerh and a cup of Assam, then mixing the two and sharing with my daughter.

3 days, 3 locations - with no freshly steeped loose leaf tea until recently - and we enjoyed some of the best teas ever… Yes indeed, Change has come to America!