Like a Proud Mother...

The Earl is gaining some serious fan power! And like a proud mother, every time I hear gushing compliments I beam. About a year ago, I tweaked the recipe for our Earl of Grey.

It honestly all started with a downturn of the US economy. We were really hurting to maintain the price of our Earl while the prices of a few of its components were going through the roof, due to the strength of the US dollar falling through the floor. So in efforts to not raise the price or discontinue this tea, I attempted to match the precise flavor profile of our original blend by substituting a few components of our original European components with new teas that we could get custom blended. After obtaining multiple test versions of each new component, we chose the closest matches. Then came the task of finding the perfect blended proportion of each of the new components. After trying blend versions A1-Z900 (only a slight exaggeration), I kept getting close, but something was still missing. It was a creamy sweetness that was missing. Something was needed to round out the rough edges of citrus and black tea. The naturally sweet throat-coat of Licorice Root came to mind, so I tried adding some to the blend. The results were interesting, and it seemed like we were onto something. So there were another round of test blends A1-Z99 to find the perfect proportion of licorice root to add, and when we did.... mmmmmm.... our current blend was born.

Since then, we've received nearly all positive feedback from fans of our original blend, and from new people that discover this tea one way or another. Just this week, we received 2 unsolicited emails from people that took the time to write us and tell us how much they love this blend. Honestly, I was so flattered, since I consider the blend my baby, that it made my week! At risk of ego-boosting shameless boasting, here is one of this week's emails:

Thanks for your note. You are a sweet genius!

My wife brought the Earl of Grey home from Pier 1 as a small gift since I have fallen in love with black tea and the many possibilities. To be honest, I thought, "oh, a nice tin—I hope the tea is worth drinking". At that point I could no longer find the Russian blend I'd come to know and love in the local Russian food shop or on the internet. You know how having the box in front of you is really no help when you're searching in a different country and language.

To make a long and happy story a bit shorter; I was completely knocked out with your blend. It is so much like that licorice you had as a kid ... it just calls to you even though your mouth, mind and the licorice recipes have changed over the years ... you want it as you remember and you never want it to change or ever end. Recently, I finally found the licorice that tastes like what I remember AND I've found the perfect tea as a companion while I'm playing my guitar, writing songs and happy internet messages, sitting in the chilly mountain air on the deck, or just anytime I want to feel special. Honestly, I do feel a bit too pampered when I spoon out the tea. You have done a remarkable job. I bow to you.

Also, I share this with every tea drinker I know and try to recruit others into the ranks of mellow, satisfied folk by word of mouth, uh, keyboard. Half of my purchase will go to a new client and friend who will appreciate it. I was counting on Pier 1 to fulfill my pledge to him to bring him a tea he would enjoy and love. Unfortunately, they were totally out. Surprise? I should have anticipated that.

Anyway, I know I can point directly to you and say, "This is the nice lady who did it. She's my personal tea blender. She made my life better". Thanks again.

My very best regards and Cheers,

Michael

So if I've done nothing more for this world, at least I've done something positive for this one tea drinker. And who doesn't like to be called a sweet genius from time to time. I think I can die satisfied now.

Brasserie Ten Ten Steeps it Loose...

We are excited to announce that Brasserie Ten Ten is now serving our hand-crafted loose leaf tea in our artisan-made Steeping Mugs. Executive Chef Anthony (Tony) Hessel says 'Personally I enjoy giving our customers a wide range of choice in teas, the fact that it is local and the customers really enjoy it is an added plus. Karen's Knowledge of the teas have brought us to another level of service to the brasserie.'

Brasserie Ten Ten is located at 1011 Walnut St. in historic downtown Boulder, CO. Directly across the street from its sister restaurant, The Med. Brasserie Ten Ten seats about 88 customers and serves lunch, dinner and brunch on weekends. The restaurant is co-owned by Med owners Joe and Peggy Romano, Rob Kukura and executive chef Anthony (Tony) Hessel. Offering a French inspired cuisine since July 2003, Hessel uses French cooking techniques that include saucing, braising and sautéing as well as preserving meats. French classics include Bouillabaisse, Daube de Boeuf, Duck Confit and Bocuse.

Hessel, like many chefs’, learned how to cook by helping his mother. “My mom was an amazing chef and I would frequently help her out in the kitchen.” Growing up he always hated school but loved food. In high school he got a part time job at a big restaurant in Wilton, Connecticut where he fell in love with the restaurant industry. He starting washing dishes and worked his way up to busing tables, tending bar and eventually made his way into the kitchen where he worked with chef Steve Alwood who taught him how to keep his head down and ears in open.

During the early-80’s, after graduating highschool, Hessel moved to NY where he attended culinary school and worked with executive chef Patrick Clark at Tavern on The Green. Clark, an innovator of American Cuisine, taught Hessel how to combine flavors. Dropping out of culinary school right before his final exam, he decided to move to Paris. Like Julia Childs, his passion for cooking and food was ignited in Paris. Working illegally in kitchens for two years he learned how to see and taste the final dish before it was even made. He learned hands-on where the food came from. For example, he learned how to kill and pluck chickens in order to prepare it for the night’s dinner. After learning almost every aspect of the restaurant business, he moved to Denver and worked all over. He eventually made his way to San Francisco to work at Stars with executive chef/owner Jeremiah Towers. Towers, a crusader for ‘California Regional Cuisine’, worked with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse for many years until he opened Stars in 1984. At Stars, like in Paris, Hessel learned the importance of using locally grown ingredients to elevate simple dishes to fine delicacies. After 9 nine months he moved back to Denver. Working all over the place he eventually moved to Boulder where he worked at Pour de France and took trips to NY to work at their sister restaurant, Windows of World. Working himself to exhaustion and a divorce, he decided he wanted to step back from management to just work the line.

In 1995 he got a job in Boulder at the Med, where he kept his head down and his ears open. With a passion for food and a talent to control chaos, he was quickly promoted to executive chef. A few years later, Hessel began talking with Kukura and the Romanos about opening up another restaurant where Hessel could offer patrons dishes that would be more delicate to prepare. When the restaurant Dandelion closed across from the Med, the location and timing were perfect. The space fit the partners’ concept of a bustling European brasserie and the menu was already outlined in chef Anthony’s head.

BBocuse, another popular item on their menu is a spin on Paul Bocuse’s classic chicken dish that he created some 35 years ago. Hunger-style braised and pulled chicken thigh and leg, mushrooms, five lily (shallots, garlic, scallions, Bermuda onion, & sweet onion) served in a brandy cream sauce and nestled over seared spinach. The brandy  cream sauce is made of veal  stock, chicken stock, cream, butter, salt and pepper. I highly recommend pairing the Earl of Grey with the Bocuse because it complements the brandy cream sauce and five lily. Lunch $9.95 / Dinner $14.95

The most complicated, time consuming and popular item on the menu, the Duck Confit is served with Potato Gratin, glazed baby carrots & pommery mustard crémeis. I highly recommend pairing the Green Roasted Mint with the duck because it helps cleanse the pallet after every bite of the rich flavor.

For Duck: Make a green salt of equal parts, basil, thyme, rosemary, chives & marjoram with 3 cups of kosher salt, liberally cover duck legs (not breast) and cure for twenty-four hours. Wipe off excess salt and cover with clarified duck fat and cook for 12 hours at 175 degrees.      

Remove from oven and chill until needed. For gratin: thinly slice Kennebec on mandolin, julienne onions, fresh thyme, salt pepper, butter, cream & olive oil. Mix all ingredient together, let sit for 1 hour and then place in a buttered hotel pan, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees until done, about 1.5 hours. The Pommery Mustard sauce is a two part sauce of fist brandy, Coleman’s mustard, bay leaf, shallots that is reduced by half and strained. Then take 2 tbsp of that reduction with a bottle of white wine, veal stock & thyme and reduce by half, add cream then reduce by half again. To finish, add Dijon mustard, brown mustards seeds and season with salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice. To Compose dish: heat grapeseed oil in sauté pan add duck leg and sear on both side then place in oven to crisp. Heat a portion of the potato gratin in the oven until ready. Sauté the carrots (organic is best from one of the local farms, regular carrots don’t have flavor) in butter until the natural sugar is released and they begin to caramelize slightly (be careful, too much heat will burn the carrots) To Plate: Place 2 oz of sauce in the center of the plate, place duck in on top place gratin to one side and carrots on other and serve immediately. Lunch $13.95 / Dinner $18.95

Aside from fabulous lunch and dinners, they probably have the best happy hour in town and brunch on the weekend.

What's your favorite meal at Brasserie Ten Ten?

My cup of tea was somewhat weak :( evoking further memories of “Tea”…

Last night, we were at Santa Fe Opera’s production of Donizetti’s “Elixir of Love”, one of the funnest and most melodic operas ever. If you’ve never been to the opera before, this would be a fine place to start… The production was stellar: original, aesthetically beautiful, and superbly executed. But the soloists’ singing left me a bit wanting… which brought back memories of the last time I left the opera here wanting for more – Tan Dun’s Tea opera 2 years ago.

Needless to say, as both an opera and tea lover, and a great admirer of Chinese culture, I had expectations for Tea… Tea, the opera, is set in ancient Japan and China, and tells a tale based on historic facts of erotic love, mystery and intrigue surrounding the chase for the legendary tea master Lu Yu’s Book of Tea. This too, was a superbly professional production by Santa Fe Opera, but the only things that remain in my memory 2 years later are a shrieking E-flat clarinet, great banners of paper being rustled and ripped, and the sound of water being poured in and out of uplit glass bowls.

Like with all artistic endeavors, the outcomes are mixed – from production to production, even from night to night. But with a house having the stature and legacy of Santa Fe Opera, we’ve been thrilled here enough times to know that the outcomes can be world class. With the exception of the amazingly lovely bassoon solo last night in the tenor’s aria, this production left me wanting for more than the warm personality and solid performance of the two male leads. So onwards and upwards to Don Giovanni tonight and La Traviata tomorrow… we’ll be sure to hydrate plenty and caffeinate ourselves before the long evening shows here at 7000 ft altitude with Bolder Breakfast and Earl of Grey Puerh. And here’s to hoping our next “cup of tea” in Santa Fe is stronger! (Image courtesy Santafeopera.org)

Tea for Romance

Summer in Boulder: our extraordinary irises and wild Mariposa Lilies, which we’re well known for, are showing their varied colors and exuding their delicious fragrance. Wood roses are open and sharing their exotic perfume. These and more contribute to the lovely feeling of romance in the air…hence my inspiration for this post!

As busy entrepreneurs in our respective businesses, my fiancé and I don’t always have the time or energy for a leisurely 6 o’clock drink, but it’s still important for us to get together and reconnect at the end of our work days - which is just as beautifully, if not more so, accomplished with an informal gong fu tea ceremony and some aromatic (is there a pattern here?) oolong…or, if we need more of a lift, a nice strong pot of Earl Grey, or a Japanese green with some dark chocolate! When we’re really looking to unwind, a couple of aromatic steeping cups of Meditative Mind, our white tea blend sprinkled with rosebuds and green tea jasmine pearls, are just the thing.

A quick Google search on “aphrodisiacs” shows that there are many different categories of substances named after the Greek Goddess of love, Aphrodite, used in the belief that they increase sexual desire – aromatic, edible, stimulating, relaxing, hallucinogenic, and more.

The oil of bergamot in Earl Grey, it turns out, has long been used as an aromatic aphrodisiac to reduce muscle tension, anxiety, and stress. For added smoothness, our Earl of Grey has just a touch of licorice root, considered an excellent edible and aromatic aphrodisiac. In fact, traditional Chinese medicine used licorice root to enhance love and lust and the ancient Kama Sutra included it as an ingredient for many recipes to increase sexual vigor! According to research done at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, the smell of licorice root is particularly stimulating to women. I always thought the calming aromatherapeutic benefits coupled with the visual beauty of Meditative Mind helped make it our best-selling tea, and had quickly dismissed a most grateful cycling buddy who once told me that my gift of that tea turned his girlfriend wild! But my research unveils that the rosebuds and jasmine pearls may do more than simply calm us down. Rosebuds are, indeed, an aphrodisiac…mmm. Their aroma stimulates the brain and keeps the mind focused and alert (hence the name of our tea!). But rosebuds are also a great mood enhancer and amplify the libido! Eating them (though I don’t know about their infusion) apparently increases blood flow through the body and allows a warm sense of stimulation. Jasmine is also an aromatic aphrodisiac. So much for the meditation…perhaps we should have called it “Tantric Mind”.

Needless to say, the caffeine in tea can offer an energy boost at the end of a long day to get you back to your best when starting your evening with your sweetheart. You should consider a romantic tea break next time you come home. Just keep in mind the quote by the travel writer Catherine Donzel: “Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage”.

Simply Enigmatic- What Earl Grey tea, Keira Knightly and men's cologne have in common...just wait, you'll see!

The title lends itself to confusion...but take a deep breath and you'll see how it all fits!

The other day when I was writing my last blog, I was thinking about Earl Grey and it led me to want to know more about how it got its name and unique flavoring. I vaguely knew that it was named after an Earl of Grey from "way back when", but being a history major that information didn't satisfy me.

Doing a little bit of research led me to a simple answer. History states that the 2nd Earl of Grey was given a gift of black tea flavored with bergamot oil. Ok great. Nice and easy answer....um, but who was the 2nd Earl Grey? and what the heck is bergamot!? Maybe tea fans should automatically know what bergamot is, and maybe I should not be admitting that I don't know, but I don't, and still the history major in me wanted to know more, so I delved deeper.

The 2nd Earl Grey was actually Charles Grey, second son of General Sir Charles Grey. A well educated man having attended Trinity College and an active part of the Whig party, Charles was elected to Parliament at the young age of 22. His liberal views of Parliamentary reform and other political campaigns put him in close proximity with the Duchess of Devonshire another political activist. Grey and the Duchess ended up having an affair which more recently has been portrayed in the 2008 movie "The Duchess" staring Kira Knightly (ta da!) and the Earl of Grey being played by Dominic Cooper. Eventually after some time in Parliament, Grey was elected Prime Minister and served from November of 1830- July of 1834. It was during this time that he was supposedly given the present of black tea with bergamot, forever idolizing his name to the drink, Earl Grey.

Ok, now onto what bergamot is. Bergamot oil actually comes from the rind of a fragrant citrus fruit a Bergamot orange. The Bergamot orange was historically found and grown in Southeast Asia, but has more recently been mass produced in the coastal region of Calabria, Italy. The bergamot oil is the prominent fragrance not only in Earl Grey, but is found in 75% of men's cologne and in about 50% of women's cologne. (ta da!)


Well I believe that should satisfy my appetite for knowledge, although my appetite for a cup of Earl Grey tea has yet to be filled. I am excited that I know how it is flavored, the history behind it and I even found out a few more fun facts from the search. Now if only those questions came up in a trivia game....

Anywho, have some Earl of Grey today and enjoy a cup with some history behind it!

For more information go to these links.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Grey,_2nd_Earl_Grey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Grey_tea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergamot_orange

Simply Irresistable : Three black teas that are so good it's hard to choose which one to have as my first tea of the morning!

Some of you may sing in the shower (it's ok to admit it, I catch myself singing in the shower, not very well mind you, every once in a while), but this morning I caught myself singing in front of my tea options. "Simply Irresistible!"

Why was I singing this song? Because every morning I encounter the same conundrum " Which amazing tea will I have this morning?" Being that I work in at a tea company I get the pleasure of deciding which teas out of a multitude of options to have throughout the day, but it also makes the decision that much more difficult. To the outside observer it might look like I am standing in the kitchen just staring at the teas, but inside I'm having an internal battle choosing between three different teas: Bolder Breakfast Blend, Earl of Grey and New Moon Darjeeling.

I'll give you a little insight as to why I have such a hard time choosing, and you can decide for yourself which one you would prefer.

Bolder Breakfast Blend has opened a new world of breakfast blends for me. It is smooth and rich and the best part is it has a hint of a chocolate undertone. Now for all of those out there like myself who always prefer a Mocha to any other coffee drink, then you'll understand why I not only prefer this tea to coffee (containing 0 calories over the average mocha containing at least 200 calories) but why I have a hard time not choosing a tea with a slight chocolate flavoring. It is a nice and bold blend and because it contains Pu'erh a highly coveted slightly smoky black tea, it gives me enough of a kick to get me started in the morning.

Earl of Grey on the other hand, has me by my heart strings. I grew up really disliking Earl Grey, but ours is so incredibly smooth, flavorful, and not bitter, that I have now grown to adore it. I feel like I'm in a Folgers Commercial when I open the tin of Earl of Grey...one big sniff and I'm hooked. I have smelled and tasted many an Earl Grey in my day and most of them smell stale, taste bitter, and have an odd unnatural aroma. Our is incredible. While you can pick out the bergamot smell that all Earl Grey tea has, the additional combined flavors of licorice root, citrus and vanilla make this tea an all day addiction. Add a little sweetener and/or milk...to die for. Where's my biscotti?

And then there's New Moon Darjeeling that makes me feel like a queen. Before this job I had never tasted Darjeeling (at least, not that I know of) and it wasn't till our new organic Darjeeling was launched that I cared to try some. Darjeeling is called the Champagne of teas because like Champagne, it is only produced in the Darjeeling region and the tea growing and processing is unique to that tea. Darjeeling is less fermented than most black teas, so has slightly less caffeine, but it still retains has that creamy and smooth black tea flavoring that I desire in the morning. Darjeeling makes me feel like a queen because while it is a tea that is at anyone's disposal, I feel like a prize has been given to just me when I make a cup of it.

I think you can see why my decision is a difficult one...

So what did I pick this morning you ask?

This morning I chose Bolder Breakfast Blend and it was PERFECT.

Tomorrow morning...who knows!? Will I be in a rich and chocolate mood? A vibrant and smooth mood? or do I want to be queen of the morning? Decisions, decisions.

But they're all..."Simply Irresistible"
(don't blame me if this song gets stuck in your head)


Sunrise Image from: www.flickr.com/photos/52756285@N00/95230597/

Haute Couture of Tea (part deux)

The previous post reminds me of some serious tea couture - the Red Dress created a few years ago by designer Brett Cooper. After being commissioned by Celestial Seasonings to make a red gown from their tea packaging, Cooper transformed nearly 700 packets of tea into this red gown and matching hat, purse, and heels. Celestial Seasonings donated a portion of sales of this brilliant Red Dress to WomenHeart, the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. Kudos to our Boulder neighbors for fundraising in such a fun & whimsical way! Their goal was to also help raise awareness that black tea may actually help lower cholesterol, a major factor of heart disease. The link between black tea and heart health has been supported by numerous scientific studies. You can find our current list of black teas here: Organic Blue Mountain Nilgiri (the one I'm happily sipping currently), Organic New Moon Darjeeling, Bolder Breakfast, Earl of Grey, Creme Caramel, and Mango Tango.

What's Cookin' Good Lookin'?

There's always something cooking in the TeaSpot kitchen, so in accompaniment to our blog about tea-riffic cocktails, I thought I would go ahead and add the piece de résistance: a few mouth-watering recipes for cooking with tea. So put on your aprons, collect your spatulas, and get in the kitchen and make me some dinner!

Image courtesy of www.cocktail.uk.com

Tea has long been consumed at all times of the day and with all types of food, and also as an after-dinner digestif. Tea's wide range of subtle and poignant flavors make it perfect for added flavors in food. So it only makes sense that at some point during the human experience, our big-'ole brains would combine the two in the kitchen for some new culinary experiences.

So, without further ado, I give you the following recipes, courtesy of TeaSpot founders Maria Uspenski and Karen Harbour:

Green Tea Chicken Noodle Soup
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken, cut into1/2 inch pieces
2 teaspoons GREEN ROASTED MINT leaves steeped in one half-cup (4 oz) water
5 ounces dry bean thread noodles
4 cups chicken stock
2 (1/2 inch thick) slices ginger root, lightly mashed
1/2 cup oyster mushrooms, cubed
3 cups packed spinach leaves, large stems removed
Salt and white pepper, as desired

PREPARATION: Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the green tea. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour to marinate. Cover the bean thread noodles with warm water. Soak until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain. In a big pot bring the stock, ginger and mushrooms to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Add the chicken, including the GREEN ROASTED MINT marinade, and noodles. Return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Add the spinach and boil for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Red Rocks Roasted Potatoes
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs Red Potatoes, cubed
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
3 teaspoons agave or honey
3 tablespoons TeaSpot’s Red Rocks tea, finely ground
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon white pepper

PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 425°. In a large roasting pan or baking sheet, spread cubes potatoes evenly. In a bowl, mix oil, vinegar, Red Rocks tea, agave, salt & pepper. Drizzle mixture over potatoes and toss together. Cover with foil and place in oven. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes. Uncover and stir. Broil for an additional 5 - 10 minutes to brown top. Serves 6 – 8.

Orange-Mango Tango Duck
INGREDIENTS:
2 Boneless duck breast halves
¾ cup chopped shallots
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups fresh or non-concentrated orange juice
4 teaspoons MANGO TANGO leaves
1 Tablespoon honey
3 Tablespoons diced butter
salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 450F. Pierce skin of duck all over with fork and sprinkle duck with salt and pepper. Place duck, skin side down, in a heated skillet to brown (about 4 minutes). Turn duck breasts over and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Remove and place in a roasting pan, then continue to cook in 450F oven to desired doneness, about 20 minutes for medium-rare. Meanwhile, heat the drippings left in the skillet over medium. Add shallots and sauté until golden. Remove discarded drippings. Add broth, orange juice and MANGO TANGO leaves. Bring to boil. Reduce to about 1 cup and strain. Return liquid to same skillet and add honey; simmer 2 minutes. Whisk in butter and add salt and pepper to taste. Slice thin and serve with sauce.

Fragrant Rice

VINTAGE OOLONG will give your ordinary rice a sweet and subtle aroma. Perfect with any mustard sauce or cream-based entree.
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups water
2 teaspoons VINTAGE OOLONG
2 cups rice
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
salt, 1/2 teaspoon, or to taste

PREPARATION: Boil water. Add rice, salt and olive oil and reduce heat to simmer. After 5 minutes add vintage oolong leaves. Cover and simmer for an additional 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is ready. Remove vintage oolong leaves – they will all be at the surface of the rice. Serves: 4 - 6

Earl of Grey Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp Earl of Grey (dry leaves, ground)
2 c flour
2 eggs
4 oz. (1/2 c) butter, melted
1/2 c cane sugar
1 TBS decorative sugar crystals
a few loose Earl of Grey tea leaves

PREPARATION: Beat the melted butter with the sugar. Add 1 egg, then flour and powdered tea, until you get a homogeneous dough. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour. Grease a cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 400F. Beat 2nd egg with 1 TBS water in a small bowl. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 in thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Cut out cookies into desired shapes, and place on cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg mixture. Decorate with loose sugar crystals and tea leaves. Bake about 10 mins or until just golden. Cool on rack and let come to room temperature before serving.

Boulder Blues Fruit Salad
INGREDIENTS:
6 teaspoons TeaSpot’s Boulder Blues steeped in 4 oz hot water
1/4 cup agave or 1/3 cup honey or sugar
Assorted Fruit (Strawberry, blueberry, mango, pineapple, apple, raspberry, melon, grapes)

PREPARATION: Steep Boulder Blues tea in 4 ounces water at 175° for 2 minutes (Note to bring water to 175° - boil and let cool for 3 minutes). Add hot tea to agave and whisk. Mix fruit in a big bowl. Drizzle Boulder Blues syrup over fruit. Mix gently and let sit for 20 - 30 minutes before serving.

Voilá!