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Company’s Coming – Quick Summer Recipes For Serving Great Tea (Or a warm spring day)

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

It seems like “fast” never quite seems “fast enough” when guests show up on your doorstep. Summer and friends go hand in hand and when it comes to summer drink recipes, any tea lover will tell you that nothing ever seems to go as quickly as we want or expect. (like the time you tried to make iced tea in a hurry and ended up with a watered down mess.) Well, let me do my part to help you speed things up with two summer tea recipes that help you serve your guests as fast as possible (especially if you’re strapped for time).

Recipes #1: Smoothies Work Well if Serving 2-4 Guests

Tea smoothies are loved by all ages and combine cool refreshing ingredients with speed. I suggest keeping a few ingredients in the freezer to make this process even easier.

1 Cup Greek Yogurt (Vanilla or Plain)
1 Cup Iced Tea
1 Cup Frozen Fruit – Your Choice (must be frozen in order for this recipe to work!)

This is a great mix and match basic recipe. Toss in stevia or honey and sweeten to taste. Blend to the consistency that says “summer” and serve with a fresh wedge of fruit on the glass. This recipe serves 2-3 people and takes only moments to prepare.

Recipes #2: Punches Work Well For Group Gatherings

This recipes is critical to your success if you are planning a reunion or bbq gathering. Grab a big punch bowl or glass beverage dispenser and create this simple cool drink.

Toss in a pitcher of strong iced tea (sweetened works best) and mix with one bottle of citrus based soda. Add some fresh lemons and limes and a cup or two of orange juice to taste (can be a frozen concentrate.) This quick and easy punch offers refreshment for a crowd in a hurry.

Both of these recipes put some entertainment power in every tea lover’s corner. But don’t forget, there’s a lot more simple ways to use tea this summer, so don’t let this article be the end of your journey. Instead, let it be the beginning of your quest for more knowledge.

By the way, our shop offers a fantastic collection of teas perfect for summer entertaining. Visit us online at : http://www.Unicornwineguild.com or in person at our shop in Belpre, Ohio.

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Cooking with Tea- Tips and Tricks That Work Like Magic

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

Cooking with tea is one of the fastest ways to grab greater health and vitality in a hurry. Here are two simple ways to begin cooking with tea today.

Tea Secret #1: Tea Makes a Great Rub

Tea can serve as a spice for a variety of meats such as chicken. pork, fish or beef. The key is using a simple recipe that is easy to apply. Here’s one I recommend for pork or beef. (think smokey grilled steaks..yum!)

2 Tablespoon Lapsang Souchong or other good black tea
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Black pepper

Grind all the ingredients together and spread over your meat (both sides.) Let your meat rest,covered in the rub, for several hours in the fridge. Your dinner will soak up the terrific smoky taste of the Lapsang leaves and be ready for the BBQ.

Tea Secret #2: Tea Makes Great Marinade

If you love cooking with chicken then green tea will be your best friend. Use this simple recipe to marinate chicken or fish that you plan to bake, pouch or grill.

Brew 5 Tablespoons of your favorite green tea in 6 ounces of 180 degree water (prior to boil.) Steep for 5 minutes. Pour the tea into your marinade dish and mix with 1/2 cup of orange juice, one Tablespoon of olive oil, some fresh chopped rosemary and a bit of salt and pepper. If you love garlic or onions toss in a bit as well.

Add your chicken to the marinade and let the flavors meld together overnight in the fridge. (Be sure to turn the chicken a few times to make sure it is well coated.)

Prepare as desired. YUM!

Once you understand the facts about cooking with tea, you can move forward with confidence – and testing these recipes is a great start for anyone who loves tea and wants to improve their health.

By the way, if you’re interested in cooking with tea and still have questions, why not contact us? We sell great loose leaf tea along with wine and gifts. Visit us online at http://www.UnicornWineGuild.com or come in and see us in person at the Unicorn Wine Guild, Belpre, Ohio.

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Afternoon Tea Party Bridal Shower Theme

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

Are you planning a bridal shower but want to make it a bit different than the usual shower? Consider incorporating an afternoon tea theme into your plans. The event doesn’t need to be a serious high tea with straight faces all around. Make it fun for the bride and the guests by going all out and encouraging everyone to get involved.

Make it fun for the bride and the guests by going all out and inspiring everyone to get involved.

If you want your guests to arrive prepared, make sure their invitation states that they are invited for an afternoon tea party. Hint that they bring items to help lighten the mood, such as fancy gloves, hankies or hats that they can use all through the shower. Getting the guests involved before the shower means fewer surprises during the shower and gives them a heads up as to what they can expect. There will always be some guests who won’t feel comfortable participating, so don’t let them get you down.

It’s also a great idea to have some extra costume pieces for guests who don’t have anything at home that they can bring.

The best way to get the atmosphere of an afternoon tea is to serve tea in fancy tea pots. Borrow these from friends and family if you don’t have them yourself. Just be careful with them to make sure they don’t break. You’ll also require fancy tea cups and saucers and entice everyone to drink with their pinkie fingers in the air! Make it light-hearted and turn it into a shower game!

You can also use tea pots as vases and fill them with fresh flowers. These would make excellent centerpieces, set on a napkin or embroidered cloth.

To accompany the tea, serve dainty sandwiches filled with cream cheese and cucumber slices. Scones with homemade preserves and thick cream are also applicable for this theme. Small cookies and squares will introduce some diversity to your party menu.

An afternoon tea bridal shower isn’t complete without, of course, the tea. But don’t feel constrained to only this beverage. You can serve iced tea, coffee, or punch as well, but keep in the spirit by serving all of the drinks in tea cups.

If you have lots of room, set up dainty tables with four or five chairs at each table for the atmosphere of smaller parties going on at the same time. If tea is the main beverage, you can set up one pot per table and let your guests help themselves.

Keep the bride involved in the theme by providing some tea party garments for her. She may appreciate the theme since it will take some of the attention and pressure off of her as the guests get caught up in their tea party. Having a theme also helps to keep the festivities going without those awkward silences that occasionally happen because it gives people who don’t have a lot in common something to talk about.

Make sure that you and your co-hosts are willing to jump head first into the shower theme. The more you are willing to get into it, the more willing your guests will be to follow suit. Your enthusiasm will be contagious and will make everyone else more comfortable to join in. If you’re having funArticle Search, your guests will too.

Christopher Smith
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DecorateFor can give you great ideas on Fresh Flower Arrangements, House Plants and Winter Decoration Ideas. Visit us today.

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Different Tea Traditions Around the World

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Expert Author Rob Hamilton
Is it teatime already? It probably is somewhere! Tea is a very unique drink that is often described as “more of an experience than just a beverage” and that’s probably true. Not many beverages have their own special time of the day to be enjoyed that have left a huge mark on the world or changed history the way that tea has. Tea has been around for hundreds of years and is a part of many time honored traditions around the world. Each place has its own variety of time honored tea traditions including the following.

The Chinese tea ceremony probably the oldest and has always had a significant role in Chinese culture. During the ceremony, the host serves tea to their guests as they sit together, smelling the aroma of the tea first, and then slowly tasting it, taking time to enjoy the soothing flavors. The Chinese, as with many cultures, consider enjoying tea with guests a symbol of goodwill, a way to ask for forgiveness or show appreciation.

In Japan, tea is more of a metaphor for the state of being. It’s a very Zen experience that can be shared in a group but it is more about reflection. The Japanese tea ceremonies are carried out in a place where everything is aesthetically calming and you feel at peace. The tea consumed is smooth and comforting to drink, and the ceremony is designed to elevate the spirit. With a cup of tea in every hand of celebrants, the day becomes more serene.

In Russia, black tea is the most common variety. The Russian tea ceremony is so important that it has many different works of art and books dedicated to the process itself, illustrating it in various forms. The Russian tea ceremony is also very social but it is a much darker and bitter drink than the tea variations favored in other nations.

India has always had a booming tea industry. Tea is enjoyed in many different varieties, and for many different occasions. However, it’s more tied to the economy. Buying and selling tea is a traditional way to make a living in India.

Tea can be purchased and enjoyed anywhere in the world today, and is available is a wide variety of blends as well. Every nation has their own tea traditions and most are based on good will and kindness. All this from a soothing cup of tea.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Hamilton

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Downton Abbey

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

It’s Official! PBS has announced that Season 4 of Downton Abbey will premier in the U.S. on Sunday, January 5, 2014, and will run on Sunday evenings through February 23, 2014. And, yes, it will premier in Britain in September 2013. PBS is counting on the hype from the reviews to boost their earnings. Last year there were several stories about Downton Abbey premier parties. And this year is sure to have its share. You’d love to do one yourself, but you just aren’t sure how. Now is the time to begin preparations. Yes. Now. Anticipation is half the fun. Preparation is most of the work.

Of course, Downton Abbey’s dining room is resplendent with china, silver, crystal and linen. Expensive. Not necessarily. Look around. Did you receive a candelabra for your wedding that you’ve never used? What’s tucked away in the basement, the attic, the back of the closet? Shop flea markets, yard sales, antique stores, auctions and second hand stores for the accessories you want to carry off such a party. Just today I visited a nearby flea market. There was a silver tea pot, sugar and creamer all for under $25. Maybe borrow from Mom or Grandma or a wonderful aunt. Don’t forget the costuming. Dresses, hats, gloves, furs, tiaras, jewelry (costume and otherwise.) Season 4 is to cover 1922-23, but I would think anything from the Edwardian period would be just in style.

Plan ahead by gathering pieces together and planning your party using what you have. The menu can vary as you add pieces. Will it be sit down or buffet? An evening meal or afternoon tea? Where will it be?

Perhaps you will not be doing a premier party, but a party to recap the first three seasons and get up to speed for the fourth. A shower for the babies or a funeral tea for the loss of one or more of the characters is another option. The party may evolve throughout the next couple of months so keep notes. Or you may gain enough notes to throw more than one party. After all, you’ll have the needed dining pieces.

Do you belong to a woman’s club? Fundraisers are always needed. If you would throw a shower, donated items could be given to a local agency such as a domestic shelter. Maybe the club would want to partner with the local museum for a program on the fashions of the day, WWI or the Roaring 20’s. If you have the funeral tea, items could be donated to a charity that might have been supported by the deceased, such as the Red Cross.

A search through those flea markets, used book stores and charity book sales may yield recipe, etiquette and entertainment books from the time, as well. An internet search will lead you to blogs devoted to the show. Online bookstores such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble will have DVD’s of the show, CD’s of music and even books about castle where the series is filmed.

The theme is perfect for trivia games, personality games (which character are you, which job would you hold), even murder mysteries. Can’t wait for January? How about a Halloween party? It’s your party. Have fun.

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Organize a Book Club Tea

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

Summer is on it’s way. Vacations, longer days, a little more relaxed time. Now is the time to organize a book club (or revitalize the one you do belong to) – and a tea to go with it. It might just be for summer reading or you might enjoy each other’s company so much you carry through to the rest of the year.

If your book club is not already established, to make sure you have a solid group at every meeting, try to recruit at least six readers. Remember the old adage of intimate is never more than eight. Need help finding those members? Try co-workers or friends of friends.

Clubs tend to meet once a month for an hour and a half during the school season, but the summer may find you meeting a little more often or for a little longer. Sometimes the club meeting occurs as a rotation at each members home. Others meet at a tea room or café. Both are OK. You might even want to try a pot luck picnic.

For each meeting a member should make a dished inspired by that month’s book selection. Cooking novices should not be intimidated. A lot of chick lit, memoirs and cozy mysteries have easy recipes.

But, wait. The title of the blog post is organize a book club TEA. If you are just starting the club, then you supply the food and tea for the first meeting. If it is an established group, each person brings a portion of a menu.

You know I love Laura Childs books so I’ll use hers as an example. In both her Cackleberry Club series and in her Tea Shop series, menus abound. Just read. In the later tea shop books she has ideas for teas in the back of the book. Cackleberry books require a little more reading to find the menu. But somewhere in the books there is an afternoon tea of some sort. Sometimes the book has the recipe. Other times it will take a little research. Other suggested authors include Leslie Meier, Laurie Gwen Shapiro, Jessica Beck, Brian O’Reilly and Diane Mott Davidson.

Select your book, read it and gather ideas. Keep it simple. Don’t intimidate the other members by having a high tea the first time. Scones or cookies and tea with the accompaniments will be fine.

A couple of weeks before your meeting, decide when and where to meet and invite the members. Remind them of the book selected and print out a list of other food-themed titles for the future.

A day or two before the meeting check your pantry to see you have all you need for the food, make sure you have enough china, cups, napkins, etc. Shop and prepare any item that can be done ahead. The day of prepare the food, arrange your furniture for conversation and be sure to allow yourself twice the time you thought it would take. (Mishaps happen.)

It’s time to gather. Set aside the first fifteen to twenty minutes for social time and serving so everyone can focus on the book the remaining hour. If you’re stumped for things to say when discussing the book, start by exploring the character’s relationships to food.

Before the end of the session establish a rotation of hostesses and the next book to read. Set parameters for food costs and the formality of the event. Decide the months you want to meet. Do you want to skip the December meeting as things are so busy or does a member really want to show off her home and have a holiday tea?

Also, decide whether you will stick with one genre or whether you will rotate that, too. Perhaps it’s chick lit, or cozy mysteries or something deeper. Maybe you want to stick with an era – Downton Abbey/Edwardian, Victorian, 70’s, etc. If you choose Edwardian you could always dress the part and have a party to watch the season opener together.

Fix yourself a cup of tea, gather your tablet, find a cozy chair and let your imagination organize the event. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. Have fun and enjoy.

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Tea Party for Grown Ups

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

Dawnya Sasse has been one of my mentors during my tea journey. Here is one of her articles from e-zines. com.

By Dawnya Sasse

Adults, just as much as children, enjoy a tea party that celebrates any sort of occasion. Serving loose leaf tea is a healthy alternative to any party option and with the wide range of teas available, you can incorporate any theme or celebrate any occasion. From birthdays to anniversaries or other events, tea is a fun, unique and easy way to create a party. Use the event (is it a birthday or anniversary?) to determine the best types of tea to serve or, consider hosting a themed party. A theme can be based on anything from a book character to the time of year. Your party can be as simple or elaborate as you like. Just use your imagination, because you are sure to find a tea that is perfect for the occasion!

Activities

Depending on the celebration, activities may range from traditional to unusual or even none at all! In the fast-paced world we live in, many adults will welcome the chance to sit and enjoy a hot cup of tea and good
conversation. Sometimes people need a reason to relax, and a tea party can be just that. However, if you want to incorporate activities, these can easily be based on the reason for the gathering. Consult with your local party supply store or do a quick search online.

You can incorporate a “tea twist” on many common games, for example. Bridal and baby shower games can include a tea theme (such as word scrambles or searches), and tea gifts make wonderful party favors for your attendees. Package loose teas in festive netting and tie it with a beautiful ribbon. Love bingo? Try Teago and let your guests learn about tea and its customs while competing in a familiar game. (www.teago.com [http://www.teago.com])

Decorations

Decorations will depend on the activity, such as a birthday, anniversary, or baby shower. Create a theme for the party, such as a vacation getaway for an anniversary. Decorate the room with beach balls, beach towels and have guests sit in outdoor lounge chairs (or if the weather is nice, take the party outside!). A “famous babies” theme for a baby shower is much more interesting than decorations that are all green and yellow. Try filling the room with photos of actors who got their start in “pampers.” The key is to put a twist on your party, and then, of course, offer a twist on the tea you serve such as a fruity tea for the beach party or bubble tea for a baby shower.

Music

Music selections for your parties can vary greatly. To make it easy on yourself, look for compilation CDs that incorporate the theme. A CD of soft love songs is a great choice for an anniversary, for example, or an orchestrated mix of lullabies for a baby shower. Visit your local music retailer for specific suggestions or do an online search for CDs that pertain to your theme.

Invitation Ideas

Use your theme to determine the types of invitations you will use. Get creative and make your own using specialty papers, or throw in a few loose tea leaves for a scented and enticing invitation (although some people
may not appreciate tea leaves falling out, so consider some type of mesh envelope!). Because you’ll be centering your party on tea, think of using naturally colored invitations and alternative papers. A traditional birthday invitation may not be quite what you’re looking for, so look into blank cards as well, as you can then add your own words.

Foods

What should you serve at a tea party? Again, your theme will have a lot to do with the food selections. If your theme is an anniversary beach party, for example, serve exotic fruits and finger sandwiches. If you are hosting a famous baby tea try collecting and serving favorite recipes of the stars then let your guests vote on the best appetizer.

Teas

Many parties lend themselves well to lighthearted and fruity teas and tisanes. Consider offering teas that your guests may not encounter otherwise. This is a fun way to introduce new teas and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

Creativity is a fountain of youth. Now grab a pencil, jot down your ideas and get started.
(C) Dawnya Sasse

Dawnya Sasse is the creator of the ultimate tea business training school allowing students to discover the secrets of the tea industry, “quickly and easily” without ever leaving home.

Why do some people succeed in the tea business? Discover how to “Unlock the Secrets of the Billion Dollar Tea Industry from the Comfort of Your Own Computer” and make your tea dream a reality. Free audio mini course http://www.StartATeaBusiness.com

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Tea For a Crowd

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

I love books. I miss my Borders store greatly. So I was thrilled that one of the local churches and the county library had book sales on the same day. Because I love bargains, too. Old cookbooks are a favorite. So, I now have “The Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Cook Book” from 1959. I must have been a popular book because I saw three that day. While there are some recipes that make me cringe. One is for “Hurry-up Hot Tea” which, believe it or not, recommends that you keep a jar of instant tea handy for a bracing cup of hot tea. Measure the tea into each cup according to the label directions; fill with boiling water; stir. Oh, come now. Really? Instant tea must have been new then. However, there was one recipe that I think will come in handy for the holidays. It’s “Tea for a Crowd”. It’s a recipe for tea concentrate. And I quote. “Planning a tea? A tea concentrate make serving large groups easy. At teatime, all you have to do is pour a little concentrate into each cup and fill with ho, hot water. The tea can be strong or weak — its’s the amount of concentrate that makes the difference. Or just before serving you can combine the concentrate with the hot water in a large teapot — 1 cup concentrate to 6 cups boiling water.

“Tea concentrate for 40 to 45 servings: Bring to a high bubbling boil 6 cups freshly drawn cold water. Remove from heat and promptly add 1/4 pound loose tea, stirring in leaves. Cover; steep 5 minutes. Strain into teapot.

“Concentrate cloudy? Add the hot water at teatime will make it sparkle again.”

That’s a pretty good start. I have a couple of suggestions. You can strain or you can put the tea leaves in large tea filters – paper or mesh. Four ounces equals 113.36 grams (for those of you metric folk) or 1/4 pound. For the purposes of this recipe and the time period it is from, I can safely assume this is black tea used int he recipe. As the size of the tea leaf varies with the quality of the tea, weighing is recommended. And as black tea weighs more than others, for green tea you would use about 2/3 the weight and for white only about half. And, I would suggest that while you may chill the concentrate and add to hot water a cooler tea will result. Perhaps a tea too cool. Another idea is to place the concentrate in a thermos or airpot. And finally, I would suggest that instead of a “high bubbling boil” that the water just come to the boil to conserve as much oxygen as possible. By making the tea ahead – I would not suggest it be more than 2 or 3 hours – you do save a bit of last minute grief and it is easier to carry. Enjoy.

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Tea and Star Trek

by teaattheunicornwineguildllc

It’s hard to believe that 46 years have passed since James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock first started their five-year mission to seek out new life and new civilizations. I was young enough to be a Chekov fan then. Then came Star Trek – Next Generation. Jean-Luc Picard and Will Riker expanded the galaxy even more. Not only that, but Captain Picard reintroduced me to tea, specifically Earl Grey.

Growing up I shared Bigelow Constant Comment and Plantation Mint with my mother. My grandmother drank Lipton. If I was lucky in the summer we found Plantation Mint instant and had iced tea. Once I got to college, however, there were a lot of “all-nighters” studying for nursing exams and writing a 32 page paper for each patient I would be caring for – 4 a week, plus term papers, and the other classes. I needed caffeine. Lots of caffeine. The sorority house where I was a dormie – they didn’t have enough sisters to fill the rooms – always had a coffee pot full. Granted it could be 15 hours old, but it was coffee. And when I began my nursing career, there was coffee in the unit kitchen. And when anesthesia school started and we attended EVERY delivery – that’s when a lot of them occurred in the middle of the night – and took call – well, you grabbed what was there quickly. It was that pot of 15 hour-old coffee. I learned to drink coffee hot or tepid or cold.

But, there was Jean-Luc Picard. Walking up to a wall and saying “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHsgt4NN9GA in case you’ve forgotten. And I became intrigued. Just who was Earl Grey and why did he have a tea named after him? And what did it taste like?

The Earl Grey that the tea is named for was the 2^nd Earl and he was a British Prime Minister in the 1830’s. He received a gift of black tea flavored with Bergamot oil, which is from an Italian orange. According to one legend, a grateful Chinese mandarin gave it to him after one of the Earl’s men saved his son from drowning. This is highly unlikely as the Chinese did not know about Bergamot oil. Jacksons of Piccadilly claim to have invented the recipe and have had it in constant production since. The Grey family says the tea was specially blended by a Chinese mandarin for Lord Grey, to suit the water of Howick Hall, the ancestral Grey home. The bergamot was to offset the lime in the local water. Lady Grey used the blend to entertain her London guests and it was so popular she asked if it could be sold to others, which is how Twinings came into the picture.

Earl Grey tea is not only good as a drink, but has been used as a flavoring for many types of cakes, chocolate confections and even in savory sauces. Here at the store Inggrie of TehKu Teas has blended Earl Grey and added mallow flowers. Earl Grey de la Crème. My favorite. Of course, now , the doctors say I have to limit caffeine.

So, thank you, Jean-Luc, for reigniting my love of tea and expanding my horizons.

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Tea at the Unicorn Wine Guild

Tea-related education and events, the enjoyment of the beverage and the culture of tea

Cooking with Tea- Tips and Tricks That Work Like Magic

Different Tea Traditions Around the World

Tea For a Crowd

Tea and Star Trek

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