We just returned from our annual family holiday trip to Michigan. Our hearts are filled to the brim with many wonderful memories but we are tuckered out from traveling. Stay tuned for Saturday Morning tea tomorrow morning!
Tag Archives: tea review
Saturday Morning Tea on Sunday
Most Darjeeling lovers are familiar with Darjeeling tea as a black tea. However, some tea gardens produce at least one green tea from the harvest season. Pictured above, the dried leaves of Arya estate Emerald green tea are very dark green in color and long and twisted in shape.
Located high in the Himalayan mountains of northeastern India, record has it that the Arya tea estate was started by a team of Buddhist monks who carefully developed their tea plants from Chinese seeds. They practiced Aruyvedic medicine and their original house may still be found on the grounds of the estate. All teas from this estate are organically produced.
I steeped the leaves in 160 degree F water for 3 minutes and they opened up to reveal a large olive green leaf. The pale liquor has a fresh, delicately vegetal aroma and notes of pear and fresh fruit. The lingering finish is quite smooth. A delightful cup!
Saturday Morning Tea on Sunday
On this cold Sunday morning as we anticipate the arrival of wintry weather tonight, I have prepared a cup of Japanese Genmai Cha tea . As you can see from my photo, it is a blend of Japanese sencha (green) tea and roasted brown rice. This particular type of tea came about from necessity rather than invention. During a time when tea was an expensive luxury to the average person, roasted brown rice was added to green tea to make more of it. What resulted was and is today a delicious nutty, toasty brew with lower caffeine. Sometimes, the brown rice pops and the tea is decorated with what looks like small popcorn.
The liquor is a pale yellow and the toasty aroma makes me feel all warm inside. The mellow nuttiness the roasted rice imparts to the tea smooths the pungency of the green tea, making an excellent blend of flavors. If you’ve never had Genmai Cha before, I recommend it highly as an afternoon refresher when our circadian and ultradian rhythms are at their lowest point. Enjoy!
Saturday Morning Tea – a Hint
I’m going on another Boston adventure this morning! This time to the Crafts at the Castle arts and craft show at the Hynes Convention Center.
Quoted from their website: “100% of the ticket proceeds directly benefit programs for children, youth, and families struggling with emotional, psychological, and economic effects of poverty, abuse and neglect.”
A very good cause to contribute to indeed. Plus I will have the opportunity to view some very beautiful artwork.
So, my Saturday Morning Tea will be postponed until tomorrow morning when I will brew up a cup of Japanese GenMai Cha tea.
Saturday Morning Tea
As the full moon set on this frosty morning, I rose out of bed and wrapped myself in a big fluffy robe to greet the day. A perfect morning for something spicy to warm me up, I simmered some Chai in a pan on the stove while I made breakfast.
Masala chai is a traditional Indian blend of black tea and spices – cardamon seed pods, cinnamon pieces, clove, ginger and black pepper. An Indian gentleman once told me that they would add the black tea leaves to the sweetened milk and then go to their spices and throw this and that in to simmer. So, each family had their own recipe and that could vary from day to day.
I used Chai Spice blend and added a couple of spoonfuls to a cup of organic 2% milk. I simmered this mixture for 10 minutes and then added sweetener to taste. This results in a very spicy cup so it is one of the rare occasions where I will add sweetener to my tea. It smooths out the sharpness of the spices, especially my extra spicy version. Demerara sugar is unrefined with a high molasses content and works especially well.
Mmmmm, delicious!
Art and Tea 