Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked or pressure cooked

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 tbs tahini

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp msg (or additional salt)

• 1-2 tbs olive oil

• 1 white onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbs caraway seeds

• 2 tbs vegan butter

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped

• 8-12 oz pasta, linguine or campanelle (homemade is best!)

Instructions

1. Soak cashews for 6 hours or pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.

2. Chop veggies, squeeze lemons, and begin heating pot of heavily salted water.

3. Cream cashews, water, tahini, salt, and msg in high powered blender. Put aside.

4. Add olive oil to saucepan over medium-high heat. Soften onions, garlic, and caraway seeds.

5. Melt butter in saucepan and then add half of the lemon juice (1/4 cup). Boil over medium-high heat, stirring occassionally until it is thick and well-incorporated. Repeat with remaining lemon juice. Stir in half of finely chopped parsley. Remove from heat.

6. Boil noodles in heavily salted water. Strain.

7. Fold cashew cream into onions. If the sauce is cold, heat it over medium-low, stirring frequently. If the sauce dries out, mix in a tablespoon or two of water.

8. Fold sauce into noodles. Serve with fresh parsley on top. Salt and pepper to taste.

Annalise

• 2 tbs canola oil

• 1 yellow or white onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1/2 tsp whole cumin

• 1/2 tsp fenugreek

• 1/2 tsp tumeric

• 1/2 tsp ginger powder or minced fresh

• 16 oz spinach

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 can mai paloy coconut milk

• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp msg

• 1/4 tsp citric acid

1. Cut tofu block into 1-inch cubes. Spray with cooking oil and air fry for 10-20 minutes at 390 F, depending on texture preference. If you don’t have air frier, pan fry or bake in oven at 400 F until golden brown.

2. Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat.

3. Dice onion, add to pan, and soften.

4. Mince garlic and add to onions. Mix in cumin, fenugreek, tumeric, ginger, salt, citric acid, and msg. Should be very fragrant.

5. Add spinach and water. Cover until slightly softened.

6. Add coconut milk.

7. Cream about 3/4 of mixture in blender or with immersion blender.

8. Serve with basmati rice, naan, or solo!

Before you begin

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco

• 1/3 + 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 200 grams of granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup aquafaba

• 1 Ener-G egg (1.5 tsp + 2 tbs water)

• 1 tsp almond extract

• 350 grams fine polenta

• 50 grams almond flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• Couple dashes of salt

• Zest of five lemons

• 2 tbs lemon juice

Lemon Syrup

• Remaining juice of 5 lemons (ie 1 cup)

• Equal parts water (ie 1 cup)

Preparation

1. Cream Crisco, oil, and sugar until whipped and light. About 5 minutes or so.

2. Reduce juice of standard 14 oz can of chickpeas. To do this, heat juice in pan over medium-high until it has thickened and been reduced to about 1/4 cup. Pour into container and place in freezer to quickly cool. Once cooled, whip the Ener-G egg into the aquafaba.

3. In a medium bowl, mix polenta, almond flour, baking powder, salt, and zest.

4. Pour half of dry ingredients into the creamed sugar and mix to incorporate. Pour half of the aquafaba mixture in and mix to incorporate. Repeat with remaining ingredients, adding the lemon juice.

5. Spoon into 6 large, greased muffin tins.

6. Bake for 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. In the meantime, boil the lemon juice and sugar over medium high heat until it has reached 212 degrees Fahrenheit or until it has begun to thicken. Stir frequently.

8. While the cakes are warm, gently press the cake-tops flat.

9. Cool the cakes completely and then remove them from the tins by flipping the pan upside down and then giving a forceful pat to each muffin tin. Top with fruit, almonds, and drizzle with syrup.

Annalise

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 3 tbp olive oil

• 2 tsp cumin

• 2 tsp fenugreek

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 cup yellow/orange lentils

• 4 cups veggie broth

• 1 tsp salt

• Citric acid or lemon juice to taste

• 1 cup water

Preparation

1. Saute onion, garlic, and oil on saute setting of instant pot.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and pressure cook on high for 6 minutes

3. Serve with chili powder, parsley, and/or pita!

Annalise

Before you Start

Preheat oven to 350 F

Ingredients

Cake

• 1/2 cup high-fat vegan butter*

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup non-dairy milk

• 2 heaping cups cake flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

Frosting

• 1/2 vegetable shortening

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 2.5 tbs rose jam

• 2 tbs creamer or coconut milk

Preparation

1. Cream butter and sugar for approximately 5 minutes until fluffy.

2. Mix vanilla, vinegar, and milk in a measuring cup and add to creamed sugar. Mix to incoporporate.

3. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and add wet ingredients. Mix. There will still be flour chunks. Do not over mix.

4. Do not let mix rest at room temperature. Scoop into cupcake liners about 3/4 full and then tap muffin pan on counter until the mixutre settles in the tins. Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

5. Mix frosting until fluffy.

6. Apply frosting to cooled cupcakes.

Before you Start

Preheat oven to 400 F and freeze butter and crisco

Ingredients

Dough recipe derived from bakingamoment

• 4.4 oz of all purpose flour

• 2.5 g salt

• 2.5 oz of butter crisco, nearly frozen cubes

• 2.5 oz of earth balance, nearly frozen cubes

• .25 cup ice water

Filling

• 1/2 tbs butter

• 3 apples, sliced and halved

• 2 tbs cranulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• Dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamon

• JUST egg or 1 tbs honey mixed with 1 tbs of coconut cream

Preparation

1. Cut flour, salt, and fat with pastry knife or fork. The mixture should be very rough and crumbly. Do not over mix.

2. Add water and mix until it just comes together. Leave large chunks.

3. Shape into two small rectangles and refrigerate for 20 to an hour or until chilled.

4. Roll and turn 3 times.

5. Refrigerate until chilled.

6. Roll and turn 3-4 times.

7. Refrigerate until chilled.

8. Heat butter in small saucepan on medium heat and add roughly 2/3 of the apple slices. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add sugar and cover for 2-5 minutes until apples are soft.

9. Remove cover and increase heat to medium. Add vanilla and spices. Heat until excess moisture has evaporated. Mix the rest of the apples in and remove form heat.

10. Roll out dough and cut into approximately 6 rectangles. Fold in as much apple filling as you can fit, seal edges with fork, and use one of the sheets for making decorations on top. Brush with egg replacement.

11. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

This pasta was adapted from classic carbonara recipes: egg, cheese, pancetta. It is a perfect balance of smokey, salty, and egg-y. No one part of the recipe is too tricky but I recommend taking the time to make the vegan bacon from Edgy Veg because frankly, no store-bought product holds a candle to her recipe.

Makes 4-6 servings

Before You Start

Vegan Bacon from The Edgy Veg

• This recipe calls for 8-10 sheets of rice paper but for your carbonara, you will need around 3 oz of rice paper (18 sheets of 6-inch diameter paper). There is plenty of marinade, so you will not need to increase the amounts of any other ingredients.

Ingredients

• 16 oz Linguine

  • Boiled in salted water

• 2 cups frozen green peas, thawed

  • Salt, pepper, dash of liquid smoke to taste

Sauce

• 1/2 cup JUST Egg

• 4.8 oz silken tofu

• 2 tsp white, mellow miso paste

• 2 tbs nutritional yeast

• 1/4 tsp liquid smoke

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Black pepper to taste

“Seasonings”

• 1 tbs butter

• 2 shallots, minced

• 3 large garlic cloves, minced

• 3 oz or 1 cup vegan bacon

• 1 cup water

Toppings

• Remaining bacon

• Black pepper

Preparation

1. Prepare vegan bacon according to the Edgy Veg recipe. Afterward, cut the bacon into small, 1/2 to 3/4-inch long strips.

2. Mix sauce ingredients in a blender and boil noodles. While the noodles are boiling, prepare the seasoning ingredients by mincing the garlic and shallots. Strain the noodles and have them ready by your stove.

3. On medium-high heat, melt the butter in a large pot and saute garlic and onions until golden and fragrant. Add 1 cup of the bacon and 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer on high heat.

4. Add noodles and fold in the seasonings, reduce heat to low.

5. Add the sauce in 3 to 4 parts, mixing the noodles vigorously in between each addition to coat evenly.

6. Serve immediately with peas and bacon on top.

Annalise

The aim of this series is to corral some favorite things and share them in a short and sweet post. Whether it’s a song, book, recipe, tip, or product, hopefully you will find some inspiration in this list.  

1. It's May (how is that possible?!?) and it feels like just the right time to finally celebrate spring. On that note, I have been drawn to beautiful and bright recipes that will perfectly transition to warmer weather. Check out this cucumber salad, these caprese-stuffed avocados, and this green goddess pasta salad.

2. To accompany the above springy-summery recipes, try out Berryessa Gap’s rose or Frog’s Leap’s La Grenouille Rougante rose (here and here). I can attest to the deliciousness of both!

3. My sister-in-law gave my son the best ever "num-num" (a.k.a. snack) accessory. Now that he's a toddler, it's a more functional option compared to the usual lidded version. It's also reusable and cute. Check it out here for the little babes in your life.

4. This month’s book recommendation is on-theme, with Mother’s Day just around the corner. My mom recommended The Blue Jay’s Dance to me and all I can say is that it has lived up to her glowing review. Erdrich’s prose is lovely—rich and lush without being cloyingly so. It is a book about motherhood and pregnancy and depicts both beautifully. Grab a copy here.

5. On the subject of Mother’s Day: write your mama a card and order her a Hearth & Hand candle. The scents are sophisticated and clean, and the jars—I favor the amber and glazed ceramic options—are perfectly chic. My favorite scents are citrus grove (here) and cardamom and vetiver (here).

6. If you’ve seen HBO’s Big Love, then you’ll probably recognize this song as it plays prominently in one of the best scenes. “Take your Mama” is catchy and fun and should make an appearance on your summer playlist!

Alison

If you love churros but you don’t want to deal with the hassle of deep-frying…this dessert is for you. For this recipe, don’t hassle with a bunch of bowls and utensils. You just need one bowl and one mixing device!

Makes 12 cupcakes

Before You Start

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a 12-cupcake pan with cupcake liners

Ingredients

Batter

• 1/2 cup high-fat vegan butter*

• 2/3 cup brown sugar

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup non-dairy milk

• 2 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1.5 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp salt

  *Such as Miyoko’s butter or a mix of typical margarine and vegetable shortening.

Frosting

• 1/2 vegetable shortening

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tbs creamer or coconut milk

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preparation

1. Cream butter and sugar (stand mixer, hand mixer, or whisk) until light and fluffy. This can take several minutes.

2. Mix in the extract, vinegar, and milk until incorporated.

3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until completely incorporated and thick. Do not over mix.

4. Add an ice-cream scoop per cupcake tin and then drop the cupcake pan on the counter top to remove any air spaces in the tin. The tins should be about 3/4 full of batter.

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick leaves the cupcakes clean.

6. While the cupcakes are baking, whisk all the frosting ingredients in your mixing bowl until you have a fluffy consistency.

7. Allow the cupcakes to cool (you can speed this up in the refrigerator) and then frost with a knife or piping bag.

Annalise

Thoughts

I am really enjoying historical fiction books right now and Hannah’s Winter Garden was no exception. Perhaps it’s my general love of family sagas, in this case a portrait of mothers and daughters that spans 60 years and reaches from World War II Russia to modern day Alaska, or maybe it is because of all the uncertainty that the coronavirus has thrown at us juxtaposed with WWII Leningrad that reminded me that this disruption to our daily lives isn’t so bad after all, that made this book for me. Either way, I enjoyed reading Winter Garden. There are two parallel stories that make up the novel: the contemporary one set in Washington state and the WWII story set in Leningrad. The Leningrad story is really the story within the story, the fairy tale, and for me it was the fairy tale that kept me reading after a slow start in the first half spent mostly introducing emotionally closed off, once close sisters Meredith and Nina, and their cold and remote Russian mother, Anya. The fairy tale dominates the second half of the book, and it is this story of 1941 Leningrad that is compelling; it is here that Hannah’s storytelling skills shine as she weaves a tale of love and loss and forgiveness and redemption.

Overall - As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is my first Kristin Hannah novel. In spite of what I consider to be some real literary shortcomings (think clichés, formulas and predictability), I still recommend this book. True, some of the dialogue was flat-out cringe-worthy, but the story was compelling enough for me to overlook the missteps and read through until the end. Before reading this book, I didn’t know anything about the Siege of Leningrad; after reading it, I want to learn more. If you would like a little more feedback on the book, here are what two reviewers have to say: Less than Stellar Review & Positive Review. I think both critics make good points.

Kathryn

P.S. I am going to give Hannah another shot so next up I will read either The Nightingale or The Great Alone. If you have read either of them or both, I would love to hear from you.

This recipe couldn’t be easier, but the end result is fantastic and perfectly balanced. The roasted beets lend a sweetness, the grapefruit a tartness, and the avocado a creaminess…all topped with an herby, fresh dressing.

Here’s what you’ll need to make four side servings or two entree servings:

4-6 beets (I used a mix of the dark red and orange varieties)

3 grapefruits

2 avocados

1 fennel bulb

1/2 bunch of flat leaf Italian parsley

3 cups of greens (spinach, arugula, or a mix of spring greens work)

olive oil, salt, pepper

1. Slice your beets into 1/4” thick circles and then half those circles so that you end up with half moon pieces. Toss them in olive oil and sea salt and roast at 375 degrees for about 40-50 minutes until fork-tender, but not mushy. Let them cool to room temperature.

2. In the meantime, make the dressing by whisking olive oil (approximately a 1/4 cup or to taste depending on how tart you want the dressing to be), the zest and juice of a grapefruit, and salt and pepper to taste. Finely chop the parsley and whisk that in.

3. Slice your avocados into wedges, segment the fruit of the remaining grapefruits, and thinly slice your fennel. Arrange these ingredients, as well as the cooled beets, on top of a bed of greens and generously drizzle with the dressing. Top with a finishing salt if desired or a dollop of goat’s cheese.

Enjoy!

Alison

In celebration of Spring and the birth of my sister’s second beautiful child, I wanted to share this recipe I made especially for her first baby shower. Enjoy!

Before you Start 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line cupcake pans with cupcake liners

Ingredients

Batter

• 0.5 cups of vegan butter

• 1 cup of sugar

• 0.25 cup of lemon juice

• 0.5 tbs vanilla extract

• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 cup of milk

• 2 cups of flour

• 2 tsp of baking powder

• 0.5 tsp of baking soda

• 0.5 tsp salt

Frosting

• 1 cup of refined coconut oil

• 2 tsp ground soy lecithin

• 4 tbs west soy

• 4 cups of powdered sugar

• 2 tbs canola oil

• 0.5 inch strip of Vanilla bean

• 1 packed tbs of lemon zest

Preparation

1. In a medium-large bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. Cream butter and sugar on the highest speed for 6 minutes in a stand mixer (or by hand).

3. In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the rest of the wet batter ingredients. Add to the creamed sugar and mix until just combined. The mixture will be lumpy and curdled.

4. Gently mix or stir in the dry mixture until combined. Some small lumps will remain but make sure there aren't many large ones.

5. Using an ice cream scoop, fill lined cupcake tins with batter, about three-quarters full.

6. Immediately put the cupcakes in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden on the edges.

7. While the cupcakes are in the oven, add all the frosting ingredients except the powdered sugar to a bowl and mix on a high speed until the lecithin is fully incorporated. If you are using a power-mixer, when you add a cup of powdered sugar make sure to incorporate it with your mixer off first to avoid a cloud of sugar dust. Keep mixing and adding the sugar until you have a thick, clump-less frosting. If your powdered sugar has a lot of clumps in it to begin with, you might consider sifting it into the bowl.

8. When you remove the cupcakes from the oven let them cool COMPLETELY before frosting.

GF Substitutions: 

I have a cousin with Celiac so I made a few gluten free cupcakes. Instead of butter, I used canola oil and King Arthur GF All-Purpose Flour. I'm not a gluten-free baker but she said they tasted delicious!

Annalise

March Picks

• What Makes Olga Run?, by Bruce Grierson

• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, by Charlie Mackesy

• Educated, by Tara Westover

I decided to approach the Between the Lines segment differently this month. Instead of a single book I will do shorter write-ups on 3 books that I recently read. I don’t know about you, but I often find myself reading a number of books at once. I never read two fiction books at the same time, but I do always have some sort of source book on topics ranging from health, food, nature and environment, to a running or yoga book, or an inspirational title, or even a self-improvement book on my nightstand. Honestly, the stack can get unwieldy at times, and I worry I will never get through them all and promise myself I won’t buy another book until I have read the ones I have. On the other hand, the stack is an awesome reminder of just how much information and knowledge is out there waiting to be discovered. Each of these 3 selected titles have in common their ability to inspire: to fill the mind and heart with hope, to prompt or induce someone to do something, to fill with breath and life.

What Makes Olga Run?

Thoughts - I turned 60 this past December and this milestone birthday, more than any other, got me thinking about my mortality (boo) but then it got me thinking about the best way to live the remainder of my life (yay). I started looking around for some inspiration and because I like to run, I was intrigued by the subject matter of Bruce Grierson’s book, “The Mystery of the 90 -something Track Star and What She Can Teach Us about Living Longer, Happier Lives”. He met Olga in 2010 when writing an article about her for the New York Times. By 2014, he was writing a book about her hoping to uncover the secret to her longevity and vitality. He writes in the opening paragraph, “After all, we need to die, but it’s by no means obvious why we need to get dead, incrementally the way we do.” If Olga is doing this ‘getting dead” thing incrementally better than most, what is it about her that makes this possible. The author examines everything from her birthplace, childhood, diet, sleep patterns, social, professional, and spiritual habits while at the same time Olga submits to all sorts of scientific tests including a brain analysis, offering her DNA for study and countless observations of her body’s response to physical exercise/exertion. So what makes Olga run and what makes a Super Senior super? As it turns out, there’s not a single answer to that question, however there are some similarities in habit and attitude among this group. The author compiled a list of the attributes that the group shared and at the end of the book you can find his 9 Rules for healthy aging gleaned from his research on Olga and this group at large. The list should provide an excellent blueprint for living a long, healthy and happy life. My takeaway is Rule Nine: Begin Now.

Overall - Inspiration : I have been prompted to do something! I enjoyed the book. The science is accessible for all, and the sweet friendship that develops between the author and Olga is a pleasure to witness.

P.S. Before meeting Olga, I had another phenomenal role model of healthy aging in Tao Porchon Lynch, the world’s oldest yoga teacher who passed away this past February at the age of 102. She left me with this saying (penned by Ashley Montagu): “The idea is to die young as late as possible.” She, like Olga Kotleko, embodied this spirit, living their lives fully, without limitations, to the end.

• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Thoughts - “What do you think success is?” asked the boy “To love,” said the Mole”. Foremost this is a book about kindness to oneself and others. Its universal message of love and charity overlays a beautifully sketched landscape of mostly black and white, with splashes of color here and there. It started on Instagram and you can easily see how the book’s structure would succeed on that platform. It is true that most of the ideas and reflections found here have been expressed before and oftentimes in a more sophisticated manner, and because of that I imagine there are adults who will be put off by the platitudes. On the other hand, some ideas bear repeating, and I think Mackesy’s messages are among them.

Overall - Inspiration : My heart is full of hope! I see myself reading this fable many times over in the coming years to my grandchildren; I will be sure to take my time with each and every lovely page and let the the little ones ask as many questions as they want along the way.

• Educated

Thoughts - Two years and two months after Educated was released it still sits on the New York Times bestseller list. After reading the book it comes as no surprise. Tara is a remarkable young woman, a survivor. Her gripping memoir is a brutal coming of age story that recounts her upbringing in a survivalist family and ultimately her decision to leave. I read this book over the course of two days. I found it difficult to read, but impossible to put down. I can’t count how many times I feared for her life, a real, physical heart-racing fear for her safety. There is a whole lot of pain to be found in Educated: the emotional and physical abuse she endured at the hands of her violent brother, the danger her manic father placed her in time and time again, and maybe worst of all, the realization that her mother was unwilling to protect her. Westover is a fine writer and you will enjoy her descriptions of the beauty and majesty of Idaho and Buck’s peak. You understand that Tara has to leave this place, but you also understand that this landscape defines her; after all, this is her home and this is her family. You know there will be a cost to pay should she reject this isolated world of her childhood. When Tara announces she is planning on attending college, she sets in motion an entirely different life trajectory, one that will allow her to define herself on her own terms. She attends BYU and ultimately is awarded a PhD from Cambridge University. She ends her memoir with the following reflection: “You could call this selfhood many things: Transformation. Metamorphosis. Falsity. Betrayal. I call it an Education”.

Overall - Inspiration: a renewed appreciation of our resilience! I strongly recommend this book; Tara is smart, observant, and non-judgmental, and I enjoy her intelligent reflections. Here’s just one example: ”It is a change in the self. I am not the child my father raised, but he is the father who raised her”. This got me thinking about my own journey to self and then it had me wondering about our grown childrens’ journeys. I guess that’s a conversation waiting to be had.

Stay well and happy reading,

Kathryn

The aim of this series is to corral some favorite things and share them in a short and sweet post. Whether it’s a song, book, recipe, tip, or product, hopefully you will find some inspiration in this list.  

1. Half Baked Harvest’s crinkle top brownies (recipe here) are delicious; just take a look at the butter to flour ratio if you need some preliminary proof. They are fudgy and rich, with the most perfect edges and top. For more delicious and easy recipes, consider picking up a copy of her latest cookbook (here).

2. Your homemade brownies would make the perfect Netflix companion. I am late to this show, but if you haven’t already, get started on Schitt’s Creek. Like, now. Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara are—as usual—the perfect comedic pair. The show is funny and light, but still smart. And, it’s just the right distraction from all that’s going on these days.

3. This month I have two product recommendations. The first is an awesome $2 kitchen accessory (find it here). My husband and I rarely finish a bottle of wine in one sitting, so it’s pretty remarkable that I have waited so long to buy a bottle stopper. Especially when a chic, simple, and affordable option was available all along. No more jamming a swollen cork back into a half-drunk bottle!

4. The second recommendation is a makeup product by Hourglass. Specifically, the ambient light finishing powder (I went for the shade luminous light, here). It’s expensive, so I bought the travel size since I wear makeup twice a week tops. It goes on light and subtle, but provides a nice glowy sheen.

5. Professor Pippin’s Hollywood Westerns and American Myth (I always buy used books, for example here) is not only a great book, but makes for a fun DIY class. Watching the movies alongside the corresponding chapters makes the experience of both reading and watching more educational and fun. While I read this a few years ago, I recently picked up a copy for my dad’s birthday gift and was reminded of how much I enjoyed it.

6. Jervis Campbell’s “Garden” is sweet and lovely with a catchy, anthemic chorus. And how could such beautiful lyrics be resisted? “Well my heart beckons me again/ To find, some kind of serenade for you/ The one I love, oh I do/ But all, the words I could ever say/ Will fall, short of your lovely ways/ And I, just stand here so amazed by you.” Listen to it here.

Alison

I love soft pretzels both sweet and savory and can’t get out of the mall without a stop at either Auntie Anne’s or Wetzels Pretzels. When the kids were little it was their reward for shopping with me, and as they tell it now, I supposedly made all 7 of them share one pretzel. They did have to share, but I am going to say that’s a bit of a stretch. But not to worry, now that I can make them myself , (Thank you Alton Brown !) everyone in the house can have their own and maybe even 2, if they are well-behaved.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees F)

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 envelope active dry yeast

• 22 ounces all-purpose flour

• 2 ounces unsalted butter (melted) *Vegan Option Miyoko’s Butter (Find it here.)

• Vegetable oil (for the bowl and pan)

• 10 cups water

• 2/3 cup baking soda

• 1 large egg yolk (beaten with 1 tablespoon water) *Vegan Option A mixture of Maple Syrup and Non-dairy Milk

• Pretzel salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the 1 1/2 cups warm water, the sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the mixture foams.

2. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl, then oil it well. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.

4. Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with oil. Set aside.

5. Bring the 10 cups water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in a 12-inch straight-sided saute pan or a roasting pan (something wide and shallow is best).

6. Meanwhile, turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, and, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place on a half sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

7. One by one, place the pretzels in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return them to the sheet pans, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture or if making the vegan version use the syrup and non-dairy milk mixture, and sprinkle with pretzel salt.

8. Bake until dark golden brown in color, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

If you don’t have pretzel salt, coarse sea salt will do. I didn’t have either in my quarantined house, so I used Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend (Find it here) and it was fantastic.

I will be making these again soon and plan on making a sweet batch as well. For the sweet version, lightly brush with vegan butter after the pretzels come out of the oven, then dip then into a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. If I am feeling extra ambitious, I might even make a Sweet Glaze dipping sauce of powdered sugar, vegan butter, non-dairy milk and vegan cream cheese.

One more thing, these were fun to make; it felt a bit like - cooking project meets science experiment. And I couldn’t get over how perfectly they turned out - professional results from an amateur cook. Now who wouldn’t like that?

Kathryn

P. S. I follow plant-based Laura Wright on instagram @thefirstmess, and it was there that I ran across Alton Brown’s recipe. If you don’t know who she is, I highly recommend taking a look. Her food and drink posts are beautiful, but more importantly, her recipes are downright delicious.

Ingredients

• 1/2 butter

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 2 tbs ground flax

• 2 tbs water

• 1 tsp acv

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/8 tsp baking soda

• 1 + 1/8 tsp baking powder

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground coffee

• 1.25 cups of flour

• 1/8 tsp cinnamon

• 3/4 - 1 cup chocolate chips/chunks

Preparation

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Whisk ground flax and water in a small bowl and add to creamed sugar. Add the vinegar and vanilla. Mix.

3. In a separate bowl, mix baking powder, soda, salt, coffee, flour, and cinnamon.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips/chunks.

5. Bring dough together into a ball and refrigerate for an hour. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

6. Using a tablespoon, making cookie dough balls and place about 1.5 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Lightly press on the top of the dough to flatten the balls slightly.

7. Bake for 12-16 minutes. The time depends on the temperature of your dough, the baking mat you use, etc.

8. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Annalise

The aim of this series is to corral some favorite things and share them in a short and sweet post. Whether it’s a song, book, recipe, tip, or product, hopefully you will find some inspiration in this list.    

1. I have recently embraced meal planning for a number of reasons. Before I go on, I want to note that I am not referring to the the kind of meal planning that involves making one gigantic batch of rice, veggies, and chicken and eating the same thing day after day. Instead, I am trying to be more intentional about the upcoming week’s meals to save myself extra grocery trips and last minute takeout dinners. Moreover, planning in advance has given me a reason to regularly try out new, delicious recipes instead of putting together whatever is in the fridge for less-than-exciting results. Since I am all about a handwritten list—whether for appointments, groceries, or everyday to-do’s—I have found success with this new planning by writing down the upcoming week’s meals and groceries. To that end, check out these cute notepads: here, here, here. PS: If you’re interested, I can share what’s on my list via our IG.

2. On the subject of meal planning, how about this for a delicious meal? I am going to pair this BBQ chickpea chopped salad with a batch of this boxed cornbread (which you can find virtually everywhere). If you really want to go crazy, mix up a few margaritas and I would say we have ourselves a pretty easy, yummy, and healthy Friday night dinner plan.

3. For the parents who have traveled or plan to travel by air with their babies/toddlers: read this for a little laugh.

4. Another Marilynne Robinson book has made the Six Series list and it’s titled “When I Was a Child I Read Books.” I can’t wait to get started on it as her novels and collections of essays never disappoint. PS: I just ordered a used $6 copy for an unmarked book with free shipping. Check the used (and new) options here.

5. It’s March, so I can’t help but nod to St. Patrick’s Day. Guinness and corned beef don’t really do it for me, but these festive sweets certainly do. And most fun of all, I know my son will have a blast helping whip up these rice krispy treats.

6. The raspy sultriness of Cat Power’s voice is totally arresting. A few of her songs that perfectly capture that include “Willie,” “Lived in Bars,” and “The Greatest” (here, here, and here). Hope you enjoy.

Alison

For this Between the Lines installment, I decided to share the titles I will be reading in the coming months. It’s a short list comprised of the the 3 books I received as gifts this past Christmas and includes two historical fiction books and a short graphic novel.

1. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah (Find it here.) For those avid readers out there, it may come as a surprise that I haven’t read any Kristin Hannah novels as there are many. I have gifted several copies of The Great Alone and The Nightingale to my daughters and friends, but this will be my first Hannah read, and I am starting with a book that is already 10 years old. I am eager to step into this family saga, — a portrait of mothers and daughters that spans 60 years and reaches from World War II Russia to modern day Alaska.

2. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy (Find it here.) Named Barnes and Noble’s Book of the Year (2019), this wildly popular and inspirational fable is suitable for all ages. Mackesy, an illustrator and cartoonist, has captured the hearts of many with his beautiful illustrations and simple, sweet and loving message. Here’s what one reviewer wrote.

3. The Giver of Stars, by Jojo Moyes (Find it here.) Another historical fiction title, The Giver of Stars set in depression era America tells the story of the courageous women of WPA’s Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky who between 1935 to 1943 brought books to more than a hundred thousand rural residents. The book, a Reese’s Book Club pick, is currently being adapted for the big screen, however there is no release date available yet. Here’s a short interview with the author that you may find interesting.

If you decide to read any of these books or already have read one, reach out to us on instagram and share your thoughts. The gardeners would love to hear from you.

Kathryn

I have hesitated to post another research-based blog because I was skeptical that anyone would be interested in reading science writing on this kind of platform. Ultimately, however, I believe that a) there are many people like myself who want to take a deep-dive on topics pertinent to our food systems and b) there is no downside!
This research was reviewed and approved for accuracy and coverage by the instructors of Dr. Paul Gept’s fantastic crop evolution class back in 2018. I have re-structured the formatting and language to be a little more blog-friendly.
I learned so much writing this work and gained an even greater appreciation for the myriad of teas I have enjoyed…I hope you do too!

What is tea, really?

Camellia sinensis is a small evergreen tree with a strong taproot root system and alternate, lanceolate to obovate leaves. It favors warm temperatures varying between 14 and 27 degrees Celsius and a wet to dry climate with 121 centimeters or more of rain annually (Duke 1983). The large-leaf plant is found more in tropical regions and the small-leaf plant is found in temperate regions (Hasimoto 1971). Tea is propagated from seed or vegetatively and requires four to twelve years to bear seed. Most often the tea trees are planted in rows and are top-pruned to facilitate mechanical harvesting. Harvest typically takes place in the summer when the solar heat is the most intense and the bushes are plucked every 7-15 days (Duke 1983). Much of the harvested weight will be lost in the drying process and the leaves do not weigh much to begin with, so a skilled picker can only gather a little over a pound in a day of work (Du Feibao n.d). Currently, there are 61 countries around the world with at least one productive tea plantation. China is the largest producer in the world and has the greatest diversity of tea and tea styles. In second place is India, third is Kenya, fourth is Sri Lanka, and fifth is Turkey (Gebely 2017). Different varieties of tea arise primarily from various modes of processing the leaf. In China there are five categories of tea: green, black, wulong, compressed, and scented. Green tea is processed without fermentation, black tea is fermented before baking, and wulong is a partially fermented before baking. Compressed tea is a kind of tea which is compressed into bricks and is sold as a cheap alternative to black or green teas. Finally, scented tea is tea which has been infused with plants like jasmine, magnolia, and a growing number of flavors (Du Feibao n.d.). Green tea is pan-fired or steamed immediately after harvest to destroy the enzymes that would perform fermentation, they are then rolled on heated trays, and fired in dryers for the final drying stage. Black tea is first withered and dried to a fraction of their original moisture content, then they are rolled and spread out in a cool, humid room to ferment for one to five hours then fired and dried to cease the fermentation process. The final product has anywhere from 10-50 mg of caffeine per six ounces, which is a tenth to half of boiled coffee caffeine content. Black tea has far more caffeine than green tea thanks to fermentation. Tea has purported medicinal benefits, namely that it contains polyphenols (20-30%). Polyphenols are antioxidants, touted as good for the treatment of inflammation and disease prevention (Duke 1983). Tea drinking in China is a part of daily life and tea-houses are abundant in South China, where it has long been regarded as an important part of a healthy diet and life (Du Feibao n.d.).

Plant Sleuthing

Historical, linguistic, archaeological, botanical, and genetic evidence are compiled and discussed to hone in on the center of origin and centers of domestication for Camellia sinensis. The evidence is presented roughly in the order of the determined region size, from largest to smallest regions, and the significance of the findings, from the least to most heavily weighted. All brands of evidence are necessary to make an assessment.

An Emperor Rests under a tree

The oldest historical records of Camellia sinensis point to its origin in China. According to Chinese legend, it was Emperor Shennong, the Divine Farmer, who discovered tea. He was perched under a C. sinensis tree when a leaf fell into his boiling water. He found the infusion to be very refreshing and fragrant, and the tea has been popular ever since (The History of Tea n.d.). This was said to have occurred in the year 2737 BC. In 350 AD, scholar Kou P’o recorded the first strictly factual account of the use and horticulture of tea (Balentine 1992). In the sixth and 7th centuries, tea was used for medicinal qualities and by the seventh to 10th centuries, it became an art form common to all social classes (The History of Tea n.d.). Tea was introduced to Japan in 600 AD, Europe in 1610, and the American colonies in 1650 (Balentine 1992). Interestingly enough, it was not until the late 17th century that a European had even seen a tea plant. Dr. Wilhelm ten Rhyne lived in a trading post in Deshima off the coast of Nagasaki where he wrote his text on tea. In the early 19th century, English colonizers wanted to begin growing tea in India and they discovered wild tea trees growing in the hills of Assam. In 1905, the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature determined that the wild trees in Assam were Camellia sinensis and that it was native to the monsoon region of southeast Asia. This area includes Thailand, Burma, southwest China, and Assam (History of Tea: England n.d.).

“Cha” and “Te”

The linguistic history of Camellia sinensis supports the case for the origin of tea in China. Most names for Camellia sinensis come from either the Sinitic “cha” or the Min Nam Chinese “te”. In a collection of 230 words, 109 were derived from “cha” and 84 were derived from “te” (Östen 2013). The study finds that in the cases where tea grows naturally, such as in Burma, the words were not derived from these “cha” or “te” (Sonnad 2018). One could infer that in all other cases, tea could simply be a word used to describe other drinks where plants are steeped in hot water. For example, we call chamomile infused water chamomile tea even though it does not bare any relation to Camellia sinensis.

Interestingly enough, the words derived from the Sinitic “cha” followed trade routes on land and languages along the paths through Asia to East Africa, Central Europe, and North toward Russia. Meanwhile, the words derived from the Min Nam Chinese “te” followed sea routes through Southeast Asia, the Southern-most region of India, Southern and Western Africa, and Western and Southern Europe.

Digging for Tea Leaves

The unearthed tea in ancient sites around China provide the oldest archaeological record for Camellia sinensis. The following sites will be discussed: the Tianmu Mountain site in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, the Han Yangling Mausoleum in Chang’an, and the Gurgyam Cemetery in Ngari.

In 2001, the Tianmu Mountain site was discovered. This site has provided one of the earliest recordings of China’s Neolithic Age, with evidence for primitive activities ranging between 7,000 to 5,000 BC. In 2004, the roots of a tree were uncovered and two years later, tests showed that the roots contained theanine (Tea Cultivation 2015). Although present in various other plant and fungal species, it is present in far more substantial quantities in the Camellia Sinensis plant and has been used as a marker since this discovery in the early 1950s (Sakato 1949). In 2015, after almost a decade of testing, the Zhejiang Cultural Relics and Archaeological Research Center revealed that the tree roots belonged to Camellia sinensis, and that they were about 6,000 years old (Tea Cultivation 2015). While it is difficult to determine whether these trees were domesticated or cultivated for brewing tea in their time, there are clues at the site that have lead researchers to make educated inferences about the relationship between the ancient civilization and the trees. Researchers found traces of manual digging around the roots, pottery pieces around the roots, and a pottery utensil with a spout and a handle. Further research might be able to prove their theory that the cultivation and consumption of tea began 6,000 years ago.

The Han Yangling Mausoleum is located in Chang’an and was built for the Jing Emperor Liu Qi in 188-141 BC. Between 1998 and 2005, 86 outer burial pits were excavated by the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology; pit DK15 contained partially decomposed plant remains. Several of the plants were identified, but there was one dark brown brick, dated between 255-80 BC that had no identifiable morphological features. Biomarker, calcium phytolith, and theanine and caffeine identification techniques revealed that the brick was in fact Camellia sinensis. This discovery showed that tea was grown 2100 years ago for human consumption. This is the oldest definitive record researchers have for tea cultivation and consumption.

The Gurgyam Cemetery site in the Ngari district of Tibet contained ceramic vessels, one of which was holding plant remains. The plant remains were studied in the same manner as at the Han Yangling Mausoleum and were determined to be Camellia sinensis of about the same age, 1800 years old. The researchers determined that these were not original sites of tea cultivation but were carried to these regions from Southwestern Yunnan China and adjacent regions (Lu et al. 2016).

A Family Tree

The botanical evidence for the origin of Camellia sinensis in China is ample, but the specific region of origin is contested. The tea plant is classified morphologically into two major categories: the temperate small-leaf and the tropical large-leaf. There are of course intermediate types and various tea leaves are produced in the plethora of environmental conditions to be found in China. This morphological classification gave rise to a theory of two places of origin. The specific regions of origin are thought to be between Yunnan and Assam in India for the Assam type and Southeastern China for the small-leafed type. According to Minoru Hasimoto in The Origin of the Tea Plant, this two-origin theory is lacking. Both Chinese and Assam varieties have the same chromosome number (2n=30) (Simura 1935) and there is a continuous variation from Southeastern China to India with a proposed origin in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou. In addition to these findings, wild gigantic tea trees have been found primarily in the Yunnan province and the border between Burma and Laos, but also in a few locations in Sichuan and Guizhou. These gigantic tea trees in some cases date back to over 1700 years old, stand taller than 14 meters high, and have branches 10 m long. These ancient, giant tea trees are thought to be relic species of the cultivated species. This article concludes that there is only one origin in the southwestern district of Sichuan/Yunnan (Hasimoto 1971). In 1950 in Nature, London, the center of origin of tea was determined to be in Central Asia, a relatively broad region of determination. The author identified secondary centers of dispersal in the Northwestern region of China and in the Irrawaddy region of Burma (Kingdon-Ward 1950). This study is consistent with the idea that there is one center of origin, even if it suggests independent secondary origins of domestication.

The Legend of DNA

The genetic evidence for the origin(s) of Camellia sinensis all point to southwestern China as the region of origin and is largely consistent with the botanical evidence. In Genetic diversity and relationship of clonal tea (Camellia sinensis) cultivars in China as revealed by SSR markers, researchers extracted genomic DNA from the young shoots of 185 clonal cultivars from 10 geographical regions of China and analyzed them at 58 SSR. Over 263 alleles and 605 genotypes were detected, and a high level of genetic diversity was determined. When diversity of tea cultivars from the different geographical regions of China was considered, diversity was, from highest to lowest, as follows: Guangdong, Sichuan/Chongqing, Fujian, Zhejiang, Yunnan, Anhui, Hunan, Guizhou, Hubei, Taiwan. Their genetic structure assays also suggested that Yunnan and Sichuan are the centers of origin for Camellia sinensis and concluded that China was the first place of tea cultivation (Fang et al. 2012).

The areas adjacent to Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou are secondary centers of origin based on their geographic distribution of wild tea plants (Yao et al. 2005). A treasure reservoir of genetic resource of tea plant in Dayao Mountain investigated wild tea plants in the Dayao Mountain (Guangxi) and compared them to cultivars grown in other Chinese provinces such as Yunnan and Hunan. This study focused on the Guangxi region because research had been focused on wild teas growing in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, despite the plentiful wild resources in Guangxi. The study found the teas of the Liuxiang population in the Dayao Mountain region to be the most primitive because they were the most widely distributed, had the greatest variation, and the richest diversity (Jiang 2018). This is not to say that the Liuxiang region represents the center of origin, but that it should be studied further in the future.

In the study Domestication Origin and Breeding History of the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) in China and India Based on Nuclear Microsatellites and cpDNA Sequence Data, researchers confirmed the existence of independent domestication sites for Chinese Assam in Southern Yunnan and Western Yunnan, Indian Assam in Assam of India, and Chinese type tea in Southern China. Additionally, the results indicated that the Chinese Assam type of Western Yunnan and the Indian Assam type in India arose from a single population in Southwest China/Indo-Burma/Tibet (Meegahakumbura et al. 2017). In short, the Indian Assam tea was likely introduced from China (Meegahakumbura 2016). From there, independent domestications occurred in Western Yunnan and Assam of India. The China type tea on the other hand has an entirely distinct genetic lineage and the specific origin remains unknown. Future studies should include broader sampling of wild tea plants in Southern China to determine the exact origin of domestication of tea in China (Meegahakumbura et al. 2017).

Wild Tree to lucrative Crop

Tea cultivars have been selected for morphological traits in China since as early as the eight century. In Domestication Origin and Breeding History of the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) in China and India Based on Nuclear Microsatellites and cpDNA Sequence Data almost a third of the tea samples were hybrids between tea types or between tea types and their wild relative C. taliensis (Meegahakumbura et al. 2018). From this we know that there has been hybridization of wild tea ancestors and domestication. In the study Genetic Divergence between Camellia sinensis and Its Wild Relatives Revealed via Genome-Wide SNPs from RAD Sequencing, they found that there were genic SNPs related to functional genes, most especially those involved in the secondary metabolic processes (Yang et al. 2016). This serves as genetic evidence for the domestication syndrome because secondary metabolism is selected on in domestication, among other traits. More revealing information about the key characteristics of the domestication syndrome, such as loss of seed shattering/pod dehiscence/fruit shedding and dormancy, are not so well understood for C. sinensis. Their seeds may or may not exhibit dormancy and evidence for loss of or reduced seed dispersal could not be found (Song et al. 2016).

Follow the Silk Road:
Southern China West

All evidence points to China as the center of origin of Camellia sinensis. Furthermore, the botanical and genetic evidence finds various locations in the southwestern region of China to be the site(s) of domestication. Using all the evidence found and discussed, tea likely originated in the southern region of China and domestication spread westward. In the southern Yunnan region, the Chinese Assam type was likely domesticated and resulted in two secondary domestications in Western Yunnan and the Assam of India. In the map below, the relevant sites are listed with bold-faced dots and the relevant provinces are labeled. The archaeological sites at Tianmu Mountain, the Han Yangling Mausoleum, and Guryam Cemetery discussed in this research create an interesting time-space gradient that is perhaps consistent with the proposed westward domestication of C. sinensis.

How could we be more sure?

To make a precise determination of the center of origin in the southern region of China, future studies should include wider sampling of wild tea plants, most especially in the provinces of Guizhou and Guangxi, which have been studied less extensively than Hunan, Sichuan, and Yunnan (Meegahakumbura et al. 2017, Jiang et al. 2018). Ancient tea gardens in Yunnan and elsewhere should be maintained and the local knowledge and experience should be documented and encouraged to preserve and conserve them in the future. These tea gardens are rich in species and diversity and are valuable genetic resources for future research (Qi et al. 2005).

More than just “hot leaf water”

…as my funny roommate so endearingly calls it. There is so much history, beauty, and work (past and present) that goes into that delightful cup. Nearly every plant we enjoy has undergone a similar journey, and for that, we should be very grateful!

Annalise

Sources

Balentine, D. A. “Manufacturing and Chemistry of Tea.” Phenolic Compounds in Food and Their Effects on Health I, American Chemical Society. 1992. 506: 102-117.

Du Feibao, “China, the Homeland of Tea”, China Vista, N,d. Web. April 27, 2018.

Fang, W., et al. "Genetic diversity and relationship of clonal tea (Camellia sinensis) cultivars in China as revealed by SSR markers." Plant Systematics and Evolution. 2012. 298(2): 469-483.    

Hasimoto, M. "Morphological Studies on the Origin of the Tea Plant III. On the cultivated species in Assam, India." Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture. 1971.15(3): 158-162.

“History of Tea: Botanics.” History of Tea: England. Web. April 27, 2018. www.gol27.com/HistoryTeaBotanics.html.

Duke, James A. Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze. Handbook of Energy Crops. 1983.

Jiang, C., et al. "A treasure reservoir of genetic resource of tea plant (Camellia sinensis) in Dayao Mountain." Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 2018. 65(1): 217-227.

Kingdon-Ward, F. Nature, London. Vol. 165. 1950. pp.297-99

Lu, H., et al. "Earliest tea as evidence for one branch of the Silk Road across the Tibetan Plateau." Scientific Reports. 2016. 6: 18955.

Meegahakumbura, M. K., et al. "Indications for Three Independent Domestication Events for the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) and New Insights into the Origin of Tea Germplasm in China and India Revealed by Nuclear Microsatellites." PLOS ONE. 2016. 11(5): e0155369.

Meegahakumbura, M. K., et al. "Domestication Origin and Breeding History of the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) in China and India Based on Nuclear Microsatellites and cpDNA Sequence Data." Frontiers in Plant Science. 2017. 8: 2270.

Meegahakumbura MK, Wambulwa MC, Li M-M, Thapa KK, Sun Y-S, Möller M, Xu J-C, Yang J-B, Liu J, Liu B-Y, Li D-Z and Gao L-M (2018) “Domestication Origin and Breeding History of the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) in China and India Based on Nuclear Microsatellites and cpDNA Sequence Data.” Plant Sci. 2018. 8:2270.

Östen Dahl. Tea. Dryer, Matthew S. & Haspelmath, Martin (eds.) “The World Atlas of Language Structures Online. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.” 2013.

Qi, D., et al. "Plant biodiversity assessment of the ancient tea garden ecosystem in Jingmai of Lancang,Yunnan." Chinese Biodiversity. 2005. 13(3): 221-231.

Sakato Y. J. Agri. Chem. Soc. 1949. 23, 262-7.

Simura, T. “Cytological investigations in tea plants.” Proc. Crop. Soi. Soc. 1935, Jpn. 121- 133

Song, D., et al. "Seed dormancy in Camellia sinensis L. (Theaceae): effects of cold-stratification and­­ exogenous gibberellic acid application on germination." Botany. 2016. 95(2): 147-152.

Sonnad, Nikhil. “Tea If by Sea, Cha If by Land: Why the World Only Has Two Words for Tea.” Quartz, 11 Jan. 2018. Web. May 12, 2018. qz.com/1176962/map-how-the-word-tea-spread-over-land-and-sea-to-conquer-the-world/.

“Tea Cultivation in China Began Earlier than Thought.” The Archaeology News Network, 4 July 2015. Web. May 12, 2018. archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2015/07/tea-cultivation-in-china-began-earlier.html#2fPW2Dtc6mCZMFKU.97.

The History of Tea.” Chinese Tea, China.org.cn. N.D. Web. April 27, 2018. www.china.org.cn/learning_chinese/Chinese_tea/2011-07/15/content_22999489.html

Gebely, Tony. List of Tea Producing Countries in the World. World of Tea. 2017. Web. April 27, 2018.       

Yang, H., et al. "Genetic Divergence between Camellia sinensis and Its Wild Relatives Revealed via Genome-Wide SNPs from RAD Sequencing." PLOS ONE. 2016. 11(3): e0151424.

Yao M, Huang H, Yu J, Chen L. “Analysis on applicability of ISSR in molecular identification and relationship investigation of tea cultivars.” pp 153–157.

The aim of this series is to corral some favorite things and share them in a short and sweet post. Whether it’s a song, book, recipe, tip, or product, hopefully you will find some inspiration in this list.    

1. It’s February and Valentine’s Day is around the corner. I am not one to complain about the commercialization of holidays because I love how celebrating orients us to the changing seasons and provides an opportunity to be thoughtful with our loved ones. Although, there is absolutely no reason to spend a fortune on a prix fixe dinner or expensive gifts. This year, my husband and I are having dinner at home (breaking our long-standing Valentine’s Day taco date tradition) and I plan on gifting him homemade chocolate truffles and a card. Find the recipe for the earl grey truffles here and a cute set of cards here.

2. If cooking at home more often made your 2020 goal list, then I have a snack suggestion that will help you avoid stocking up on crackers and chips at the grocery store. Crispy chickpeas are so easy to make and are so versatile. They’re perfect as a snack, salad topper, cheeseboard filler, you name it. There are tons of recipes online that’ll get the job done, including this one.

3. I have a special appreciation for this recent Kent Anhari New Atlantis essay because its subject overlaps greatly with the subject of my dissertation. It is foremost dedicated to reviewing a book on reason, but also provides a nice overview of the relationship between rationality and irrationality, especially in the context of the Enlightenment tradition. If you are interested in philosophy, history, or both, check it out.

4. This wouldn’t be a Six Series without a rough transition, so here’s to a sharp turn to a toddler recommendation. I love our Camelbak’s kid’s water bottle because it’s cute, easy to clean, and functional. If you’re on the market, check out Amazon’s big selection here for less than $10.

5. I can’t get through this beautiful children’s book without tearing up—and for the record, neither can my husband. I can’t wait to share it with all the parents-to-be in my life. “Someday” perfectly captures the tension between wanting to watch your baby grow and experience all of life’s beautiful gifts while still wishing they could stay your baby forever.

6. Billy Bragg and Wilco’s “California Stars” is one of my favorite songs. Lyrically and musically, it is just lovely. Listen to it here, and while you’re at it, check out these few stanzas: “I'd love to feel, Your hand touching mine, And tell me why, I must keep working on/ Yes I'd give my life, To lay my head tonight on a bed, Of California stars/ I'd like to dream, My troubles all away, On a bed of California stars/ Jump up from my starbed, Make another day, Underneath my California stars, They hang like grapes, On vines that shine, And warm the lovers' glass, Like friendly wine”

Alison