TeaTime Escapes

Etsy Shop Blog Hop (Hosted by HOST)

admin — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 14:33:55 +0000

Etsy Shop Blog Hop (Hosted by HOST)

This post originally from: The Ivy Keep's TeaTime Escapes

As most of you know, there is an IvyKeep shop on Etsy while we get our move to our spiffy new website all figured out. I love buying handmade and would like to share some of the other shops you can find on Etsy.

This Etsy Shop Hop is sponsored by HOST (Helping Others Street Team) please visit their store and help other Etsy members in need:

My favourite item in their shop right now? This one:

A pair of White Crochet Dishclothes

Something else I found during this Shop Hop:

A very nice necklace by SlenderGrasshopper. Check out her stuff!

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Looking for a little bit more exposure for your ownEtsy Shop and Blog?

Why not join our Etsy Shop Hop? Here is how to participate.

1. Add your shop Avatar to the list below and use your etsy shop URL for it..
2. In a blog post on your blog, link to your favourite items from the two shops ahead of you on the list.
3. Add the Shop Hop code to your blog with these same instructions.
4. Post your blog URL below in the comments.

So – when this is done, not only do you get at least two new links to your items from another blog which helps you be found, but you also might get more followers to your blogs and visits to your shops.

It’s worth a try anyhow.

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Summer Citrus Splash

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:00:14 +0000

Summer Citrus Splash

This post originally from: The Ivy Keep's TeaTime Escapes

3 cups hot Rooibos
1/4 c. sugar
1 cup lemon or lime juice
1 cup orange juice
1 lemon or lime, sliced
1 orange, sliced
fresh mint (optional)
glacé cherries (optional)

Add sugar to the Rooibos and stir until dissolved.
Add fruit juice and slices. Chill in refrigerator.
Serve cold with ice and decorate with fresh mint and glacé cherries (if desired).

Makes 8 glasses

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Fruit Drink

admin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 02:21:27 +0000

Fruit Drink

This post originally from: The Ivy Keep's TeaTime Escapes

Ingredients:

1L chilled Rooibos (strong)

500ml apple juice

500ml granadilla juice

1L chilled soda water or lemonade

200g granadilla pulp or fresh pineapple cubes

sliced strawberries or sliced bananas

Combine the Rooibos, apple juice and granadilla juice and mix well.

Add the granadilla pulp or pineapple cubes into the mixture.

Garnish with strawberry or banana slices.

Just before serving, add the soda water or lemonade.

Have you tried one of the recipes, teas or tea accessories mentioned here? Take a picture and write a review in your blog and post a link here and you could win a $25.00 Gift Certificate! Don’t have a blog? That’s alright – go to our Community Forum and post the review there for your chance!

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What are Tisanes?

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 03:05:55 +0000

What are Tisanes?

This post originally from: The Ivy Keep's TeaTime Escapes

What are Tisanes?

Tisane is another word for teas that are classified as “herbal.” They consist of plants brewed in hot water for their medicinal, calming, and stress relieving affects. The term herbal infusions is sometimes used to describe tisanes since these drinks typically do not contain any actual tea leaves. Because these teas contain herbs instead of tea leaves, they usually contain no caffeine.

The Orgin of Tisanes

The word tisane comes from the Greek word ptisanē. Historically, the word referred to teas made from pearl barley.

Throughout history, in countries such as China, England, and Egypt, tisanes have been used as medicine for various illnesses. Some examples of medical tisanes are chamomile, lavender, and ginseng teas.

Teas that contain a mixture of natural ingredients are also considered tisanes. For example, a tea to calm an upset stomach may contain peppermint leaves, ground ginger root, and chamomile flowers.

How Tisanes are Prepared

To prepare tisanes, the herbs are placed in a cup. Near-boiling water is poured on top of the herb and then they are left to steep for around five minutes. The tea can then be strained, if desired, though some like to ingest the herbs with the tea for a more potent treatment of illness.

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Hawaiian Chicken Curry

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:10:16 +0000

Hawaiian Chicken Curry

This post originally from: The Ivy Keep's TeaTime Escapes

Ingredients:

1pc chicken stock cube

200ml hot Rooibos

50ml cooking oil

2 large onions, peeled and sliced

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 piece preserved ginger, crushed

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

10ml curry powder

4 chicken breasts, deboned

1 tomato, skinned and chopped

salt and pepper to taste

410g canned pineapple cubes, drained (juice set aside)

Place chicken stock cube in Rooibos and stir until dissolved.

Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion, garlic, ginger, green pepper and curry powder for until onion is golden brown..

Add chicken breasts to the pan and fry gently in low heat until chicken cooks.

Mix in tomato, chicken stock, pineapple juice and salt and pepper into the pan. Simmer for one hour until chicken becomes tender.

Add pineapple cubes and increase heat slowly for a few minutes.

Serve with rice.

Serves 4.

Have you tried one of the recipes, teas or tea accessories mentioned here? Take a picture and write a review in your blog and post a link here and you could win a $10.00 Gift Certificate! Don’t have a blog? That’s alright – go to our Community Forum and post the review there for your chance!

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Tuna Mousse

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:00:07 +0000

Tuna Mousse

This post originally from: The Ivy Keep's TeaTime Escapes

Ingredients:

15ml gelatine

65ml cold Rooibos

125ml hot Rooibos

400g canned tuna flakes, drained

125ml mayonnaise

12.5ml lemon juice

chopped onion

2ml Tabasco hot sauce

1ml paprika

12.5ml dried thyme

2ml lemon pepper

2 egg whites (stiffly beaten)

Dissolve gelatine over cold Rooibos. Add hot Rooibos and stir well.

Cool the mixture and combine with tuna flakes, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chopped onion, Tabasco, paprika, dried thyme and lemon pepper. Mix properly.

Fold in egg whites.

Take mould and rinse with cold water. Spray mould with non-stick product and pour the mixture into the mould.

Chill mixture and remove from mould once it sets.

Serve on fresh lettuce leaves and garnish with mayonnaise, paprika and parsley.

Serves 8.

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Bobotie

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:10:33 +0000

Bobotie

This post originally from: The Ivy Keep's TeaTime Escapes

Ingredients:

240ml Rooibos (strong)

190ml dried apricots

85ml seedless raisins

190ml dried apple rings

100ml Rooibos

250ml milk

1 thick slice of white bread

500g minced mutton or beef

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

25ml cooking oil

15ml curry powder

25ml sugar

30ml vinegar

10ml salt

2ml black pepper

3 eggs

blanched almonds

3 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

Take apricots, raisins and apple rings and soak in Rooibos for 20 minutes. Chop finely after soaking.

Take bread and soak in 100ml milk. Mix with minced mutton or beef.

Sauté onion in cooking oil until golden brown and add curry powder, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Add the chopped fruits and

Add the Rooibos used for soaking the fruit.

Simmer in medium heat until mixture thickens.

Remove from heat and combine minced meat with the mixture.

Turn into an ovenproof dish.

Mix together 150ml milk, Rooibos and eggs. Beat vigorously.

Place almonds and bay leaves on top. Pour milk, Rooibos and egg mixture over.

Bake for 45-60 minutes.

Serves 4.

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Bean Soup with Rooibos

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:00:33 +0000

Bean Soup with Rooibos

This post originally from: The Ivy Keep's TeaTime Escapes

Ingredients:

3.5L Rooibos

500g sugar beans

150g bacon (diced)

1 large onion (chopped)

5pcs beef stock cubes

1L hot Rooibos

2 medium potatoes (grated)

2 ripe tomatoes (diced)

2 large carrots (grated)

table salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

Run sugar beans under water to wash and clean. Soak sugar beans overnight in 3.5L Rooibos.

Take a large saucepan and bring the chilled beans and Rooibos to a boil. Upon boiling point, lower heat and bring to a simmer until beans are cooked.

In a separate pan, sauté bacon and onions until golden brown.

Add the bacon, onions, beef stock cubes, hot Roobios, potatoes, tomatoes and carrots to the saucepan with beans and Roobios. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with whole wheat bread.

Serves 8 – 10

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Irish Cream Delight

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:00:19 +0000

Irish Cream Delight

This post originally from: The Ivy Keep's TeaTime Escapes

Ingredients:

500ml hot Rooibos (strong)

40ml brown sugar

100ml Irish Whisky

100ml lightly whipped fresh cream

1 bar chocolate, grated

Set four glasses down for mixing.

Combine 125ml hot Rooibos,10ml brown sugar and 25ml Irish Whisky and pour into each glass.

Mix well until sugar dissolves.

Top each glass with cream by pouring the cream gently using the back of a metal spoon. Do not stir.

Serve with a sprinkle of grated chocolate above cream.

Makes 4 glasses

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Tea Quotes

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:55:46 +0000

Tea Quotes

This post originally from: The Ivy Keep's TeaTime Escapes

‘Here, thou, great Anna!
whom three realms obey,
Dost sometimes counsel
take–and sometimes tea.’

~ Alexander Pope
Rape of the Lock (canto III, l. 7)

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