Coffee & Tea

Black tea is as healthy as green tea - The Times of India

2012-09-04T07:49:00.001-07:00

Black tea is as healthy as green tea - The Times of India:

It might be virtuous and exotic, but buying expensive green tea for its health-boosting properties may be a waste of money, according to a new study.

The study says a mug of bog-standard black tea with a splash of milk is just as good for both your heart and circulation.

The claim comes in a review of the healthproperties of green and black tea commissioned by the industry's Tea Advisory Panel.

Dr Carrie Ruxton, a freelance dietician, said that just like the green variety, black tea has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, stroke, diabetes and tooth decay.

"Studies that have looked at both types of tea have confirmed similar improvements in vascular function when black or green teas are drunk, leading to significant reductions instroke risk," the Daily Mail quoted her as saying.

Ruxton concluded that black and green tea, which both come from the plant camellia sinensis and contain similar compounds, offered the same health benefits.

In 2001, a review of 17 studies concluded that the risk of heart attacks was 11 per cent lower, on average, when people drank three cups of black tea each day.

"Black tea continues to demonstrate a whole host of health-giving properties. Black tea is the new green for those in the know," said Dr Catherine Hood from the Tea Advisory Panel.

The finding appears in the journal Network Health Dieticians.

'via Blog this'

“First Coffee Ad”, 1652

2012-07-19T02:06:00.001-07:00

“First Coffee Ad”, 1652:

“THE Grain or Berry called Coffee, groweth upon little Trees, only in the Deserts of Arabia.

It is brought from thence, and drunk generally throughout all the Grand Seigniors Dominions.

It is a simple innocent thing, composed into a drink, by being dryed in an Oven, and ground to Powder, and boiled up with Spring water, and about half a pint of it to be drunk, fasting an hour before and not Eating an hour after, and to be taken as hot as possibly can be endured; the which will never fetch the skin off the mouth, or raise any Blisters, by reason of that Heat.

The Turks drink at meals and other times, is usually Water, and their Dyet consists much of Fruit, the Crudities whereof are very much corrected by this Drink.

The quality of this Drink is cold and Dry; and though it be a Dryer, yet it neither heats, nor inflames more than hot Posset.

It forcloseth the Orifice of the Stomack, and fortifies the heat with- [missing text] its very good to help digestion, and therefore of great use to be [missing text] bout 3 or 4 a Clock afternoon, as well as in the morning.

[missing text] quickens the Spirits, and makes the Heart Lightsome.

[missing text]is good against sore Eys, and the better if you hold your Head o’er it, and take in the Steem that way.

It supresseth Fumes exceedingly, and therefore good against the Head-ach, and will very much stop any Defluxion of Rheumas, that distil from the Head upon the Stomach, and so prevent and help Consumptionsand the Cough of the Lungs.

It is excellent to prevent and cure the Dropsy, Gout, and Scurvy.

It is known by experience to be better then any other Drying Drink for People in years, or Children that have any running humors upon them, as the Kings Evil. &c.

It is very good to prevent Mis-carryings in Child-bearing Women.

It is a most excellent Remedy against the Spleen, Hypocondriack Winds, or the like.

It will prevent Drowsiness, and make one fit for Busines, if one have occasion to Watch, and therefore you are not to drink of it after Supper, unless you intend to be watchful, for it will hinder sleep for 3 or 4 hours.

It is observed that in Turkey, where this is generally drunk, that they are not troubled with the Stone, Gout, Dropsie, or Scurvy, and that their Skins are exceeding cleer and white.

It is neither Laxative nor Restringent.

Made and Sold in St. Michaels Alley in Cornhill, by Pasqua Rosee, at the Signe of his own Head.”

…
Via Open Culture / Boing B0ing

Whole Bean Coffee

2011-12-06T17:20:00.001-08:00

Everyone knows that whole bean coffee is used to make fresh hot coffee. A coffee maker, some whole bean coffee and grinder are all that are needed to make a delicious pot of java. What many people don’t know is that there are many more uses for whole bean coffee than simply making a pot of coffee. The following are ways to use the coffee bean.

Fresh Breath – Even though coffee is thought to leave bad breath, sucking on a coffee bean leaves the mouth fresh in just a few minutes.

Odor Remover – Put a bowl of uncovered coffee beans in the refrigerator to remove odors from foods stored in there.

Hand Odors - Rubbing coffee beans between the palms of hands is a good way to remove odors from other foods such as fish. The odor of the coffee bean is much stronger than most other odors and the hands come out smelling fresh and clean.

Bean Bag Filler – Use old coffee beans that can’t be used to make coffee to fill up bean bags. This is an expensive option unless the coffee beans are old and going to be thrown away.

Dye Paper – Soak coffee beans in hot water and then use the water to dye paper.

Cooking – Coffee beans can be used as the secret recipe in barbecue sauces and marinades. They can also be used to flavor ice cream, cakes, cookies, glazes and other kitchen recipes.

Compost – After using whole beans to make coffee, the used c coffee grounds can be put in compost and used in flower beds. Mushrooms have been shown to grow well when used coffee is placed around it.

Prevent Pests – While used coffee grounds are excellent for compost, they are also great for preventing pests in the garden. Make a mound of coffee grounds around vegetable gardens and flower beds to keep out the ants and snails.

Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans – This is a sweet, crunchy treat for coffee and chocolate lovers. Cover coffee beans in the chocolate flavor of choice, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate or even white chocolate. These sweet treats make excellent gifts and are good for energizing snacks.

Facial Scrub – Grind the beans coarsely and use them to exfoliate the face.

Pot Scrubber – Old coffee beans that are going to be thrown away can be coarsely ground and used to scrub greasy pots and pans in the kitchen.

Coffee beans that aren’t used before they become stale don’t have to be thrown in the garbage. There are many different ways to put the beans to use so that they are not wasted. Before throwing the whole beans out check out the different ways to put them to use.

How to Make Masala Chai - How to Make Chai Tea - Masala Chai Tea Recipe

2011-09-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

Powders, syrups and teabags can never compare to freshly brewed masala chai (a.k.a. “chai tea”). Making it from scratch takes more time, but is infinitely more rewarding. This recipe is a bare bones, basic version of masala chai. Once you’ve made it this way, feel free to experiment with blending the many other chai spices out there into your brew.

2 cups milk or milk substitute
2 cups water
4 whole cloves
2 crushed green cardamom pods
2 crushed peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
1 grape-sized piece peeled, chopped ginger
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. black tealeaves (preferably Assam)
To begin making masala chai, combine milk, water and spices in a medium saucepan.
Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add sugar and tealeaves. Stir, and then simmer for 5 minutes.
Strain into glasses or mugs and serve.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Makes 4 cups.

Cinnamon Caramel Coffee

2011-09-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Add the cinnamon before brewing to give this recipe spicy touch. You'll need to stir well to blend in the caramel syrup.

Ingredients:
6 tbs ground coffee
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup caramel dessert syrup

Preparation: Mix the cinnamon into your loose ground coffee and then brew a pot of coffee by whatever method you prefer. Add the caramel syrup to the cinnamon-spiced coffee, and stir well until completely dissolved. Chill through in the fridge, and serve over ice cubes, with added milk or sugar to taste. The syrup makes this iced coffee pretty sweet as it is.

Ethiopia’s Coffee Market: Bitter for Some - BusinessWeek

2011-09-02T04:53:00.000-07:00

Ethiopia’s Coffee Market: Bitter for Some - BusinessWeek

The mouthful of coffee makes a high-pitched ting as Stephen Vick spits into a metal urn. “Ethiopian coffees are really special,” says Vick, quality control manager for Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea. At the company’s “cupping” lab in Chicago, he samples delicately flavored batches from the birthplace of coffee before deciding what to ship to Intelligentsia’s six cafes and 1,000 retailers.

The Ethiopia taste tests occur far less often than before, says Vick. “We don’t want to buy anonymous coffee,” says Geoff Watts, an Intelligentsia vice-president. The no-name beans he is referring to trade on the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange, an effort to improve farm markets that also poses a serious problem for U.S. coffee dealers who seek out coffee the way Manhattan wine merchants track down the best Bordeaux.

While the United Nations estimates that 3.2 million people face starvation in bordering Somalia, Ethiopia is expanding its commodities exchange to improve its own food-distribution system. Public trading of crop contracts, which Americans have through the Chicago Board of Trade (CME), creates transparent, regulated markets that guarantee payment and encourage farmers to earn more income from coffee and food crops. Successful farming spurs the development of roads and communications networks that will help Ethiopia feed itself and its famine-prone region. The exchange fits into a much larger plan to develop large-scale agriculture.

In its first three years the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange has centralized the trading of coffee, sesame, and navy beans in a modern bourse where traders in colored jackets buy and sell as screens flash prices for coffee from New York, wheat and corn from Chicago, and sesame from Nigeria, India, and Sudan. Trading volume in the last fiscal year more than doubled to 504,000 tons of crops. The exchange is spurring farmers to grow better-quality coffee, says Gashaw Kinfe Desta, who employs up to 250 workers during the harvest on his southern Ethiopian farm.

The changes have complicated the supply relationships with merchants such as Intelligentsia and Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland, Ore., which rely on “single-origin” and “direct trade” coffee to sell to the most discerning consumers. Ethiopia, the world’s seventh-biggest coffee exporter, has always had a premium story: Legend holds that a ninth-century goat herder first saw the wake-up potential of the Coffea arabica plant when his charges grew frisky after nibbling on the fruit.

Because coffee is such an important crop, the government wants almost all of Ethiopia’s coffee traded on its commodity exchange, which would have neither the volume nor the clout to thrive if coffee were excluded. The sensitivities of boutique Western buyers are less of a concern, though Eleni Gabre-Madhin, chief executive officer of the exchange, says she warned Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, the country’s leader for the past 20 years, that “people are going to be screaming about this.”

The passage of what’s known as the Coffee Law bolstered the ECX’s influence by requiring that most coffee sales go through it or a government-approved cooperative. The law gave the exchange authority to grade all Ethiopian coffee by quality and trade it accordingly. In the process it curbed foreigners’ access to hundreds of small stations that had been processing coffee cherries.

These stations had sold to buyers from abroad who once roamed the countryside, acquiring a knowledge of their products so intimate that “it added a considerable amount of value to the coffee,” says Intelligentsia’s Watts. Now under the exchange system “there’s a lot of mixing going on.” At that point, “traceability”—the ability to guarantee that certain beans came from one farm—is lost, he says.

For mass-market buyers, such as Kraft Foods (KFT) and J.M. Smucker (SJM), that isn’t an issue. The beans in a can of Kraft’s Maxwell House coffee, for example, are identified on the label as a “South Pacific Blend,” not from a particular farm or even country. Starbucks (SBUX), the world’s biggest specialty coffee company, buys Ethiopian coffee through the exchange. The chain’s Ethiopia Sidamo blend hails from the country’s southernmost region.

For buyers in the rarefied single-origin niche, a bean’s terroir (the special characteristics conferred by the local soil and climate) offers a marketing edge in the battle against Starbucks. The branding power of direct-trade, single-origin coffee is undermined by Ethiopia’s soured relationship with artisan coffee companies, say boutique chains. John Riopka, a principal owner of Discovery Coffee in Victoria, B.C., says he dropped Ethiopia from his menu of single-origin blends after the exchange opened.

Gabre-Madhin says she’s focused on boosting the quality and sales of all Ethiopian coffees. While boutique buyers are a tiny fraction of the market, treating them well is “very important from a symbolic standpoint because they make a lot of noise,” she says. The ECX developed a grading system with help from the Specialty Coffee Association of America that allows for certification of coffee as organic, fair trade, and rainforest arabica. Gabre-Madhin says Starbucks has been testing a bar-coding system developed with the exchange to make bags of beans traceable to individual farms.

The exchange has plenty of fans. Dinku Sileshi, general manager of Chefa Dira General Business in Addis Ababa, has been selling to exporters for 17 years. He used to make his transactions at auctions or in private contracts with buyers who would sometimes default on payments or be slow in fulfilling their end of a deal. Now he’s a floor trader, punctuating his bids with high-fives to signal a deal has been made. He calls the ECX a “seismic change.” Before, “we had to chase the exporters to get our check,” he says. “Now we can buy and get the money tomorrow.”

Gabre-Madhin doesn’t want to ignore single-origin coffee. It’s about 1 percent of exports, she says, but it could be much more. “It pulls up the price of everything,” she says. “It’s like the $500 bottle of wine.” By mixing beans, though, the exchange instead is creating the equivalent of a French vat of blended grapes, says Stefan Hersh, co-owner of Buzz: Killer Espresso coffee shop in Chicago. Says Hersh: “It’s a big, nasty cuvée.”

The bottom line: Ethiopia’s effort to boost its No. 7 coffee-export world ranking pits its modern commodity exchange against coffee aficionados.

Caramel Latte Granita

2011-07-12T16:48:00.000-07:00

Coffee granitas are a longstanding tradition in Italy, where they are often served as desserts or snacks. In America, granitas of all sorts are also enjoyed as palate cleansers in between courses or as toppings for other cold dishes.
This Caramel Latte Granita recipe combines an Italian classic with an Americanized Italian drink (the caramel latte). It can be spiced up with whipped cream, berries, shaved chocolate or spices.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Cold-Brewed Coffee Infusion Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 16 hours, 10 minutes
Yield: Approx. three servings

Ingredients:
1 c. cold-brewed coffee or cold espresso
3/4 c. milk
3 tbsp. good quality caramel syrup

Preparation:
Mix the ingredients in a shallow, freezer-safe dish.
Optional: Cover the dish with a lid or with plastic wrap.
Place the container in the freezer.
After about one hour, scrape a fork through the mixture. Repeat every 45 minutes until the mixture is fully frozen. Scrape it less often for a chunkier mixture (like Italian ice) or more often for a smoother mixture (like sorbet).
Enjoy immediately, or cover the container and scrape the granita once more before serving. Use within two weeks.

Cucumber Mint Green Tea

2011-07-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

Cool as could be, this drink from Remedy Teas highlights the flavor of Japanese green tea with the double cooling action of peppermint and cucumber. This fresh-tasting, super-hydrating combo puts the chill on from the inside out. They recommend Japanese green tea as a base for its fresh, clean, green taste that pairs perfectly with cool cucumber and mint.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours, 50 minutes
Yield: 9 cups / servings

Ingredients:
8 cups nicely brewed Japanese green tea, such as Remedy Teas' Green Twig Tea, Late Harvest Tea or Sencha
1/2 cup peeled, seeded, puréed cucumber
1/4 cup muddled, finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (or lemon juice)
Sliced cucumbers (to garnish glasses)
Ice cubes (as needed per cup)
Simple syrup or other tea sweetener (to taste)

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients except ice and sliced cucumber in a large pitcher or bowl.
Cover the pitcher or bowl and chill the mixture for several hours.
When the mixture is well chilled, strain the mint and cucumber if you like.
Add ice to each glass and garnish rim with sliced cucumbers (and mint if desired). Cucumber also looks nice in the glass not just on the rim.

Tips:
To brew Japanese Green Tea, use 1 tsp tea leaves per 1 cup 160º F water. Brew for 1 to 3 minutes and strain the tealeaves. Japanese green teas tend to be fresh and oceanic. China green teas tend to be smokier and nuttier. Look for a tea that is more fresh and green and less smoky and nutty.
To make Simple Syrup, Boil 1:1 ratio of sugar to water and boil to dissolve on the stove, then chill. Or use agave, honey or other alternative sweetener. Keep it light.
If in the mood for spirits, Sake and vodka pair well with this green tea treat. Add a couple cups (to taste, desired level) of cold sake or vodka to create an adult version of this drink.
For extra wow-factor, garnish with a rosemary twig for aromatics and visual appeal.

Cold Brew Coffee System

2011-07-10T16:34:00.001-07:00

Kusmi Tea

2011-07-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

Kusmi Tea was founded in 1867 by P.M. Kousmichoff in St Petersberg, Russia. Kusmi provided tea for the Tzars right up to the Russian Revolution and then re-founded the bussiness in Paris in 1920. Kusmi is now the one and only authentic Russian tea company

Kusmi Tea is a cut above the rest and has been featured in the press around the world including in the French Cosmoplitan Magazine.

With all that heritage behind it Kusmi has launched a new tea for the summer, Kusmi Detox Tea. Available in various pack sizes, the ones to buy if you want a truly decadent high-tea are the muslin tea bags.

Date Tea Smoothie Recipe

2011-07-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

This Date Tea Smoothie recipe uses dried dates, black tea powder and dairy milk or coconut milk to create a flavorful breakfast smoothie. If you'd like, you can add vanilla whey powder or vanilla soy powder for extra protein.
Prep Time: 02 minutes
Cook Time: 04 minutes
Total Time: 6 minutes
Yield: About 1.5 cups

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut milk or milk
10 dried, pitted dates
1 peeled, frozen banana
1 tsp. black tea powder (Store-bought or ground in an electric spice grinder or coffee grinder)
(Optional) 1/4 cup pineapple juice or orange juice
(Optional) 1 tsp. coconut flakes
(Optional) 1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract or 1 scoop vanilla whey powder or soy protein powder

Preparation:
Blend all ingredients in a blender until the mixture is smooth. As date are very fibrous, this smoothie may take longer than most smoothies to fully blend.

Wonderful coffee cups

2011-07-01T05:05:00.000-07:00

By Maurivan Luiz:

Banana Mate "Tea" Smoothie Recipe

2011-06-30T15:20:00.000-07:00

This caffeine-filled yerba mate "tea" smoothie is a tropical blend of cold-brewed yerba mate, banana and other ingredients. It's especially easy to make in the morning if you cold-brew your yerba mate overnight.

Prep Time: 05 minutes
Cook Time: 03 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes

Yield: Makes one serving

Ingredients:
4 ounces cold-brewed yerba mate
1 peeled, frozen banana
A splash of soymilk, other milk alternative, pineapple juice or other liquid (to taste)
Agave, honey or other liquid sweetener (to taste)

Preparation:
Break the peeled, frozen banana in to a few pieces.
Combine all ingredients in a blender.
Blend until smooth, adding more liquid if needed.
Serve immediately.

Peach Rooibos Smoothie Recipe

2011-06-29T15:18:00.000-07:00

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Although rooibos is sometimes known as "red tea," this isn't technically a "tea smoothie" -- it's a "tisane smoothie."

Regardless of what you want to call it, this Peach Rooibos Smoothie recipe makes a flavorful, caffeine-free, antioxidant-rich breakfast shake, afternoon snack or healthy dessert.
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: Two cups / Two servings
Ingredients:
1 heaping tsp. powdered rooibos (Store-bought or ground into powder in an electric spice grinder or coffee grinder)
1 pitted, sliced peach
1/2 cup milk or milk alternative
6 ice cubes
(Optional) 1 tsp. honey
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Matcha Green Tea Smooothie Recipe

2011-06-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 02 minutes

This healthy Matcha Green Tea Smoothie recipe is quick and easy to make thanks to matcha powdered green tea. It can be prepared as a vegan tea smoothie and it's a great way to use over-ripe bananas.

Cook Time: 02 minutes

Total Time: 4 minutes

Yield: Makes one serving

Ingredients:

1 peeled, frozen banana (preferably a very ripe banana)
1/2 cup low-fat milk, coconut milk creamer or other dairy alternative
1/2 tsp. good quality matcha powder
(Optional) 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
(Optional) Sweetener to taste
Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a blender.* Blend until the mixture is smooth and even, stopping to stir if necessary.

* You may find that it's easier to blend if you add the matcha powder before the milk or dairy alternative.

Lemon Almond Iced Tea

2011-06-26T15:00:00.000-07:00

This is a sparkling iced tea, with the unusual combination of lemon with almond and vanilla. You could use regular soda water, if you prefer less lemon flavour.

Ingredients:

4 cups boiling water

10 tea bags, black

2 lemons, sliced thinly

1 cup sugar

1 tbs almond extract

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 2-litre bottle of lemon carbonated drink

Preparation:

Brew tea in a saucepan, and steep for 10 minutes. Put lemon slices into a large pitcher, giving them each a squeeze as you go. Add sugar into pitcher. Mix in tea. Add flavourings and pop right before serving. If you are not going to serve immediately, hold off on the extracts and lemon soda until then.

Serves 12

Iced Cantaloupe Black Tea Recipe

2011-06-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

Chef and tea book author Robert Wemischner has created many wonderful tea recipes. Amongst them is this summery iced tea recipe, which combines fresh cantaloupe with Keemun black tea. He calls it a "Keemun-Kantaloupe Kooler."

Prep Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 peeled and seeded, large, ripe cantaloupe (about 2 lbs)

Superfine sugar for coating the rims of glasses and to taste

2 tbsp Keemun black tealeaves or similar black tea

2 cups water

Juice of 2 limes

12 ice cubes

Garnishes: Wedges of cantaloupe, wedges of lime, sprigs of mint with stems intact

Preparation:

Cut 4 crescent wedges of cantaloupe as garnish and reserve in the freezer.

Dip 4 tall glasses in water, then dip rims in sugar to coat. Freeze glasses.

Cut the remaining melon into 1-inch chunks.

Brew the black tea in the water at 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius) for 3 minutes. After brewing, remove the leaves (with a sieve or an infuser basket) and reserve the liquid.

Chill the tea until cold.

Just before serving, place the melon, chilled tea and lime juice into a blender. Blend, adding ice cubes gradually and pureeing the mixture until smooth and frothy. Taste and add sugar as desired. Puree again.

Remove the glasses from the freezer.

Pour the "Keemun-Kantaloupe Kooler" into the frozen glasses and top each with a melon crescent, a wedge of lime and a sprig of mint.

Serve immediately.

American Tea Room's Apricot Iced Tea Recipe

2011-06-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

This iced tea recipe from American Tea Room is a flavorful, sparkling variation on an Arnold Palmer (a.k.a. "half and half" or "iced tea lemonade") recipe. It uses Tangier Apricot Black Tea and sparkling pink lemonade for a one-of-a-kind flavor.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: 48 oz. (About 6 servings)

Ingredients:

8 heaping teaspoons of American Tea Room Tangier Black Tea

8 apricots

2 cups Sparkling Pink Italian Lemonade (available at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods; feel free to substitute with Sparkling Soda, Sparking Water, or other beverage of your choice)

2 cups crushed ice

Preparation:

Steep 8 heaping teaspoons of American Tea Room Tangier Black Tea in 16 oz. of water at 185F for 4 - 5 minutes.

Remove the tealeaves and let the tea cool for a bit. As it cools, slice the apricots in half and remove their pits.

Pour tea over 2 cups of crushed ice.

Add 2 cups of Sparkling Pink Lemonade and apricot slices.

Stir and place in fridge overnight.

Serve chilled over ice.

Black Tea-Infused Vodka Recipe

2011-06-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

As tea cocktail gain popularity, many bartenders are finding new and innovative ways to make them. One popular method for making tea cocktails is infusing liquor with tealeaves and serving it straight, mixing it with simple syrup or using it as a base for more complex cocktails. Here's how to infuse black tea vodka for your own tea cocktails.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 18 hours

Total Time: 18 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: Ten two-ounce servings

Ingredients:

750 mL neutral-tasting vodka (a.k.a. "a fifth")

6 level teaspoons good quality black tealeaves (The tea can be flavored or unflavored, but unflavored tea vodkas usually have a cleaner, more mixable flavor. I used Yunnan Golden Buds for the vodka in the photograph.)

Simple syrup (optional, to taste)

Preparation:

Using a funnel, place the tealeaves into the bottle of vodka. If necessary, lightly crush them first or use a chopstick to fit them through the funnel and into the bottle.

Replace the cap of the bottle and shake well.

Steep for about 18 hours, or to taste.

Pour the mixture through a strainer and funnel into a different bottle. (If you plan to add simple syrup, use a larger bottle.)

Discard the tealeaves. Add simple syrup to the remaining solution if desired.

Serve straight, on the rocks or as a base for more complex cocktails.

Iced Breakfast Tea Latte Recipe

2011-06-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

This Iced Breakfast Tea Latte Recipe was created by The Tea Spot in Boulder, Colorado. Like an iced espresso latte, it is made of ice, milk and a strong, concentrated, caffeine-rich drink.

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

Yield: A single 16-oz serving

Ingredients:

4 tsp Bolder Breakfast tea leaves

8 oz boiling water

2 oz milk or milk substitute (such as soy, almond or rice milk)

A martini shaker filled 2/3 of the way with ice cubes

Optional: sweetener, such as honey, agave or vanilla

Preparation:

Steep an 8oz concentrate of Bolder Breakfast tea using 2 teaspoons of tea leaves in boiling water for 5 minutes.

Strain tea leaves.

Pour into 16oz shaker filled 2/3 with ice cubes and shake well.

Steam or froth 2 oz milk or milk substitute to twice its original volume.

Add iced tea concentrate to milk or milk substitute and sweeten with honey, agave or vanilla if desired.

Art of Tea's Iced Citrus Black Tea Recipe

2011-06-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

This modernized-classic iced tea recipe from Art of Tea features an award-winning black tea blend, lemon / orange juice and brown sugar. It's a more sophisticated take on Southern sweet iced tea.

Ingredients:

1 liter of water

4 tablespoons of Art of Tea’s award-winning Classic Black tea

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Juice of one orange or one lemon

Large bowl of ice cubes, roughly crushed

Preparation:

Place a large jug or pitcher into the freezer to chill at least 15 minutes before brewing your tea. (It can be left in the fridge or freezer days in advance for quick iced tea anytime.)

Put the water on to boil in a saucepan or kettle.

Put the tea and sugar in a teapot. As soon as the water boils pour it into the pot and infuse the tea for 5 minutes.

Remove the pitcher from the freezer and pour the crushed ice and the citrus juice into it.

Strain the tea and add it to the pitcher.

Put the tea in the fridge for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is well chilled.

Serve immediately.

Apple Tea Granita Recipe

2011-06-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

This Apple Tea Granita recipe combines black tea with apple cider for a healthy frozen dessert or snack. It can be made up to two weeks in advance.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: Approx. three servings

Ingredients:

2 tsp. black tea, preferably Darjeeling Second Flush or Darjeeling First Flush

1 c. just-boiling water

1/2 c. apple cider

Preparation:

Steep the tea for three minutes. Strain the tealeaves.

Mix all the ingredients in a shallow, freezer-safe dish.

Optional: Cover the dish with a lid or with plastic wrap.

Place the container in the freezer.
After about one hour, scrape a fork through the mixture. Repeat every 45 minutes until the mixture is fully frozen. Scrape it less often for a chunkier mixture (like Italian ice) or more often for a smoother mixture (like sorbet).

Enjoy immediately, or cover the container and scrape the granita once more before serving. Use within two weeks.

Samovar's Jasmine Iced Tea Lemonade

2011-06-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 18 minutes

Chill time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 48 minutes

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients:

6 cups water
1/4 - 1/2 cup honey or natural sweetener
1/4 cup Organic Jasmine Pearl Green Tea
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Ice

Preparation:

Boil water with honey or natural sweetener.
Let cool for 5 minutes
Add Organic Jasmine Pearl Green Tea and steep for 10 minutes.
Remove tea leaves and add fresh squeezed lemon juice.
Cool in refrigerator until cold.
Add ice to glass, pour and enjoy!

Iced Latte Recipe

2011-06-12T16:03:00.000-07:00

This easy Iced Latte recipe is made with instant chai concentrate. It can be served on ice or it can be blended into a smooth, frosty chai drink.
Prep Time: 02 minutes

Cook Time: 02 minutes

Total Time: 4 minutes

Yield: 3 cups (2 servings)

Ingredients:

1.5 cups ice (roughly 12 to 15 ice cubes)
1 cup masala chai concentrate, such as Rishi Tea's Masala Chai Tea Concentrate
1/2 cup whole milk
1-2 tsp. good quality chocolate or white chocolate syrup (Optional)
Preparation:

Combine all ingredients. Stir well or blend in a blender until smooth.

Bye-bye bird: Wonderful coffee table

2011-06-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

Bye-Bye Bird is made of 100% brass. The table is inspired by old classic wire furniture but with a humours and functional twist; bending some of the wires creates an opening, allowing the space under the tabletop to be used for storage if wanted.

The table is designed with durability and sustainability in mind.

For more information: http://web.fplusk.com/#258623/Bye-bye-bird