Lady Londonderry and Limoncello

Today is the wedding of some young friends, Jules and Jeanne. Since we could not be there, I decided to lift a cup of Lady Londonderry to them. Long life and much happiness to you! This was supposedly Princess Diana's favorite tea, with hints of strawberry and lemon. It seemed an appropriately romantic and wedding-y sort of tea. Usually I buy mine from Culinary Teas and I like that very much. This time I though I would try some from

The Tea Table.

It is not quite the same, but it is a very nice tea. I think the lemon overpowers, in the gentlest way, the strawberry, so it is not as well balanced as Culinary's, but is is quite good, nevertheless.

For someone who claims to prefer unflavored black and oolongs, I certainly am out in the flower fields a lot this week. I think that is because it has been so hot and humid and my brain has been sozzled from the outside in. However, the basil, thyme and the white rose think this weather is marvelous, so all is not lost.

I was reading the UK Tea Council blog and they say that 96% of people in the UK use teabags only!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, is that a switch. What happened to this bastion of tea drinkers? The first time I was there, I was staying with friends for the weekend and they asked my friend and I to make "elevenses" for their workers. We had never made tea in a teapot and had no clue whatsoever how to do this, as it was LOOSE TEA and not tea bags. But we soldiered on. The workers drank it, with a great deal of puzzlement, but for the rest of our stay over several weekends, we were teased unmercifully and, funny thing, they didn't ask us to make tea again.

The picture above is one of Limoncello makers of Sorrento, Italy. This is a lemon liquer, made from the lemon trees that grow all over the town and surrounding hills. You can walk up and down the streets, sampling them until you can't walk anymore - it is strong. We made a lemon sauce for pasta when we were there and the lemon oil just leapt out of the skins. It was soooo good. These lemons are large and quite a bit sweeter than we see here in the grocery store. There is also a Crema di Limoncello, which is also a wonderful drink. Keep them both in the fridge and serve on a hot summer evening. In very small glasses, however.